The faint memories of me being a top student at Park Road Primary School and winning numerous speech contests is as far as I can go. I joined Eastleigh Secondary School in 1960 and left after 4 years in 1963. They were indeed the most enjoyable, memorable and influential years of my young life.

The two teachers that inspired me most were Mr Mendonca and Mr Jones who will always be my role models. I have fond memories of them coaching me and guiding me through. Then there was Mr Briggs who was most helpful as the "coach-manager" of our football team, which I captained in 1963. I will never forget the thrashing we once got from St Theresa's School. We lost 10-0 but I still remained the captain!

After school I briefly taught English at Raval's Tutorial College. We moved to England in February 1966. I studied part-time, worked in the Civil Service, then joined the Midland bank in 1970. When Dad retired, we started our first catering venture, a 70-seater American style Pancake House in Kingston Upon Thames. We then went on to KFC franchised stores and an American ice cream parlour called Dayvilles 32 Flavours. We sold them all to do something different. In 1986 I qualified as an Approved Driving Instructor and am now running my own driving school "Driverite".

I have three lovely sons, two married and two beautiful grandsons called Hisham and Roham. I live with my fantastic wife Nargis and our youngest son Raashid in Chessington.

- As of October 2006