Kiran Nadar : Queen of ♠️and Arts

Priyanka Gulati

It was with a sense of awe that I stepped into Kiran Nadar's exquisite house, a mesmerizing collection of art, ranging from MF Husain to Raja Ravi Verma, welcomed me with their gaze. While anticipation for our interview pulsed through me, I secretly yearned for a brief delay, hoping to bask in the serene beauty of the paintings. But alas like any Bridge player Kiran was in time for our meeting.

When asked who her favourite player was, she demurred to restrict herself to just one. Instead, she gave a lot of names of players with whom she has enjoyed playing. Her strength in bridge is to visualise the cards of opponents and partner and her gut which is mostly right. I asked her about the secret of her longest partnership in Bridge with her partner B. Satyanarayana to which she smiled and stated that communication and letting off steam always helps to build good partnership.

One advice she had for young players like me was to continue playing and play the teams event. I did promise to play teams in HCL at all costs.

She loves her team Formidables and tries to get the best players to join it. Having successfully run her team "Formidables" for over 30 years, she took it upon her to put India on the world Bridge Map.

As a player too, her prowess has been truly impressive. She has donned the Indian colors at multiple global championships. A highlight of her illustrious journey was the triumph in the 2018 Commonwealth Bridge Games, where she secured the coveted Gold, followed by a Bronze conquest at the Jakarta Palembang 2018 Asian Games.

Yet, her ultimate aspiration rests on clinching victory at the world championship. Kiran has promised to celebrate with glass of champagne when that happens.

Even though Kiran, like any dedicated bridge player, adhered to punctuality, what truly captivated me was her childlike fervor as she recounted her experiences of cricket and Wimbledon matches. The emotional rollercoaster of '83, with its triumphant moments and swelling pride, sparked by the underdogs' astonishing victory against all odds, resonated deeply.

Her vivid descriptions of the 2011 World Cup victory and the jubilation that followed transported me to those very moments. As our conversation shifted to her life's narrative and her tales from the world of bridge, I couldn't help but marvel at her qualities.

I was so enamoured by her talk on women empowerment and how she raised her daughter Roshini, the influence her mother’s life had on hers. Indeed, justice cannot be done to her in just one article. I will probably have to write a book on her.

She had but one regret; failing to have paid adequate attention to her health during her younger days. However, she diligently takes care of it now.

Recently, Kiran Nadar received the distinguished "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur," an accolade of paramount honor, bestowed upon her by the French Ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain.

Her journey is a testament to the harmony she strikes between bridge's strategic intricacies and artistic flavours through art.

Exiting the house, as my eye caught another Raja Ravi Verma painting that captured vivid colours and delicate brushstrokes.

Like the painting, Kiran draws you in, revealing intricate details that seem to come alive under her master stroke. I lived her life in last forty five minutes, from her bridge tournaments to her art collection, to her Kiran Nadar Museum and varied other interests.

It was a mesmerising interplay and at that moment I knew what makes her stand out - it was her relentless pursuit of perfection and childlike curiosity.

Disclaimer : All opinions are entirely those of the author and are no reflection of the views of the BridgeFromHome Team.