Aga Khan Palace, Pune

 

Lata Mangeshkar

 Today is the fourth death anniversary of Lata Mangeshkar, the Melody Queen.

With little to add to what has already been written about the legendary singer, I feel tempted to share a real life incident reminisced about in a YouTube  post by Dr. Omer Adil, a  well qualified orthopedic surgeon from across the border who also happens to be a knowledgeable Media personality.He is an ardent Noor Jehan fan and  often carries discusssion  inter alia about her on Media.

In 1989, Dr Omer Adil appeared for the FRCS exam in London. Having passed thorugh the practical test and Viva which both went well, there was a gap of three hours time for the final result to be declared. He took a Tube to Oxford Circus Tube station and started roaming about the Oxford Street. Coming to Selfridge's, a high- end store in London, he chanced upon Lata Mangeshkar, accompanied by some other lady. He greeted her and in a way sought her blessings for his FRCS result. Lata Mangeshkar responded graciously.

Eventually he qualified and is an FRCS.

This is an acknowledgement of what a great personality Lata Mangeshkar was.

Our humble tributes 🙏

Saroj Thakur

 It is sad and shocking to be informed of the untimely passing away of Ma'am Saroj Thakur   this morning. An academician by profession, she had been a faculty at the NIT Hamirpur for decades. She had had a stint as a Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advance Study, Shimla also.

On a personal note, I became acquainted with her  in and around 2009 through her Blog  'Straight From the Heart ' posted on Wordpress. A comment by me on her post brought us closer, the common strand being the Lady Irwin School where she studied and where I also studied from Class 1 to 4 as boys were allowed till that level only. It transpired that she was two years my junior.

Eventually we  came together on the memories of friends from Shimla  group where she reposted some older blogs and some new and fresh ones from time to time. It has always been a treat to go through her wonderful posts, deftly documenting the life in Shimla during '60s & 70s. The details given by her of her family have been fascinating throughout. 

I consider her my Guru as following her footsteps, I also started my humble attempts at writing blogs.

I regret having never met her personally !

 Her birthday falls on 25th August.

Adieu, Saroj Ma'am !

Rest in Peace 🙏

Brigadier Usman, MVC

 Today is the birth anniversary of Brigadier Mohammad  Usman , MVC of the Indian Army  who laid down his life during the  Indo- Pakistan war of 1947. Born this day in 1912  in  Azamgarh ,  United Provinces of British India, he was a Sandhurst trained  Officer of the British Indian Army , commissioned in1934. After serving for a year with the Cameronians, he was assigned to the 5th Battalion of 10 Baloch regiment . During this period he saw action in the NWFP. Despite allurment of being  made the Chief of Pakistan Army by the other side, Brig. Usman  chose to stay in India, and serve the Indian Army.After the partition, he was assigned to the Dogra regiment of the Indian Army. When Pakistan sent tribal irregulars to capture Kashmir, Brig. Usman was sent to command the Parachute battalion. As odds were against the Indian Army, Pakistan was able  to capture some area. However, after three months Brig . Usman was able to recapture the area but at the cost of his life . He was martyred in action on 3 july 1948, 12 days short of turning 36. He was the  highest ranking officer to get killed in action .He was  awarded Mahavir Chakra, the second highest gallantry Award posthumously. 

Our humble tributes to the bravest of the brave soldier 🙏

Composer Roshan

 Today is the  birth anniversary of Roshan Lal Nagrath or simply  Roshan, the highly talented  music composer of Hindi cinema  . Born this day in 1917 at Gujranwala in undivided Punjab, he remained active close to two decades in music composition and gave some unforgettable, wonderful melodies.Starting his career as an assistant to music director Khwaja Khurshid Anwar, his career took off when Kidar Sharma, the producer/director  gave him the opportunity to compose music for his film Neki aur Badi.Fame and name came to him with the film Baaware Nain, in which he composed lilting melodies.In the '50s  Roshan worked with top singers, Muhammad Rafi, Mukesh and  Talat Mehmood.

He is credited with launching the career of Anand Bakshi and Indeevar, who in due course made their mark as lyricists.He successfully blended folk music with Hindustani classical music.

The films he composed music for include Aarti, Mamta,Dewar,Naubahar,Taj Mahal,Barsat Ki Raat, Baware Nain,Chitralekha, Anokhi Raat,Dil Hi To Hai and many others.

He specialized in composing qawwalis and two of them Na to Caravan Ki Talash hai & Nigahen Milane ko jee chahta hai  , stand out.

He received the Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film Taj Mahal in 1963.

He died on 16 November,1967 aged 50.

Our humble tributes to the great  music composer  🙏

भीष्म साहनी

 हिन्दी साहित्य के एक महत्वपूर्ण  हस्ताक्षर,विख्यात  उपन्यासकार, नाटककार  और कथाकार,   भीष्म साहनी की आज पुण्यतिथि है.भारत विभाजन की पृष्ठभूमि पर लिखे उनके उपन्यास  'तमस ' पर इसी नाम से एक फिल्म भी बनी जो बहुत चर्चित रही । उनकी कहानियों में   ' चीफ़ की  दावत '  का एक  विशिष्ट स्थान है जिसमे   कृतघ्न पुत्र  जो अपनी विधवा माँ को  हाशिये पर  धकेल चुका है, स्वार्थवश  उसकी खुशामद और चिरौरी करने पर  विवश हो जाता है, जब दावत पर आए उसके बॉस और बॉस की पत्नि को उसकी माँ के हाथ की बनी फुलकारी बहुत पसंद आती है, और वो अपने लिए वैसी ही फुलकारी चाहते  हैं ।

भीष्म साहनी उन साहित्यकारों में शुमार हैं, जिन्होंने डॉक्टरेट  तो अंग्रेजी साहित्य में की, पर नाम हिन्दी साहित्य में कमाया ।

साहित्य अकादमी अवार्ड, सोवियत लैंड  अवार्ड एवं पद्मभूषण से सम्मानित और महान अभिनेता बलराज साहनी के अनुज  महान  साहित्यकार को हमारी विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि 🙏

TunTun aka Uma Devi

 दशकों  बतौर हास्य अभिनेत्री  सिने दर्शकों  को अपने  अनूठे  अंदाज़ से गुदगुदाने वाली लोक प्रिय अभिनेत्री टुनटुन  की आज जयंती है । ज्ञातव्य है कि टुनटुन ने  उमादेवी  के नाम से गायन के क्षेत्र में भी  अपनी अलग पहचान बनाई व कुछ यादगार गीत  गाए ।

हमारी विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि  🙏