Cycling along the river in fall, one saw scalding hues of crimson, gold, rust and ochre rustle in sharp contrast with the steely water, the crunch of dry leaves under my tyre treads heralding a time for hot chocolate and pumpkin pies. Winter along the Charles was always dramatic.

A one-time Bostonian campus association has Mumbai businesswoman, Leena Gandhi Tewari, reminisce affectionately about the elegant New England city that gracefully balances big metro aspirations with small town comforts

Leena Gandhi Tewari

Ask the Pilgrims who, 200-odd years ago, landed in this northeastern corner of the country, planting the seeds that grew into the vibrant city of Boston - the hub of Academia with America's oldest and best-known university, Harvard, a commercial haven for IT and Biotech industries and home to old moneyed American families. A 'small big city', as resident, Dr Subhash Lathi, calls it, with all the traits of a large metro cushioned by the softer edges and accessibility of a smaller town.

Ducks and dogs are à la mode in this city. Dogs reveal the mental make-up of a city more accurately than its two-legged residents. The large numbers in which they are seen on a sunny New England day speak well for a harmonious blend between stressed city life and old-world values.

The Boston Marathon is another indication of the city's passionate and compassionate personality. The young, old and physically challenged all take part in it, cheered and encouraged by spirited crowds who turn up in massive numbers. Onlookers goad their effort, offer water or wipe sweat off the weary, creating a truly Bostonian way to celebrate the characteristic camaraderie and warmth the city exudes.

One can sniff culture and class in the discreet but elegant doorways overlooking the Boston Commons or those bordering Commonwealth Avenue, an arterial road modelled after the Parisian Champs-Élysées. At Cambridge, graceful as its feathered counterpart, it slides into the meandering Charles River. Bobbing along it, one sees the MIT and Boston U campuses, the Prudential and John Hancock buildings towering over the red brick townhouses.

Leena Gandhi Tewari, is chairperson of Mumbai-based pharma major, USV Ltd. A graduate of Sydenham College, Mumbai, she completed her Masters from Boston University and now often visits the city, primarily to be with her son, currently an undergraduate at BU.