“In the midst of Jamini Roy paintings, Ming vases and Osler chandeliers in an old North Calcutta mansion, I spotted him. A distinguished older man in a simple ivory khadi kurta and dhoti. It was only when he was leaving did I notice his walking stick—a handcrafted wooden beauty with a solid gold tiger head encrusted with old Burmese rubies. I watched transfixed, as he strode onto the porch outside, and disappeared into a black Ambassador car.”