IT''S A WONDERFUL WORLD : A Memoir

His autobiography is like him, no holds barred and a racy read that

makes us feel ''wish we had a life like this''.

-Sunil Gavaskar

In its broad, multifaceted sweep of events from his birth in Mumbai''s

poverty-stricken Madanpura to a father who started life as an orphan

and a mother from a penurious family, Khalid Ansari''s life has been an

enjoyable and purposeful journey in service of his fellow human beings. In

this ''donkey''s tale-upar wala meherbaan to gadha pehelwaan (When God

smiles kindly, the donkey thinks he''s a wrestler)'', Ansari has endeavoured

to capture some highlights of a splendoured life which he has been blessed

to live, catching stars while chasing rainbows.

From starting newspapers and magazines; representing his country at the

United Nations; accompanying dignitaries on state visits; covering cricket

Test matches, nine Olympics, Commonwealth and Asian Games; travelling

the world; being honoured with the Padma Shri award-it''s been indeed

la vie en rose.

In this memoir, the author has been at pains to prevent this from deteriorating

into a ''I-did-this-did-that''-pat-himself, shabash!'' hagiography or a dry-as dust pontificaltome, by ''spicing'' it up with dollops of frothy anecdotes and

self-critical bon mots even as he has attempted a discourse on the purpose

of life, the ''right path'' and the like.

Since charity and service to humankind are now the author''s obsession

post retirement, he has also dwelt at some length upon his private, self funded charitable foundation and on giving away whatever little material

possessions his wife Zeyna and he have acquired in his lifetime.