1929 Isotta Fraschini: The Raja’s Isotta

Text: Gautam Sen

Illustrations: Pallavi Naskar

This story begins in the 1920s, when India was the crown jewel of the British Empire…

Packed off to Scotland for higher education in 1928, after having completed his schooling at Lucknow’s La Martiniere College, the Raja of Kotwara, Sajid Hussain, needed a car to commute to his studies at Edinburgh University.

Most of the Indian princes preferred to acquire prestigious English brands, whereas Sajid Hussain chose a rare and elegant Italian marque, Isotta Fraschini.

This particular Isotta Fraschini had come up for sale despite being almost brand new.

In 1932, upon his graduation from Edinburgh University, the raja decided to return to India.

For Selma, who had spent her life living first in Istanbul and then in Beirut—then the Paris of the East—Raja Sajid Hussain’s princely state of Kotwara was not the most exciting of places.

In Paris, Selma met an American, with whom she fell madly in love.

With the invasion of France by Germany, Selma found herself in Paris, alone with a baby. The American had headed back to the US, promising to return.

Although the baby grew up in the orphanage, when of age she learnt that she had a father in India.

Selma’s daughter became a journalist and writer.

In the meantime, Raja Sajid Hussain’s sister convinced him to marry again, to get over the sadness he felt upon the loss of Selma. From Sajid Hussain’s second marriage, three boys were born.

Muzaffar Ali went on to establish a very fine career in directing and making high-quality movies. His film company Independent Films used the same logo—an IF—as that of Isotta Fraschini…

After having restored the Isotta Fraschini, Muzaffar Ali took the car to several historic vehicle events in different parts of India.

When in Calcutta, the car was put up for sale. Acquired by Englishman Ian Roberts, the car was taken out of India, to the UK.

Peter Grant, the founder manager of Led Zeppelin, was a larger-than-life personality who had successfully founded and managed that legendary rock band. He also had a very fine collection of historic vehicles, and the Isotta Fraschini joined the collection.

Although the car was restored, its usage was minimal.

A serious enthusiast, Peter Grant’s garage housed a Porsche, a Jaguar MKII, two elegant Pierce-Arrows, as well as the Isotta Fraschini.

In February 1996, two important visitors came by to take a look at the Isotta Fraschini.

The family of Peter Grant decided to sell off all the cars that the star manager had collected.

The car remained a part of the Imperial Palace Auto Collection for a few years.

The other mission – for Malcolm Forest and yours truly – was to bring together the many personalities connected to the Raja’s Isotta.

In 2014, the author of this article organised a special exhibition of the cars of the Maharajas with François Melcion, the Director of Salon Retromobile, in Paris.

Malcolm Forest brought the Isotta Fraschini to Paris from the US, for the exhibition ‘Cars of the Maharajas,’ where it was reunited once again with Kenizé de Kotwara, Muzaffar Ali and his family.