Habib Ahmed, India’s original hair stylist who sculpted Indira Gandhi and Bollywood legend Rekha, dies at 84

Dubai: If India had a godfather of hairstyling, it was Habib Ahmed. The man who made Indira Gandhi’s iconic two-toned mane a symbol of power, gave A.P.J. Abdul Kalam his unforgettable silver halo, and snipped and styled everyone from film stars to political heavyweights, passed away on September 25, 2025, at 84.

Born in Jalalabad, Uttar Pradesh, in 1940, Habib inherited his craft from his father Nazir Ahmed, who trimmed the tresses of British Viceroys and India’s first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. But Habib didn’t stop at family legacy—he went to London’s Morris School, polished his artistry, and returned to India with a mission: to drag hairstyling out of the back alleys and onto centre stage.

In 1983, his salon at Delhi’s Lodi Hotel became the playground for India’s movers and shakers. From Prime Ministers and Presidents to Bollywood icons like Rekha, Zeenat Aman, and Shabana Azmi, Habib’s chair was where power and glamour met the scissors. He didn’t just cut hair; he gave it character.

His most famous creations? Indira Gandhi’s half-black, half-white crown of defiance, Kalam’s soft silver waves that became part of his “people’s President” aura, and Rekha’s sleek, sculpted hairdos that spelled timeless elegance. Each style told a story—of politics, power, or pure stardom.

His son, Jawed Habib—himself a celebrity stylist and salon empire-builder—confirmed the news on Instagram, calling it the end of an era. And it is. Habib Ahmed wasn’t just a hairstylist; he was India’s original hair icon who turned the profession into an art form.