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Cool couple exudes warmth

Gifted with skills of a good manager, Shoab has landed himself in the right kind of job, finds out K.N. MURALI SANKAR

PHOTO: RAJU. V.

TOGETHERNESS Shoeb is at his best amidst his family members.

His profession makes it mandatory to taste an array of delicacies served by the best of chefs. But to satisfy his own taste buds, he prefers to relish the dishes cooked by his better half.

Despite a hectic work schedule, Mohammed Shoeb, General Manager of Hotel Fortune Murali Park, manages to spend some leisure time with his wife Nishat and children, Mohammed Shaad, Mohammed Maaz and Samra Anjum.

Be it a long drive or a candlelight dinner in a restaurant, Shoeb enjoys the time spent with his family the most.

"Hospitality industry is one area where you have to prove yourself every day," says he, unwinding amidst the cosy environs of Aromas, the multi-cuisine restaurant of Hotel D.V. Manor.

Carving a niche for himself in the hospitality industry was his childhood dream. The man from Delhi did his postgraduate diploma in tourism and hotel management and joined the Connaught Hotel in New Delhi as front office assistant 18 years ago. Though his father, a bureaucrat, was not really happy with Shoeb's decision, he never discouraged him. "I became General Manager at the age of 38, which is a rare achievement in hospitality industry," he says chomping roti with malai murg.

Nishat entered his life in 1994, when she was doing her graduation in Muzzafar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh.

"Our first meeting was in the marriage hall," says the couple smiling at each other.

His parents finalised the marriage date when he was working for Fouratti Hotel Tarek in Kuwait. "I had no fancy dreams about the bridegroom. I only wanted a nice person to be my life partner," says Nishat, joining the conversation.

Shoeb is a big foodie and loves tandoori, murg tikka and fish varieties cooked by Nishat. "She cooks biryani well and has also won prizes in cookery competitions at Nagpur," he says.

Nishat completed her graduation after marriage, but prefers to be a housewife. "I like cooking and interior decoration," she says.

Rubbing shoulders with high profile personalities like cricket sensation Sachin Tendulkar, forms part of Shoeb's day-to-day life.

"Sachin is a movie buff and spends his leisure time in watching Hindi movies. Nishat and children met the Master Blaster at the Pride Hotel in Nagpur in 2002, when Shoeb was the manager of rooms division there.

Brush with VIPs

Cricketer Yuvaraj Singh presented a bat to Shoeb in 2003, when he visited Agra. Shoeb gave the bat to his elder son, Shaad, now a seventh class student in Nalanda Vidyaniketan in the city. "My father loves cricket. He often plays with us," says an excited Shaad. Another fabulous gift came from West Indies cricketer Carl Hooper during the India-West Indies match in Nagpur in 2003. "West Indies won the match. Though I felt bad for India's defeat, I went to Hooper's suite with a cake and congratulated him. At the airport, he presented me a brand new cap of the West Indies team," Shoeb recalls with pride. "I have served to all the VIPs except Amitabh Bachchan. I hope I'll get a chance to serve him one day," he says looking at Nishat, who is also a diehard fan of Amitabh.

His three-year stint in Kuwait is the most memorable experience for the family. Though he has managed to settle to the new surroundings, Nishat and children may take some time to get acclimatised with this place.

"We eagerly wait for Sundays, when we all go out," say Maaz and Anjum recalling their exciting trip to Manginapudi beach and Suryalanka. Shoeb is eager to see Shaad taking over the mantle from him in the hospitality industry and wants Maaz to pursue a career in medicine.

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