BOOK LAUNCH: MY TYEBI - A MEMOIR

Narrator, My Tyebi - Sakina Tyeb Mehta is the narrator of My Tyebi, an intimate memoir of her life with celebrated Indian modernist Tyeb Mehta, and the managing trustee of the Tyeb Mehta Foundation. Over six decades, she shared Tyeb’s personal and artistic journey, accompanying him through years of struggle, creative evolution and international recognition. Told in her voice, My Tyebi draws on a life lived alongside one of India’s most significant modern artists, offering a rare and intimate account of the man, his work, friendships, family and the world in which his art took shape.

For over five decades, Shabana Azmi has captivated audiences with her extraordinary versatility, appearing in over 140 Hindi films and 12 international productions. Her acclaimed performances span Shyam Benegal’s Ankur, Deepa Mehta’s Fire and Midnight’s Children, Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Ismail Merchant’s In Custody, and more recent projects such as Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Ghoomer and Steven Spielberg’s Halo. Azmi is the only Indian actress to have won five National Film Awards for Best Actress, including three consecutive wins. She has also received six Filmfare Awards and numerous international honours, earning recognition for her nuanced and compelling portrayals. Her artistic achievements extend to theatre, with memorable performances in Tumhari Amrita, which ran for over 20 years, Broken Images and Kaifi Aur Main. Beyond her artistic contributions, Azmi is a committed activist. Recognised by Time magazine as one of 25 Asian Heroes, she continues to inspire through her exceptional artistry and social engagement.

Author, My Tyebi - Himani Mehta Dehlvi is an author, costume designer and trustee of the Tyeb Mehta Foundation. Her career in film, television and theatre spans more than three decades, with work ranging from independent cinema to international productions. Her recent work on Netflix’s acclaimed series Trial by Fire adds to a repertoire that includes The Sweet Requiem, Bhopal Express, The Avengers, The Jungle Book, Monsoon Wedding and The Bourne Supremacy. Her theatre work includes the Royal Shakespeare Company and London’s National Theatre.

Author, My Tyebi - Nusrat F Jafri is a Mumbai-based author and award-winning cinematographer. Her debut memoir, This Land We Call Home, published by Penguin Random House India, has been widely reviewed and critically appreciated. Her writing has appeared in Reportagen, The Indian Express and The Pioneer. A mentee of South Asia Speaks, she was awarded the South Asia Speaks × Reportagen Fellowship in 2025. Her work explores memory, history, identity, and the intimate worlds of people, places and jinns.

Managing Editor, My Tyebi - Vaseem Ahmed Dehlvi is a writer, director and producer with over three decades of experience across feature films, television and documentaries. He is a trustee of the Tyeb Mehta Foundation. His early documentary work explored politics, society, travel and contemporary life. Andha Samaj won the 1989 Dalit Academy Award, while Dilli: A Few Images was selected for the Cinéma du Réel Film Festival in France. He went on to create and direct the acclaimed television series Amma & Family, starring Zohra Segal, followed by Zindagi Kitni Khoobsurat Hai and Not a Nice Man to Know. His feature films include Kya Tum Ho and Exitz. He is currently developing a slate of feature films and OTT series.

Trustee TMF - Yusuf Mehta, trained at the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India, received the 1988 National Award for Best Educational Film for Multimedia in Distance Education. His career spans theatre, film, and television, including Mohan Joshi Haazir Ho, Utsav, and Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi. As Head of the School of Animation and Visual Effects at Whistling Woods International from 2015-2023, he expanded its scope to include 2D and 3D Animation, Comic Design, Game Design, Visual Effects and Virtual Reality, championing Indian aesthetics and cultural heritage to shape a distinctive “Indian sensibility” in animation and interactive media.

Minal Vazirani co-founded Saffronart in 2000 and has been a driving force behind the auction house’s growth, leading efforts across strategy, business development, technology, and finance. Her leadership has been pivotal in expanding the company’s operations and establishing its presence in Mumbai, Delhi, New York, and London. She has been an avid art collector for nearly three decades and has curated and organised exhibitions of Indian art both in India and internationally. She is a co-founder of ART MUMBAI, the city’s first dedicated art fair, featuring a meticulously curated array of modern and contemporary art from both India and South Asia as well as a robust roster of galleries and participation from foundations and distinguished art institutions. Minal has co-founded and leads the Saffronart Foundation, an arts organisation which aims to provoke and facilitate critical thinking with initiatives at the intersection of art, culture and social change. Additionally, she is the co-chair of the South Asia Acquisitions Committee at the Tate Modern, London, the chair of South Asia Committee for Women to Watch 2027 by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., and on the advisory board of St+art Mumbai Urban Art Festival (MUAF). She also serves on the advisory board of the Aangan Trust, an NGO working to protect children from harm and exploitation across India. She has also served on advisory boards for the Friends of Sir JJ School of Art Trust and Time Out India, and co-chaired the FICCI Committee on Arts and Business. A sought-after industry expert, Minal is a regular panellist and speaker at art and jewellery events. She was a fellow of the Inaugural Class of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She has contributed to the Art Asia Pacific Almanac to reflect on the trajectory of Indian art, and in 2005, she led a review of the development of Saffronart when the Harvard Business School put together a case study on the company, which continues to be studied by MBA students globally. Before founding Saffronart, Minal worked as a management consultant with Booz, Allen & Hamilton in Mumbai, where she handled projects across industries in the U.S., Southeast Asia, and India. She holds an MBA from INSEAD in France, where she was awarded the Sasakawa Fellowship, and a BSc in Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering with a minors focus on Art History and Indian History from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dinesh Vazirani is the Co-Founder and CEO of Saffronart, a leading international auction house for modern and contemporary Indian art, and one of the four co-founders of ART MUMBAI, the city’s first dedicated art fair, which debuted in November 2023. Under his leadership, Saffronart has expanded access to Indian art, providing knowledge and access to established collectors, institutions, and a growing community of art enthusiasts. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and a Master’s in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA with honours from Harvard Business School (1994). After completing his MBA, Dinesh returned to India to manage his family businesses, WMI Cranes and WMI Power, where he was instrumental in driving growth, mergers, and acquisitions with their German partners. Dinesh has also held leadership roles in the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), served on the Stanford Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, and continues to serve on the boards of several Indian companies. A passionate collector and advocate of Indian art for over two decades, he is widely regarded as an industry expert and is a frequent speaker at art-related forums and events.