Sunday Times 2
A photograph that says it all
View(s):Isn’t it wonderful when a surprising gift lands in your inbox just when you are least expecting it?
Isn’t it even more rewarding when such a gift flows from something you absolutely love doing; that you know is essential for our collective future and that connects you with people who blow your socks off?
That was my experience when an email from Mosaic Managing Director Jonathan Freeman hit my inbox on April 17, 2015. In his email Jonathan invited me to pose for a photograph to be taken by renowned photographer Peter Sanders as a part of Peter’s ‘Art of Integration’ exhibition in The Brunei Gallery at SoAS. More than that, the portrait was to be with Britain’s Prince Charles at his home in Clarence House!
Of course, I accepted immediately.
The photograph captures the ongoing relationship that Prince Charles has with the Muslim community – and with Brondesbury School and the Yusuf Islam Foundation in particular.
So why was Jonathan asking me to be in this photograph?
Well, together with Uzair Bawany and Varinder Dhaliwal, I had the honour of mentoring some of the smartest young men I have worked with. They were students from Brondesbury College who were taking part in the Mosaic Entrepreneurs Challenge.
Working with the Brondesbury boys, I was touched by their commitment, moved by their willingness to take on my coaching (especially around their presentation at the regional finals) and inspired by what is available when human beings like them take an entrepreneurial lead.
So to then be blessed by such an invitation that would help represent the affinity Prince Charles has for the Muslim community was just the icing on the cake.
This invitation was particularly special for me as my family has had an affinity with the British Royal family dating back to 1875 when we had the privilege of hosting Edward, Prince of Wales during his visit to Sri Lanka. Since then leading members of the Royal family, including the Prince’s grandfather George, Duke of Cornwall and York, and mother Queen Elizabeth II, have visited our family’s jewellery business in Colombo. To respect this long-standing relationship, I took the opportunity to present Prince Charles with a little sapphire pendant from Sri Lanka – a gift for the new baby Princess Charlotte.
Given this you will understand that it was very poignant for my family to attend the unveiling of the portrait on Tuesday, May 12 at SoAS. My mum, dad, husband and I had the chance of viewing the exhibition with narrative provided by the source of the exhibition – Peter Sanders himself, as well as warm conversations with many of Mosaic’s pioneers and leaders – a real honour.
My parents were so proud of the photograph that they shared links to the picture with many of our relatives in Sri Lanka.
You can imagine me in tears as I listened to a voicemail message from my great aunt in Sri Lanka, saying: “Ishreen, you have taken the mantle from my grandfather on behalf of our family…we are very proud of you.” She was referring to my great grandfather Sir Mohamed Macan Markar who was in service of Sri Lanka during the British Empire and served as Consul to Turkey and Egypt during those days.
I hope that one day I can make a contribution as profound as my great grandfather’s for our country. For now, that is only a pipe dream, but I thank my great aunt for her generous and heartfelt thoughts and intentions; and I thank Mosaic for the joy of mentoring young people as they explore what is possible beyond existing boundaries.
( Ishreen Bradley chairs a taskforce to create and present the UK Economic Blueprint for women to Parliament. Her contribution to empowering women has been recognised in Washington through an award from The International Alliance of Women)