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‘Good Fortune has its roots in Disaster’ – Lao Tzu
By Sonu Shivdasani
This crisis, like most crises that we have been through, whilst more severe, will eventually end. Can we learn from this crisis to collaborate as a world and solve global warming? This is the big looming crisis that will unfortunately not end, and which will just get worse and worse.
I have been fortunate enough to have experienced many crises during my lifetime. My choice of the word ‘fortunate’ is deliberate. The Chinese word for crisis is two characters: ‘danger’ and ‘opportunity’. According to Lao Tzu, the Chinese writer and philosopher, ‘Good fortune has its roots in disaster’. And, over the years, I have come to understand these words and have realised that these crises are opportunities to learn, grow and develop. Certainly, we have no control over the hand that we are dealt, but we have total control on how we play it.
I have realised that if we consider a crisis in a positive way, we can always find an opportunity to learn and develop and make our lives more enriching as a result.
Let me share with you, a recent personal experience. In October 2018, I was diagnosed with stage 4 Lymphoma. The doctor asked me whether I understood the gravity of the situation. I maintained a brave face and just focused on documenting what he said and thinking of further questions that I would need answers to. However, once I had left the clinic, and was comfortably seated in the taxi home, I could not hold it anymore and broke into tears.
The first three weeks after the diagnosis was a difficult time. There was a lot of uncertainty. I felt that the ground had been removed from below me. However, this ‘Cancer Crisis’ gave me the opportunity to pause on everything else. I emerged from this traumatic experience three weeks with a clear action plan, and was considerably wiser about health and wellness.
When my doctor declared that I was in remission, I realised that I had gone through a six-stage grief cycle. The psychologist George Kohlrieser depicts this so well in his book Hostage at the Table: 1. Start an attachment; 2. Create a bond; 3. The bond/attachment ends for reasons; 4. One is pained by the loss/grief; 5. One forgives the situation; 6. One starts again.
The memory of when I first learnt of my predicament is still vivid. When I reflect on that day, I wonder what I was crying about. Was it the fear of death, or was it another loss?
Now, 18 months later, I realise that I was crying about the loss of the status quo. My usual reality of how I would live, eat and generally exist, was undermined by this illness, and would never return. During those three weeks, I grieved the loss of my usual daily reality. I realised how my lifestyle and the way I lived needed to change.
I eventually accepted my new reality, and forgave this loss. I created a new bond with this new reality and this new way of living. I gave up past guilty pleasures such as a love of red meat, ice cream and sweets in general. I extended the time in the gym from 30 minutes to an hour three times a week. I was stricter about creating breaks in my life. I reduced my traveling and also started to practice intermittent fasting. I started to enjoy my new lifestyle and diet and became attached to it. In a way, I created a new bond with my new reality and thus overcame this grief.
To some extent, many of us in the midst of the current coronavirus crisis are adjusting to a new reality and going through a similar grief cycle. There is a hollow emptiness, an uncomfortable feeling. We miss our daily routine that we can no longer enjoy because of this lockdown. In a way, we are grieving the loss of the way we used to live in the past.
Climate Crisis: The crisis that will never end but only get worse
While the current global health emergency will end, unfortunately, this hopeful scenario will not be the case with global warming. It is an ongoing situation which will affect each and every one of us. And it highlights our interconnectedness.
Climate experts believe that we are near a tipping point of no return. Some believe we have already passed it. We already have 400 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere. Even if we reduced our carbon emissions considerably and followed the targets established in Paris in 2016, we will still hit 500 parts per million.
Even if we were to slam on the brakes and turn around, we would not be able to because nature itself would continue the global warming process as a result of feedback loops, such as methane escaping from below the Arctic and the Antarctic, less reflection from glaciers that have disappeared, warmer seas emitting CO2 rather than absorbing them and so on.
