KOCHI: From being a hairstylist of Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona to a pauper, the trajectory of Muhammed Anwar’s life has been on a decline, and it is heartbreaking. Unable to land a regular job, he has now been forced to auction the T-shirt signed by Maradona.
52-year-old Anwar was a sought-after hairstylist in Dubai where he had been working with various beauty salons for the past 20 years.
“It was then that I got appointed as the hairstylist of the Al Wasl Football Club. I was the official hairstylist of Diego Maradona for the three years he stayed with the club as their coach,” said Anwar.
He says Maradona gifted him the T-shirt. “When he came to know about my son’s birthday, he asked me to get a T-shirt. He then proceeded to sign his name on it,” recalls Anwar. After ending his life as an expatriate, Anwar returned home without any savings, and his family didn’t give him a warm welcome.
“I began working in various beauty salons in the city. That was before the pandemic struck. The lockdown led to the closure of the salons and I was left without any income,” said Anwar, who lives at a rented house at Maithiri Road, Thammanam. Even though the salons reopened after Covid restrictions were eased, he couldn’t find work.
“He is not in his prime and has a sickly look,” said Ratheesh H R, a well-wisher.
“That is probably why none of the salons is ready to employ him,” said Ratheesh, who got him a job at his crew facility management centre.
Anwar is planning to auction the T-shirt on Wednesday or Thursday, said Ratheesh. He is keeping his fingers crossed and hopes to get a good price for the T-shirt.
“With the money that I receive from the auction, I hope to set up a hair salon and thereby earn my keep,”
added Anwar.