A lesson in living fully from Rama Khandwala, the 91-year-old woman who received the National Tourism Award from India's Prime Minister in 2017.
At 91, Rama Khandwala remains clear-minded and quick-thinking. Beside where she sits for an interview with Condé Nast Traveller (CNT) is a wooden desk displaying the many awards she has received over the decades. Her latest award is the title of India's best tour guide, presented by the country's Prime Minister in September 2017.
Khandwala was born into a wealthy family in Burma (Myanmar's former name) in 1926. From an early age, Khandwala and her siblings were trained to join the military.
“I worked as a nurse at a hospital in 1944. There, I saw soldiers return from the war having lost parts of their bodies. I will never forget that sight. Our hospital was also bombed,” she recalled of those difficult years.
Her years in the military were a precious period that shaped many of Khandwala’s values in life. Khandwala’s career as a tour guide began when she read a newspaper announcement about India’s national tour-guide training program. She decided to apply because, at the time, ‘my husband had passed away in 1982, and my daughter was studying in the United States. I was practically free to pursue what I wanted.’
“I could tell you so many stories,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes. “My life has been filled with adventures alongside warm-hearted friends, through beautiful places and all kinds of experiences. It has been an incredible journey.”
1. Do Not Surrender before Trying
‘Joining the military helped me stop being afraid of anything. As a tour guide, I have only one rule for visitors: I meet them in the hotel lobby when needed. They are not allowed to come to my room, and I do not enter their private space. In return, I have never refused a visitor's request,’ Khandwala said.
On one occasion, upon hearing that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was visiting the Taj in Agra, a tourist asked Khandwala to help arrange a meeting with her.
“That time, I approached Indira Gandhi and made my request, and she agreed. I think my guest will remember that experience even more vividly than the Taj Mahal,” Khandwala recounted.
On another occasion, Captain Rajiv Gandhi made an announcement on a flight carrying Khandwala. She told her guest that the captain was the son of India's then Prime Minister. The guest wanted a photo with the captain, so I approached him and politely asked. He agreed. When I happened to meet Captain Rajiv Gandhi again at the Taj hotel in Mumbai, he asked me about that Japanese guest. That was when I knew he remembered me.”
“I have lied a few times to get the job done. One instance occurred when my tour group was stuck in the middle of a long line in Trivandrum. I told the security guard that the group were relatives of the Japanese prime minister. The Japanese tourists did not understand Hindi, and the guard believed me. We were led through a special entrance and entered the temple just 5 minutes later,” Khandwala admitted.
2. Always keep learning
Alongside working as a tour guide, Khandwala also translates for companies in India and assists with documentary projects broadcast on Japanese television. She is an interpreter beloved by many Japanese tourists and is known as “Rama San.”
Khandwala learned Japanese during the Japanese occupation of Myanmar from 1942–1945.
“When I was given the opportunity to study a foreign language, I loved it and recognized the benefits of knowing Japanese. I believe that this language advantage later helped me get selected for the national tour-guide training program,” Khandwala shared. One of those jobs enabled her to meet the Dalai Lama.
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Rama Khandwala received the National Tourism Award from India’s Prime Minister in 2017. Photo: Tribuneindia |
3. Do not judge others
While leading a tour, Khandwala was asked by a Japanese tourist what underwear Indian women wore beneath their saris. She later learned that he was a lingerie businessman visiting India to research the market. His accompanying employee carried magazines with explicit images to give to clothing sellers in an effort to persuade them to discount his products.
‘This job taught me never to judge other people,’ Khandwala reflected.
4. Confidence
Khandwala, who was in a traffic accident three years ago, now works as a guide in a car.
‘Next week, I will ride with the visitors in their car and tell them about the magnificent Art Deco buildings in South Mumbai as well as the Gothic architecture. Visitors are sometimes a little worried when they learn that their guide is an elderly woman, but they quickly become impressed with me. Until four years ago, when I was about 84, I could still climb into the caves at Kanheri. I have taken many visitors there,’ Khandwala said.
Khandwala’s guiding style also differs from most Indian guides, as she expresses strong national pride.
“Sometimes you also have to express your views to tourists. When a visitor complained about Mumbai’s dirt and disorder, I asked what his country was like 200 years ago. People living in Mumbai’s slums still keep their homes clean,” Khandwala said.
“One visitor touring Dharavi said she wanted to live here because, in the slum she came from, people did not care for children and older people as much as they do here. These are the things we need visitors to know about Mumbai. Travelers today demand more. They research a destination before setting out, so they are no longer as easily surprised as they once were,” Khandwala emphasized.
5. A simple, disciplined lifestyle
Asked how she dealt with health issues at 91 and about her everyday habits, Khandwala laughed like a child.
‘Spiritually, I feel completely at ease and happy. I have the temperament of a child. This work has taught me patience. I do not enjoy family gossip or cooking. Instead, I read books, write books, and hope to become a contributing writer for a newspaper,’ Khandwala said with a smile.
‘All of these things keep me healthy. I avoid fried foods and eat at regular times. I was once trained to be a soldier, and I will always carry a warrior's spirit in my life.’
Collected.
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