Marin, CA -  Like most Marin residents Jabanini Punjab enjoys the simplicities of life.  The laughter of his (step) children.  A cold drink on a hot day.  A relaxing afternoon on the golf course, which comes well-deserved after a grueling 26 hour work week.  Punjab's story, while the same as everyone's, is also unique.

Born Robert Wilson into the Wilson family of Wilson Real Estate Holdings, Inc., Punjab came of age on the mean streets of San Rafael.  Adversity lurked around every corner for the son of a millionaire.  Like that one year in high school when he was forced to skip Ski Week due to a terrible cold.  While his friends swooshed down the slopes Punjab was stuck home playing video games and practicing his golf swing.  The hardship was a formative time for the youngster, one that remains in his thoughts every day, keeping him grounded.

He's come a long way since those days.  Now he heads the multi-million dollar family business.  And until recently, personally managed all the company's properties, eschewing the services of a landlord or property manager and taking on the responsibility himself.  Punjab is a hands-on type of guy.

He's also a pillar in the community.  Yet despite all these attributes, charges were levied against him.  Tenants were calling him out as a slumlord and absentee owner, forcing him to give up his labor of love and run the company purely from the top.

With more spare time on his hands, he began frequent visits to India where he felt more at home than in his mansion.  Inspired by this new connection with what he calls his "homeland", he legally changed his name from Robert Wilson to Jabanini Punjab.  Punjab's new love is roughing it on the holy Saraswati river, living off the land, cruising with his wife in their million dollar, 2,000 square foot houseboat.  To get to the bottom of this fascinating story I needed to speak with the man himself.  Tracking him down would prove more difficult than I imagined.

First I scored a brief interview with Punjab's sixteen year old step-daughter, Lisa Jones, who said, "Yeah, he's totally found spirituality.  He lives in India and everything, and he wears that dot on his forehead."  When reminded he's merely a frequent visitor of India, not a resident, she said, "Well whatever, that's what my Au Pair told me.  Anyway he's really cool, he always gets me and my mom expensive presents.  Last Christmas he bought us both new boobs!"  She stuck out her chest for emphasis.  Indeed, her young breasts were impressive.

Lisa kindly showed me around Punjab's estate.  His pride and joy is his meditation room, the place where he finds peace and feels at one with the earth.  Shelves adorn every wall, each one lined with gold Buddhas.  A large Persian carpet covers the floor, with silk pillows in the center.  And always the businessman, Punjab custom built one wall of the room to rotate, revealing a hidden 72-inch plasma screen television permanently tuned to CNN.

After weeks of phone tag with Punjab's many cell phones I finally caught up with him at the Marin Golf and Country Club where he waited for his Jaguar at the valet stand.  He was pressed for time, on his way to his afternoon yoga class at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.  When confronted with the slumlord allegations he stated, "People don't understand the pressure involved [in] owning land.  There's always a tenant paying the rent late, or getting sued, or playing the stereo too loud.  That's why I left the rat race and moved to India where I could be at peace with the world and with myself.

"I mean, it's hard.  I've got all kinds of minorities trying to lease my properties, and everybody knows they are all deadbeats.  Don't take that the wrong way, I'm not racist or anything, I love all people.  Hell, I have a friend who's black.  And a gay friend too."

In the time since Punjab's "retirement" most of his properties have been declared uninhabitable.  Some of them have mold, some have rodents, some have gas heaters so old the gas leaks right out.  Wilson Real Estate Holdings, Inc. has lost almost half its value yet Punjab never seems worried.  "Look, money and earthly possessions are nice, but that's not what life is about.  I have a sister with cancer, you know.  Well, she might have cancer, we're not sure.  Things like that help me keep my life in perspective.  The company will bounce back, I never worry about that.  I feel bad about all the layoffs, but I think those people will come to learn peace if they look in their hearts."

With that, he put on his Ray-Bans, pulled his Armani jacket over his shoulder, slid into the leather seat of his Jaguar, and sped off.  Before leaving, he had one last thing to say.  "Keep it real," he said.  Wise words from a wise man.