Dilip Doshi
Cricket, Entrepreneur, Leadership, Resilience
Immaculate control of flight and turn made Dilip Doshi a much-respected left-arm spinner in English county cricket some time before he donned his country's colours. In another age, Doshi might have gone on to play 100 Tests for India. He played his first Test in 1979-80, when he was 32, and immediately became Kapil Dev's main foil in an emasculated attack. For the next three years, he was an ever-present figure, glasses gleaming, and reached 100 wickets in only 28 Tests (he and the legendary Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett are the only two to reach that landmark after making their debuts past 30). Doshi became a hugely successful entrepreneur bringing Mont Blanc to India and building it up to 25 stores across the country. He then went on to be the first distributor of several other luxury brands. His taste in music started a lifelong friendship with Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones and he holds the distinction of attending over 450 of their concerts from backstage. He continues to be associated with the Stones designing stunning high end exclusive watches and pens uniquely commerating each of their 60 albums. He is a thoughtful and much sought after speaker from the UK to India.