When Former PM PV Narasimha Rao 'Gatecrashed' Satya Nadella's Wedding

HYDERABAD: The year was 1992. So engrossed was the nation with economic liberalization that nothing else was supposed to matter. In the least, the wedding of Anupama Priyadarshini to her 24-year-old beau, Satya Nadella.

But then, this low-key family affair in New Delhi eventually ended up becoming a talking point, thanks to an illustrious guest who decided to turn up at the venue uninvited. It was the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao.

"They (the families) had planned a simple event without fanfare. But Rao found out about it and gatecrashed. He even scolded them (his two prized secretaries) for not inviting him," recalled Anupama's cousin Dinesh S Sastry, who shuttles between Washington DC and San Francisco, over e-mails from the US. "This just shows how humble the families were," Sastry repeatedly appeared to stress, all through his fond recollections of that day over two decades ago.

His "uncle" (the husband of his mother's first cousin) K R Venugopal, Anupama's father, was then secretary to the PM, in-charge of Kashmir affairs and social development, while Nadella's father, B N Yugandhar, was special secretary to the PM.

"Even during their days in Seattle thereafter, this inherited simplicity did not leave their side," Sastry, a trustee of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), wrote about his Andhra food-crazy brother-in-law and wife who frequented his parents' home there.

Nadella's sincerity back then, when he shuttled between Seattle and University of Chicago for his MBA course, was hard not to notice. "He always tried to avail of discounted tickets," Sastry shared, through one of his numerous mails, packed with pride. Pride also because he strongly believes he was one of the first few to have predicted Satya's journey to the Microsoft boss' chair, as early as last summer when the now CEO was named the company's executive vice president, Cloud & Enterprise.

Even then, like now, he had taken to Twitter to congratulate his industrious cousin, who, fascinatingly loves to a shake leg, every so often. "They (Satya and Anupama) went dancing over weekends sometimes in Seattle. Sad, they might not be able to do that anymore," Sastry added as a footnote about the happy duo with three "music-loving, talented children in grade school".

But his respect for Venugopal uncle appeared the strongest. The uncle managed to floor former US First Lady Hillary Clinton during her trip to India in 1995. "They (the Clintons) met both Yugandhar and Venugopal to discuss social development of women and children, along with Kashmir affairs. During lunch, my uncle quoted George Bernard Shaw on marriage and that left a lasting impression on Hillary," Sastry shared.

Given this glittering legacy, perhaps the smitten cousin is not too off the mark when he writes, "...couldn't happen to better people", in praise of his 'Big Brother' and the latest feather in his cap.