India, July 19 -- She keeps no hats in her closet, but, metaphorically speaking, she wears many. Yasmeen Shah is a businesswoman, a single parent of two, a drawing-room singer of old Hindi film songs, an accomplished cook of Kashmiri khana, and devoted caretaker of Zoonie, her elderly Persian cat. This evening in her book-filled Central Delhi apartment, she graciously agrees to become a part of our Proust Questionnaire series, in which citizens are nudged to make "Parisian parlour confessions", all to explore our distinct experiences.

Your idea of happiness.

When I'm sad, I walk out of my house, get into the car, start driving aimlessly along the roads, playing sad ghazals in the stereo. The songs make me cry, and I feel better.

What w...