Constitutional lawyer, tax expert, economic developer, diplomatic, author, Nani Palkhivala has adorned all that he has touched in life. He was born on January 16, 1920, in the home of a small businessman. Money was short in the family, but Nani�s hopes were high. As a young boy, he devoured books. Samuel Smiles� book, Self-Help, inspred him. From Tutorial High School, he went to St Xavier�s College, Mumbai. By the time he was sixteen, he started earning by giving tuitions. At college, he studied English literature and won the Chancellor�s Medal in his MA. From 1943 to 1946 Nani read law, securing a First Class at the LLB and Advocate examinations.

The flame of achievements burned in him. He fought case after case of national importance. Nani successfully argued for the Fundamental Rights of the minorities. He fought most cases of public importance without charging any fees.

If you are looking for the secret of his success, you have to look elsewhere. He has a sound value system. "To me, money is only a means to an end. And that end is doing good to others." To Nani, the most important thing for a person�as for a nation is productive use of time and energy. And Nani, as long as his health permitted him to do so, endeavoured to fill every moment of his life productively, whether he was handling a legal case, an industry meeting or an interview.

With all his achievements, the most endearing quality about Nani is his humility. Simple in his life, entirely satisfied to come to office in an open-collared shirt and pants, he has given several crores of rupees to charity and it is unlikely that he has even kept an account of it. His last cheque was of a staggering amount Rs 2 crore. "I want to give away money in my lifetime. What is the use of bequeathing it because you are unable to take it away.          �Russi M. Lala