The Amalirs, easily one of the most popular expatriate families to have spent a length of time in Calcutta, were invited to yet another farewell party before they bade adieu to the city. (Laura has since left and Stephane, director of the Alliance Francaise du Calcutta, will do so at the end of the month.) The hosts Imran Zaki and Jasjit Singh called friends and family over for a cosy get-together at The HHI, jointly hosted by chairman-cum-managing director of The HHI, D.K. Jaiswal.
“Stephane is a dear friend of Calcutta who did a lot to promote the arts as well as social harmony, helping us organise inter-faith meets. Wherever they go, this connection they have forged with Calcutta will stay forever,” Zaki told t2 on the sidelines of the meet.
Former president of Alliance Francaise (it used to be called The French Association then) Neela Majumdar, who went on many a trip round the city with them, “pandal-hopping and phuchka-tasting”, spoke of Amalir’s contribution — right from bringing AFB back to Park Mansions to holding fund-raisers after natural calamities and organising protests against terror attacks. “And Laura used to teach disadvantaged children with an NGO,” she said.
French consul-general Damien Syed said he was sad to see them leave. “On behalf of the French team in Calcutta, we tried to keep you but the rules do not allow an extension beyond five years,” he added.
Vocalist Soumyojit Das raised a toast through the plaintive Kishore Kumar number Musafir hoon yaaron.
The Amalirs now return to Brittany but promised to be back. “We may have completed our official mission here but not our love story with Calcutta,” said Stephane.
Sudeshna Banerjee
Pictures: Rashbehari Das
