AT HOME WITH PINKY GHELANI AND RAJ
Kenya’s Pinky Ghelani is a model, spokeswoman, host, former radio presenter with Nairobi’s Capital FM and international media personality. She recently walked down the aisle with her hubby of nine years Raj early this year. The couple’s home is exclusively posh and the paraphernalia in there speaks volumes about their financial prowess. Showbiz writer George Otieno visited their home at the plush Nairobi’s Lavington estate and files their exclusive story and lifestyle away from the public eye.

Lavington estate is always mentioned in the same taste as Muthaiga, Kileleshwa, Spring Valley or even Westland’s. These are some of the posh residences in Kenya’s capital city that are always associated with the political bigwigs and business gurus. It hosts cabinet ministers, filthy rich business people and the people living far beyond the country’s economy. The storied house where the celebrity couple resides is located in Nairobi’s posh and opulent Lavington estate as well. The house has an ample parking that could accommodate seven vehicles. The parking shows that the couple’s love for fuel guzzlers is evident. Outside their house are two cars: Pinky’s golden Mercedes Benz and Raj’s Red BMW 3.20. Raj uses his when he goes to work. They have bred two British hairy dogs one for Pinky and the other one for Raj. The dogs amazingly understand Indian language. The entrance of the house has trimmed flowers that have been grown on the wall. Their house is so spacious and features the most up-market trends even though the Indian touch is clearly visible in almost all spheres. The garden has it’s well manicured and has nice flowers. The grass is well trimmed and behind the house there’s ample playing ground. The main entrance that leads to the first room was designed with fusion of Indian and African touch. On the floor sits green flower vessels, a round brown coach, artistic frames adorn the walls and colors in their well chosen. The wall has also photos of Indians a thing that I fail to ask who they are. The colors in the house are not bright.
There are rooms in the upper and lower sections of the house. The staircase that leads to the upper room is wooden and brown in color. It leads to the upper living room that has three sets of sofa. On the left as you enter this upper living room sits a black leather sofa set. It’s an eight-sitter set with one that six people can sit on and two single ones. On them are six pillowcases that come in red, cream and blue colors. The table that sits at the centre of the sofa set is also black and has a black carpet. The other sofa set which is zebra like in color sits on a brown carpet on another corner. It’s another comfortable area of this upper living room. The curtains that serve the first section continue here as well. The third sofa set is very African and made locally. It has maroon colors and is just next to the bar. A lot of color selection was done here with perfection. The colors in the upper living room are different. The curtains for instant are white and black in this other side and match with the sofa sets and the general setting of the room.
The upper living room is very complete in essence of life. It has a bar that is well stocked with beer, soft drinks, wine and all the liquor. The bar is well set and the brown color goes handy with the mood to get tipsy. So when the couple is not going out they have a good time here and since Raj is an entertainer he completes the whole process. The four seats in the bar are wooden and high. The color in the bar is brown.
The pool table next to the window is designed and the two play it when having a drink or bored. Raj said they love the game when not busy. ‘Pool is an interesting game so it’s presence in here means I can’t get bored. Should friends visit me after we chat or an evening of fun we switch to it,’ he says.
They have an entertainment unit as well. A large black 49inch home theatre adorns the upper living room, so is the DSTV dish. The couple here enjoys a wider variety of entertainment selection. The CD rack that accommodates a good number of movies and music is on both side of the TV. The rack on the left is stocked with music CDs while the other one has movies that range from Bollywood too Hollywood. Forget Nollywood here. It’s all tight stuff. Video decks are here as well; so if you are visiting the couple with VHS don’t be worried there’s room for that as well. A huge CD changer radio is on top of one of the rack.
Still in this room is a pool game. The table is situated next to the window. Here the couple plays the game when bored and it’s part of their recreation.

Their kitchen is modern and American style, so they say. It’s a spacious and has enough room. There are three sinks, several cupboards inbuilt and electronics. There’s the electric cooker, fridge, microwave, oven and a lot more. They have a chef who takes care of the meals. ‘The kitchen is modern and I take care of the budget and know what’s the menu is going to be like. Indian cuisine and at times local food make our diet,’ she says.
Their bedroom has a well-set bed, a 21-inch TV, a sofa set and just the adjacent room is where the couple uses for changing and also hosts Pinky’s wardrobe. The couple describes their bedroom as simple and comfy. The colors. For the bathroom the couple have a different taste altogether. PINKY prefers the bathtub, as Raj is crazy about the showers. And they have both of these. The couple’s wardrobe reads like the designers world. Pinky’s love for expensive clothes is clearly visible.
