Perfect Pitch

Gulu Ezekiel swears that nothing of his late uncle Nissim--India's most eminent poet in the English language--rubbed off on him.

"With me its cricket, wickets, and that's about it," he says, humble but not in the least bit apologetic. And although many in this well-known family have had stellar careers, Gulu is the only one with his own website. As the premier cricket commentator in the country (cricket being the hands-down favorite sport and passion of hundreds of millions of Indians), a journalist, author, TV and radio personality, and with a mom who is a master cook, Gulu Ezekiel, 45, may well be the most eligible Jewish bachelor this side of the Ganges.

"It just hasn't happened yet," he says, when asked why he has never been married, "and even though I always think it is an excuse when people say they have been too busy, I think it is true in my case. Or, maybe better to say I have been too focused."

Of the 10 books published by Ezekiel, 10 have been about cricket (including two authorized biographies of the two biggest Indian cricket superstars, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Gungauly). This is what he means by (too) focused.

His other passion is his Judaism and the news out of Israel: "I check the Ha'aretz web site between 15-20 times a day." When asked why, he replies that he likes to feel connected to what's happening there. Ezekiel was one of the first Indian journalists to write about Israel in the Indian press, before diplomatic ties were forged between the two countries in the mid-'90s. He also wrote about India for the Jerusalem Post until the late '80s. "I feel that somehow it was in my 'work' to bring these two countries closer together," he says.

"I remember that I told my friends that diplomatic relations between the countries would soon be a reality six months before it actually happened," he recalls. While admitting to playing a certain part in the historical diplomatic breakthrough, he refrains adamantly from going into any detail.

"Although proud and happy to be a Jew," he says, "I don't wear it on my sleeve, and especially now, after 9/11. The atmosphere in India has changed somewhat. … it is just a feeling, nothing has actually happened. I just don't feel as safe as a Jew anymore. Even the media, which used to be rather pro-Israel, is starting to go the other way".

Ezekiel is the only one in his family who has been to Israel. The Ezekiel clan, composed of successful, well known people--his dad, the late Joseph, held a high ranking position in the civil service and his aunts and uncles were World Bank economists, newspaper editors, actors and artists, leaders in the field of education, and of course his larger-than-life uncle Nissim, the poet--are known to all as Jews but have not been very involved in their Jewishness.

Ezekiel's grandfather Moses wrote a book about the history and culture of the Bene Israel clan and was one of the pioneers of the Reform movement in India, but his interest was not widely shared among the rest of the family.

"We grew up completely secular," says Ezekiel, in the small apartment he shares with his mother on the outskirts of Delhi, surrounded by books and more books, scrapbooks filled with hundreds of articles he has written, and cricket memorabilia. "Actually, we celebrated the holidays of all the religions, except our own. This is peculiar, no?"

Ezekiel started to identify strongly as a Jew after several experiences with anti-Semitism, directed at him from classmates in a rural Christian-missionary school. "I am definitely the most Jewish one in my family," he says, "but I am not spiritual at all, it is a cultural, social matter. Although, the first time I was in Jerusalem, I had deep, mystical, spiritual feelings. I felt I had been there before, thousands of years ago."

Ezekiel has never been to see the Maccabiah Games, but he enjoys following the cricket league in Israel, and especially likes the Israeli youth team (under 15). "They are a very good team, they are really talented," he says. "Actually, the Israeli Indians are very involved in cricket, just like all Indians around the world." As far as Jewish Indian athletes, he knows of one only, Adrian Ezra, a former Squash champion who migrated to England and is now a successful stock broker. There was also a Jewish cricket umpire in the '80s, Juden Ruben, who passed away recently.

Ezekiel's mother, Khorshed ("Sun," in her native Persian), is actually not Jewish but rather was born into a Zoroastrian family, the ancient Persian religion which is still practiced in India by the Parsi community. This has not changed his perception of himself as a Jew (Gulu is derived from his given Persian name, Gul-Fraaz, meaning "happy as a flower"). "Everyone in the Jewish community, especially here in Delhi where we are more open and progressive, accept me as Jewish." he says, "even mom is accepted by all in the community as one of us."

"I was very happy when Gulu became more Jewish," Khorsed adds. "After I read Exodus, many years ago, I fell in love with the Jewish people and am thrilled to have become one of the community."

A food critic and master cook, Khorsed tells of some special Jewish Indian dishes for Shabbat, including chicken in a spicy onion tomato sauce, and fried flat bread made with coconut and brown sugar. Although she refuses to share her recipes, saying, "My kids have to have a good reason to come and visit," she would be delighted, she adds, to teach some of her culinary secrets to a daughter-in-law, God willing.