22/04/2026
From one of the upper storey windows… a teen-aged girl had observed a group of young men, all spruced up in their Sunday best, gathering at the church and exchanging banter.”
Her name was Habiba. She was the daughter of Iqbal Hydari, a senior executive in the railway department, and belonged to a distinguished Hyderabadi family. Yet, as the biography notes, the Hydaris were “something of an exception” — widely travelled, educated, and part of a broader international culture. Habiba herself was “slim, attractive, pert, a girl with a will of her own.” She had joined the Sir J.J. School of Art, determined to make a career for herself and “had no intention of submitting to a marriage arranged by family elders.”
Their worlds came together in 1957, at the J.J. School of Art annual ball. The two groups met and mingled for the first time. At a ‘tag’ dance, Mario cut in — and that was how they first met. After that… as they danced on they also got to know one another.
But it was not a straightforward romance. It was a long courtship during which Habiba and Mario were separated from one another for long periods, both pursuing their disparate careers. At one point, Mario left for Lisboa, taking a “reckless gamble” to refine his art abroad. Habiba remained in Bombay, continuing her own path — studying, working, and living independently.
Distance became part of their story. And yet, the connection endured. Years later, as Habiba would remember : “That very night after Sarto Almeida had been married, Mario and I, too decided to get married.” And so they did on 10th November, 1963.
They began their life together in a modest flat in Bombay.“Both of them had belonged to well-to-do families… now they had to live on a budget.” Together, they built a life grounded in companionship, independence, and quiet understanding. In time, their family grew — with two sons, Raul and Rishaad.
She lovingly called him Joseph & he lovingly called her Charlie.
