I Am A People's Person: Mustafa
Ajmeri
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"My day never really begins unless I spend
some time networking" |
Atlanta-based
promoter Mustafa Ajmeri has to his credit
several Bollywood shows and plays, the most recent
being 'Kkusum Manhar Lele,' and the 'Anup Jalota/Anuradha
Paudwal Show.' Mustafa is married to Kheru and has
a son Arif, and two daughters Farzana and Shehnaz. |
It is not
for nothing that he is called the Indian Mayor of
Atlanta. He is here, there, everywhere! You have a
problem that needs to be solved, call Mustafa. You
need information, or guidance, call him again. You
need publicity, Mustafa’s there!
Well, we zeroed in on an unsuspecting
Mustafa Ajmeri when he walked into Immigration
Attorney Chandler Sharma’s office (Mustafa is
also PR manager for Chandler Sharma’s law
firm). It was not one of his busy days. Not too
many engagements around town. No shows that
evening, No trips to the Hartsfield Jackson
Airport to meet Bollywood biggies!
True to his
nature, Mustafa was sporting enough to play along.
The following is Mustafa's account of a very
average day in his life.
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My
day started with a trip to the International
Farmers Market. Why IFM? Well, there’s a new
immigrant from Chicago, and he asked me to give
him directions to the market. I was going the same
route, so I asked him to follow me. I took him
into the market and showed him around.
Then I went to Desi, a printing press
across the street to collect flyers for a new
Gujarati play that I am co-promoting.
My third stop was at Horizon Bank to finalize
sponsors for the play.
I left from there to the Gwinnett Civic Center,
which will be the venue for the play. I had to
coordinate with show details there.
My day never really begins unless I spend some
time networking. The India Tribune office at
Global Mall (the biggest Indian mall in North
America) is the nerve center for my networking
activities. I spent some time there, before I
strolled down to the food court, and visited some
of the stores at the mall. When people from the
community greet me warmly, it makes my day!
There were other jobs to be done, so I left Global
Mall for a trip south of the city to the Hindu
Temple of Atlanta. Thousands of people had
gathered there for the annual festival and the
consecration of a new Shiva temple at the
premises. I left plenty of flyers there, and met
up with a few old acquaintances. A close friend
was volunteering with traffic at the temple, so I
remembered to take him a bottle of water.
By mid-afternoon I was on my way to Chandler
Sharma’s Law offices. I will probably spend
three to four hours here, doing PR work before I
leave for a private reception and dinner being
hosted by Chandler and Paddy Sharma for office
staff.
I must add that I get, on an average, around 45
calls on my cell from community people seeking
guidance, information, help etc.
Why do I do what I do? I am a people’s person
and I enjoy it. Also, I cannot say no to anybody.
I guess that’s what makes me…. well, Mustafa
Ajmeri?
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