Mehrdad had the ability to lead and follow, be assertive and yet unassuming, demonstrate love but with firmness, hold to a structure and yet be flexible. He was a student of life – and what a life! Princess Shams’s aunt invited Mehrdad and his two handsome brothers to tea at the princess’s villa. It was enchanting to see Mehrdad’s personality become effervescent when describing his vision of first seeing her. “She was beautiful, radiant, glowing, resplendent, and so many other words that describe beauty and perfection,” he would say.
Mehrdad achieved so much in the field of culture and the arts, but he always remembered a special project he spearheaded called the “Night of Prayer for the Shah,” a nationwide event. It was his favourite achievement. A close second was the 1967 opening of the Roudaki Hall complex during the Shah’s Coronation Ceremony. Mehrdad’s eyes would sparkle when describing the event. His influence was enormous, taking an organization with no budget and very little respect and growing it into a ministry that touched the nation and the world, including Hollywood. He interacted with prime ministers, presidents, producers, and movie stars. Mehrdad was bigger than any one project. He was national, even international.
