So what's he doing in politics?. ``When Indiraji died, I'd gone to offer my condolences to Rajiv Gandhiji, and he later insisted I contest the elections,'' says Salim. Sure enough, he won, and today, after contesting five elections and winning three, he's a committed politician. I've known Salim since I was in school in Nainital and we've shared a strange bond as friends because he's as self-effacing, simple and full of fun as I like to believe I am.

Coming from an affluent khandani business family of Allahabad, Salim is one of six siblings. But he says very honestly: ``Although I enjoy my business, it's power that gives me the ultimate high.'' And high he's been on power, first as Minister of State for Health and then Minister of State for External Affairs in the United Front Government. His work in both areas was impressive yet what's most impressive is that he has retained his humane qualities, despite all that heady power and female adulation.

Some time ago, Salim and his wonderful wife Rubina (behind every successful man, there's a woman, right?) threw a fabulous party, which, in Delhi parlance, was a virtual Who's Who affair and the most amazing thing was the way Salim's warmth permeated through to everyone, from the big to the biggest, as they all threw caution to the winds and danced into the wee hours, while Salim sang along. There was Sunil Dutt, Rekha and Aroon Purie, Suman Dubey, the late Persis Khambatta, Kapil Dev, Uma Gajapati Raju, Dumpy Ahmed ... I can go on naming names, but we all had fun!

``Weren't you ever interested in dramatics?'' I once asked Salim, and he recounted an amazing story. ``You know, Anjana, once this lady came to me saying that she wanted me to star in a serial and my co-star would be Rekha. So I listened to her and told myself: `You lucky fella, imagine Rekha acting opposite you.' I nodded my assent before she could change her mind. As she was leaving, the lady turned around and added that she hoped I knew that I was to finance the serial!'' The way Salim recounted the story, I was in hysterics. He has an unending repertoire of funny stories that he relates in an even funnier manner.

Salim's sun-sign is Aries he's honest, good, kind, and has to be a winner always! I know that just too well. As for me, who's used to winning whatever I put my mind to, the one person I lost to was Salim. In 1984, my husband, Rajnish, and I had won the Wills `Made For Each Other' Contest from Dehra Dun (it was a cakewalk, really!). We went to Calcutta for the finals, expecting another cakewalk. And there were Salim and Rubina, the regional winners from Allahabad.

The moment Salim burst into his sher-o-shairi on stage, I knew it was all over. Yes, he walked away with the cake (which happened to be a car) and the bakery, too, and I never let him forget that. Once I told him: ``Salim, any Arien is so fanatical about winning that he would even take another man's wife just to win the game.'' And he burst into laughter, saying: ``I don't need to do that, because winning hearts is so easy. It's the other kind of winning that's more challenging.'' Shall we give him the benefit of the doubt,?

Now, what's his favourite sport (because he's `sporty' in every sense of the word)? ``Oh, I'm mad about tennis and cricket,'' he answered. Salim leaves office at Allahabad to play tennis for two hours every day (now we know where he gets that incredible glow from). And he's also very, very religious. To top it all, he's a great father, too. Lest this sound like an exercise in PR, I decided to meet a friend-cum-astrologer, who also knows Salim very well, so I could get to know some not-so-nice things about him.

``Tell me something about the darker side of Salim,'' I ventured.

The astrologer said: ``He's honest, sincere and religious''.

``No, no,'' I protested. ``I mean the bad things about him''.

Pat came the reply: ``Oh, he's very kind-hearted, a bit naive and very fair. He'll do anything for Aa friend. This goodness is the reason for him being where he is today''.

``Oh God, doesn't he have even one bad quality?''

The astrologer replied: ``I can't see any, may be his wife can help''.

I never dared ask Rubina that -- because I'd rather believe that God was at his best when he created Salim Shervani and that he broke the mould after completing his work, so that there could never be another man like him.