The warming planet has already killed more people today than the current global pandemic that has brought us under siege: In 2003, the European heatwave killed as many as 2,000 people a day and 35,000 Europeans died. In 2010, 55,000 people died during a Russian heatwave in which 700 people in Moscow died every day because of the heat. In 2016, during the heatwave that besieged the Middle East, temperatures in Iraq broke 100oF (37.7oC) in May, 110oF (43.3oC) in June, and 120oF (48.8oC) in July. Temperatures seldom dropped below 100oF, and only at night. We survive in a very fragile ecosystem that we are undermining. Our actions to date have already caused more death, misery and disaster than Covid-19 ever will.
This pandemic will end but the important question is whether the bond we have with the way we live and our daily reality has been sufficiently broken, and whether we can attach ourselves to a new reality and a new way of doing things; or if we will just go back to our old ways.
Editor’s Note: This op-ed was originally published on Linkedin by Sonu Shivdasani. Sonu is the founder and CEO of Soneva, which owns luxury resorts Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in the Maldives, and Soneva Kiri in Thailand.
Patina Maldives, Fari Islands will welcome Indian chef and restaurateur Atul Kochhar for a culinary residency from 7 to 9 November 2026, coinciding with Diwali.
Kochhar, the first Indian chef to be awarded a Michelin star, will bring the culinary approach of his London restaurant, Kanishka by Atul Kochhar, to Helios. The residency will present his contemporary interpretation of India’s regional cuisines, drawing on the traditions and influences that have shaped his cooking.
Rooted in Kochhar’s connection to India, the menu will combine regional flavours with contemporary techniques and carefully selected ingredients. It will reflect his approach to developing Indian cuisine while retaining its cultural foundations.
With more than 30 years in the industry, Kochhar has built an international reputation for his contribution to Indian dining. He received his first Michelin star in 2001, followed by another in 2007. His culinary philosophy brings together India’s regional diversity, traditional cooking practices and contemporary methods.
At Patina Maldives, this philosophy will be interpreted through the resort’s Indian Ocean setting and the multicultural character of the Fari Islands. The residency will give Kochhar an opportunity to adapt his culinary identity to the island and the Diwali celebrations, creating an experience shaped by the occasion and its surroundings.
Kochhar leads the Atul Kochhar Hospitality Group, whose portfolio includes Kanishka in Mayfair, Vaasu and Sindhu in Marlow, Riwaz in Beaconsfield, Masalchi in Wembley Park, Indian Essence in Petts Wood and Essence in Tunbridge Wells.
The residency forms part of Patina Maldives’ culinary programme, which connects guests with different cultures, perspectives and creative disciplines. Through Kochhar’s cooking, guests will have an opportunity to explore India’s regional food traditions and celebrate Diwali through shared dining experiences.
Baros Maldives will welcome guests for its festive season from 22 December 2026 to 7 January 2027, with a programme centred on the island’s natural surroundings, Maldivian heritage and a series of culinary, marine and cultural experiences.
The programme will combine Christmas and New Year traditions with activities inspired by island life, including ocean excursions, local cultural experiences, festive dining and wellbeing sessions.
The season will begin with a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, followed by a series of activities introducing guests to festive traditions and Maldivian culture. These will include a Christmas cookie workshop, an Ocean, Coconut & Spice cooking class, a Maldivian Heritage Evening and an Island Christmas Market.
Marine experiences will remain a central part of the festive programme. Guests will be able to join a Sunrise Nooma sailing experience, take part in fishing trips at sunrise or twilight, explore the house reef with the resort’s marine team or join a dolphin-watching cruise.
Private yacht excursions, visits to local islands and trips to Malé will also be available for guests wishing to explore beyond the resort.
Baros Maldives will also offer a series of culinary experiences throughout the festive period. These will include a Sake Pairing Dinner, a Great Gatsby-themed five-course dinner and a Champagne Dinner inspired by the Seven Seas.
Other dining experiences will include a Butcher’s Block buffet, an Omakase tasting lunch and a Master Chef Tuna Carving Show & Tasting. Guests will also be able to take part in wine discovery experiences, cocktail-making sessions and an Island Crafted Cocktails programme.
