Seychelles loses famous personality – Kantilal Jivan Shah
Seychelles has lost one its famous personalities in the person of Kantilal Jivan Shah, who passed away on Thursday this week in Victoria. He was 88 years old.
Kanti, as he is known to locals and the worldfamous, has the enviable reputation of being the most written about Seychellois. ‘A man of many parts’ is the phrase that has been used to describe his type of personality for he was, in varying measures, a historian, natural history expert, palmreader, vegetarian cook, collector, photographer, artist and intellectual.
Kanti’s abode was the old part of Victoria, on the corner of Market St. where he has kept a shop best known for textiles. This was the base from which he engaged in other pursuits, from commercial to philosophical, over the years. It is also the place where he has received countless number of visitors for his reputation went far abroad. A website entry says he has been visited by some of the world's best known personalities from Queen Elizabeth II and Mother Teresa to author Ian Fleming.
The greatest contribution that Kantilal has made to Seychelles however must be in the field of natural history and environmental conservation. He has been an outspoken champion of nature and its wonders in Seychelles ever since anyone can remember and has played no small part in promoting Seychelles overseas in that area. He is included in the UN Environmental Program Global 500 Roll of Honour and was also honoured by the Royal Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters.
In the field of natural history and the environment at least, he has been succeeded by his son Nirmal, Seychelles best known environmental expert today.
Kanti will be mourned by friends not only in Seychelles but in many corners of the world.
Source: Regar 10-22-10