The party secrets.

[Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi]

One person almost always seen at Delhi’s book launches is novelist Vikram Seth’s mother, Leila Seth. A retired High Court justice as well as a memoirist, this graceful woman is always given a front row seat. The author of the evening as well as the publishing house editors would make it a point to greet her.

Any Vikram Seth fanatic can tell you that Ms Seth was the inspiration behind Lata Mehra, the spunky heroine of Vikram Seth’s celebrated novel A Suitable Boy.

The Delhi Walla has been stalking Ms Seth for many years. I even photographed her the day author Khushwant Singh died—she was standing outside his residence with her novelist son, and was in a lovely pink saree (check out that dress on the second-last photo below).

There’s a book launch this evening, too. Of course, I’m going there to again gaze upon at Ms Seth.

See you, this evening, too, Ms Seth

1.

2. (with author Mark Tully)

3.

4. (with son author Vikram Seth)

5. (with author Amitav Ghosh)

6. (with author Siddhartha Mukherjee)

7. (with daughter filmmaker Aradhana Seth)

8. (outside author Khushwant Singh’s house)

9.