Terror attack

The suspect, who according to reports was dressed as Santa Claus, forced his way into the new year party being held at the Reina club, one of Istanbul’s best known nightspots, and sprayed bullets on party-goers after midnight. More than 600 people were present in the nightclub at the time.

Apart from the two Indians, at least 15 foreigners were believed to have been killed, including an 18-year-old Israeli woman and a Belgian national.

Abis’s father Akhtar Rizvi is the chairman of the Akhtar Rizvi Educational Trust that manages the 66-year-old Rizvi Education Society and is the founder of the noted Rizvi Builders. Abis held the position of secretary in the governing body of the Rizvi Education Society that runs several educational institutions. He was also the CEO of Rizvi builders, which has projects in Goa and Mumbai, and had his own production house called Abis Rizvi films, which has three films to its credit.

In 2014, Abis wrote, directed and produced Roar: The Tigers of Sunderbans, aimed at spreading awareness about tigers.

Akhtar Rizvi was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent from Uttar Pradesh in 1998. He subsequently joined the NCP and was appointed the general secretary of the party.

A close relative, who is one of the trustees of the Rizvi group, said that the family was in a state of shock and in no condition to talk.

“The news has shattered the family. Just four years ago, we lost Abis’s younger brother Saquib to cancer at the age of 38,” said the relative.

Abis was the eldest of four siblings, including two sisters.

A cousin, Javed Rizvi, said the family had come to know of Abis’s death after Swaraj’s tweet. “We have no words,” he said.

Mohammed Ali Farooqui, principal, Rizvi College of Arts, Science and Commerce, said, “Abis was a dynamic person. He was very tech-savvy, and had started his own software development firm. He was eager to bring in new technology to classrooms.”

Rizvi Springfield High School cricket coach Raju Pathak said Abis recently told him he wanted to organise a get-together to honour the school’s U-16 Harris Shield winning team, and had given him a Rs 25,000 cheque for the players. The 49-year-old was very popular and “Abisbhai” to his wide circle of friends in Bandra where his family stays and to many aspiring cricketers of Mumbai for whom he was a benevolent benefactor, Pathak added.

Though the core business of the Rizvis is real estate, their educational institutions have always emphasised on sports. Most of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy players have represented Rizvi college teams, including names such as Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Dhawal Kulkarni and even the city’s bright young hopefuls such as Arman Jaffer, Sarfaraz Khan and Prithvi Shaw.

“Most cricketers aren’t too serious about academics. To them Abisbhai would extend all cooperation. Mumbai cricket has lost a great cricket lover and supporter,” said Pathak.