As Raj loves HUGO BOSS and a lot of new fashionable trendy young designer outfits while Pinky is in love with LEVI, PEPE and REEBOK a lot of casual wear. ‘I love GUESS shoes and Gucci well. I also have traditional Indian outfits in my wardrobe. I love high heeled shoes that march the clothes that I put on,’ she adds. The shoes in Pinky’s wardrobe shows her love for spending on expensive clad. The colors are so trendy and choosy. Although black rules in her shoe collection, just like her name, she has a couple of pink shoes. Did I mention she has a boots in there too? And what about the teddy bears? She also has gold colors in there. The jeans that hang in the wardrobe are mostly blue and faded. The curtains tread to the ground and Pinky says that they change curtains every three days.
Pinky Ghelani sprung into the limelight when she won the Miss India –Kenya beauty pageant six years ago. Since then her star in Kenya’s showbiz has never looked back as she continued to maintain presence in the vibrant entertainment scene. In showbiz, Pinky has done a lot. She was even a columnist with South African magazine Cosmopolitan and a weekly entertainment magazine of which she has since left. Last year, she was a co-emcee at the KISIMA music awards alongside Capital FM’s burly presenter Marcus Kwikiriza and Seanice Kacungira. Pinky was representing Channel O with Gladys Meadows at the gala night. She had left Capital FM sometime last year where she used to be a radio presenter and hosted ‘The FUSE’ but is currently contracted with international media companies and travels a lot worldwide mostly to South Africa, UK, USA and Asia. ‘I do a lot of traveling, lots of international media work, marketing and I’m still modeling here as well as India,’ she adds. Currently, Pinky is working with the Kenyan Film Commission to bring down Bollywood directors to Kenya as an interesting location to do movies. The celebrated model has been voted amongst the hottest female radio celebrities in Kenya by a local Kenyan magazine in 2005.
Pinky finally said ‘I DO’ to one slim and always smiling good-looking Raj. The two had been dating for nine years and had made headlines when they called on and off their weddings. So when they finally exchanged vows on the January 12,many were left tight-lipped. Raj, a businessman who manages their family engineering business and also has a business website that promotes Kenyan products named www.proudlykenyan.com. ‘We actually waited for the right time and again it was an affair between Raj and me. We didn’t do it for people,’ she adds. Raj, a UK trained engineer at Middlesex University is a master and jack of many trades. Raj does entertainment, business and other personal things he wouldn’t divulge.
But unlike other men who would keep an eye on their wives, Raj is simply a content and secure man. He doesn’t follow up Pinky in events or anywhere but keeps it low and away. He has shied away from the public eye. Pinky calls him his support and says he is the most collective and composed man she has.
The two had a traditional and civil marriage in Makindu and Loresho. Their civil marriages had over 600 guests from the political, business and media circles. They first planned their weddings in April 2006 but had to postpone it after certain problems cropped up that dwindled there supposed to-be glorious day. According to Pinky, she had to postpone it for numerous. ‘My brother was going through separation with his wife and there was too much going on at Ghelani family and we had just to postpone it,’ he said. The two are more than happy together looking at the smiles that beam their faces. Their closeness and apparent affection for each other speaks volumes about their relationship.
Raj cannot admit that she has a crush on slim ladies looking at the look of Pinky. ‘I don’t think so. I jus loved her that way and she’s the only lady I opened my heart to,’ he says. Just like other couples, they also have their lows in the relations. ‘We argue a lot but always come to a mutual understanding. We have differences as well but we handle them,’ adds Pinky. The two make decisions as one.
Two months down their marriage, the couple is going strong and look destined for a brighter future. Both Pinky and Raj were born and raised in Kenya to different parents but had to leave to go to the UK for their varsity education. ‘Nothing’s changed, we feel like we’re still dating. We are experiencing new things as well,’ she says. But Raj believes that they’re adjusting to their new status of life.
Plans to have children are still prime in their minds. Although Raj settles at one Pinky thinks different. ‘I’d love to have a child, two or three. I love children and it would be nice being a mom,’ she adds. One thing you would learn about the two couple is the respect between them. Every time one of them makes a comment he consults from the other party. The two are clearly in to each other and the future of their marriage is brilliant.