On Christmas Eve, guests will gather at The Lighthouse for a cocktail reception before continuing to Lime for the Christmas Eve Gala Dinner.
Christmas Day will feature breakfast, festive activities and time for guests to enjoy the beach, lagoon and other island experiences with family and friends.
New Year’s Eve celebrations will begin with a cocktail reception, followed by a Gala Dinner, live entertainment and the countdown to 2027.
New Year’s Day will start with a celebratory brunch, followed by a selection of wellbeing and dining experiences. These will include a beachfront degustation dinner accompanied by live violin and saxophone performances.
Younger guests will also have a dedicated programme of festive activities, including mocktail-making, Christmas cookie workshops and island-based activities designed for families and children.
Throughout the season, Baros Maldives will host live music, marine presentations, yoga and meditation sessions alongside its wider programme of dining, recreation and ocean experiences.
The festive programme is intended to reflect the character of Baros Maldives by combining Christmas and New Year celebrations with the island’s marine environment, culinary offering and Maldivian culture.
From 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, Niva Kuramathi will mark the festive season with “A Tropical Festive Season”, a programme of dining, entertainment, outdoor activities and family experiences shaped around the island setting.
The programme will make use of Kuramathi’s natural surroundings, including its house reef and sandbank, alongside its 12 restaurants and seven bars.
The festivities will begin on the evening of 21 December with a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the sandbank. Guests will be welcomed with drinks and live music at sunset, followed later in the evening by a traditional Bodu Beru performance.
On 28 and 29 December, the resort will host a traditional Maldivian Market, featuring Bodu Beru drumming, a folklore parade and locally made artisanal crafts.
Christmas Eve festivities
Christmas Eve celebrations will begin on the sandbank at sunset, with welcome drinks and Christmas carols. Santa Claus and his elves will also make an appearance before guests gather for a gala buffet dinner.
The evening will conclude with an outdoor screening of a classic Christmas film under the stars.
Countdown to 2027
New Year’s Eve celebrations will begin at sunset with cocktails on the sandbank.
A gala dinner will then be served across Farivalhu, Malaafaiy and Haruge restaurants before the countdown to 2027. Fireworks will mark the arrival of the New Year, while live music and DJ performances will continue at Fung Bar and Sand Bar.
Festive activities
Throughout the festive period, Niva Kuramathi will offer a programme of recreational, culinary and entertainment activities.
Guests will be able to take part in moonlit yoga sessions on the sandbank, sand sculpting, Sip & Paint evenings for couples and fire dance performances.
Sporting activities will include beach volleyball, a football match between the Niva Kuramathi team and guests, as well as kayak, pedal boat and stand-up paddleboard races.
The entertainment programme will also include wine tastings, karaoke, music trivia, live music and DJ evenings.
Cooking classes will be held at Kobe, where guests will be able to take part in sessions centred around the restaurant’s open kitchen experience.
The festive programme is designed to allow guests to participate in scheduled activities while also having the option to spend time at leisure.
The season will conclude on 1 January 2027 with a late-morning brunch and the first house reef dive of the year.
Festive programme for children
Bageecha Kids Club will host a separate festive programme for younger guests, combining recreation, creative activities and environmental learning.
Activities will include treasure hunts, splash pad games, cookie-making, arts and crafts, eco workshops, nature exploration, holiday films, karaoke, bracelet-making and gardening in the resort’s hydroponic garden.
Children will also be able to take part in scavenger hunts, mini-Olympic games, yoga and disco dancing, as well as shared lunches and dinners with other young guests.
On Christmas Eve, the programme will begin with a family photograph session, followed by gingerbread house decorating, writing letters to Santa, a palm-leaf handicraft workshop and outdoor games.
Christmas morning will feature a pyjama party with musical games and pool activities. Later in the day, families will gather at Athiri Deck to welcome Santa Claus, who will distribute gifts to children.
New Year’s Eve activities for younger guests will take place during the afternoon, with music and games around the pool followed by a children’s disco as part of the resort’s final celebrations of 2026.
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