He plays with scissors for the sheer fun of it, and this happiness comes right from the heart. In business for several decades, the three generations of Habibs have been hairstylists for political heavyweights including President Zakir Hussain, President VV Giri, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and APJ Abdul Kalam, even before he became president.

Habib Ahmed’s long list of celebrity clients also included Maharani Gayatri Devi, Sam Maneckshaw, Teji Bachchan and actor Rajesh Khanna. To be able to say, you have had your hair done at Habib’s today speaks for itself-that you are trendy, fashionable and upwardly mobile. This book is a chronicle of the journey of a man called Habib Ahmed who turned his name into an institution.