Madhav Agasti
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Early life
Agasti began to work as a tailor when a student in a Nagpur school to make a living and shifted to Mumbai in 1973, at the age of 23, to seek a better future. "For a few months, I had a shop. Initially, I had to spend a few nights on the footpath as I did not have an accommodation in Mumbai. Senior Congress leader and minister Jawaharlal Darda was my first VIP customer in 1977. I had known him since my Nagpur days but met him for the first time in 1977. Then, Darda's clothes were a matter of discussion in the corridors of power for the special style," said Agasti.
After Darda, there was no looking back for Agasti. His high profile clients included Congress leaders Sushilkumar Shinde, N K P Salve and Vilasrao Deshmukh. Soon, netas across party lines began to seek him out. "I was in for a huge surprise in 1980 when Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray called me for an interaction. When he learned that I was a designer too, he asked me to design for him. After Thackeray , I designed for veteran politician and former union minister Sharad Pawar."
Achievements
Designing clothes for top politicians
HIGHLIGHTS
Mumbai-based designer Madhav Agasti got the opportunity to dress up the newly elected President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
Agasti's high profile clients include leaders like Sushilkumar Shinde, N K P Salve, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Bal Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, L K Advani and former Pranab Mukherjee.
MUMBAI: It was yet another feather in the cap for netas' preferred Mumbai-based designer Madhav Agasti when he got an opportunity to stitch a bandhgala and a pair of trousers for Ram Nath Kovind, the newly elected President of India, which he wore for the swearing-in ceremony.
"Indeed, it was a pleasant surprise for me when I got the opportunity to stitch for Ram Nath Kovind," the 67-year-old Agasti told. Agasti said he took Kovind's measurement on July 17, conducted the trial on July 19 and made the delivery on July 23 -two days before the swearing-in ceremony . The bandhgala and trousers were specially designed for Kovind, taking into consideration his personality and status. "I was overwhelmed when I saw the swearing-in ceremony of the President dressed in clothes stitched by me," he said.
Agasti had an occasion to design for veteran BJP leader L K Advani and former President Pranab Mukherjee too."For the first time, I stitched clothes for Mukherjee in 2005 and continue to do so till date, he said. Agasti's clientele is not restricted to netas. He caters to bureaucrats and filmstars as well. "I have a speciality. I can stitch clothes without taking measurements. Once I see a person, I can stitch for him and the clothes will fit perfectly," said Agasti with pride.
