Bill Aitken, the Scottish born writer, traveller and mountaineer who fell in love with India and became an Indian citizen, lived in Mussoorie until he passed away at age of 90 on the 18th of March 2025. Last year, a few of us had gathered to celebrate his 90th birthday. He energetically came down the stairs of our hotel, and even after drinking his favourite whisky, climbed back up with the same energy. He remained fit and agile till his death. He attributed to the pure Himalayan air and walking in the hills. I knew him for decades, invited him to my home in Mumbai and enjoyed his company and his life partner the Maharani of Jind. We shared the Himalayan trail on several trips or around his home at Mussoorie. He participated in many events organized by different organizations and was always in demand a speaker with his bold views, wit and humour.
Everyone found his company delightful and he always had a story to narrate from his vast experience. He had once trekked to the Nanda Devi Sanctuary and became an ardent devotee of the goddess. His style of trekking was simple and most of the time he stayed with locals or shepherds. He spoke fluent Hindi and had a keen sense of observation. I joined him for few treks in the Himalaya and thoroughly enjoyed his stories and his company. On a trek to Budha Pinath, near Kausani, he was in his elements and was at his best.
The best conversations we enjoyed were while sipping beer together at a pub near his home at the Friends Colony in New Delhi. Once Courtney Ambrose, the West Indian fast bowler, ran through the entire British Test team before we finished. As a Scotsman he had many things to say about it!
Amongst the many fine books that he wrote, one was on the history of the Indian railways and one on his travels on the Meter Guage railways in India. As an author of a large number of books, he leaves behind a large collection of works. I had the privilege of recording his life as an Oral History for the Alpine Club. This truly was a rewarding experience. (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEwjjxoxYbI on YouTube).
Unassuming and friendly he met many trekkers and mountaineers, travelling to Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi (where lived for many years). Two great Indian organizations, “The Indian Mountaineering Foundation” and “the Himalayan Club were proud to call him as their Honorary Member. His multifaceted life contains remarkable experiences and insights and are bound to fill volumes.
In his modest dwelling in Mussoorie he had put up a poster. “Oh Lord do not take away thy servant before he has finished his last bottle of Glenfiddich”. Having savored life’s final dram, Bill was probably content and happy to depart as happily as he had lived.
Harish Kapadia