[nukkad] Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan is no more

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Love means nothing to a tennis player.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fwding.

May his soul rest in peace.

He also penned a song in Alaap, I guess, ko_ii gaataa aur
mai.n so jaataa.

Some of Madhushalaa poems were released sung by Mahendra
Kapoor.

Madhushala still appears so fresh that it is impossible to
believe that it was written in 1935.

-Rawat
-------------------------
        From:               "Guru" 

Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan is no more

By: A Mid Day Correspondent
http://mid-day.com
January 18,2003

Well-known poet and intellectual Dr Harishavanshrai Bachchan
died late Saturday night at 11:40 pm.

Bachchan was kept under observation at the Intensive Care
Unit set up at Pratiksha, the residence of his son and
megastar Amitabh Bachchan in suburban Juhu.

He is survived by his wife Teji Bachchan and sons Amitabh,
Ajitabh.

The 96-year-old Harivanshrai had been suffering from
breathing trouble for the last few days.

His son, Amitabh, was near him when he passed away,
according to close friend and Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh.

Reliance Industries vice-chairman Anil Ambani was also
present when the noted poet passed away.

The funeral will be held at 3 pm on Sunday, January 19.

Harivansh Rai Bachchan was born in 1907 and was educated at
Allahabad, Banaras Hindu University and Cambridge
Univeristy. He was the first Indian ever to receive a PhD in
English at the latter.

Returning in 1954, he taught and was also a radio
broadcaster. He has published 75 books, three for children,
and has translated Shakespeare's tragedies into Hindi.

He is best known for his book Madhushala (published in
1935), and had written an autobiography In the Afternoon of
Time.

He has also been awarded the Sahitya Akademi award and the
Padmabhushan, India's third highest civilian honour.

He was also well known as a lyricist in Hindi films even
though he wrote for only a couple of movies, and his popular
song is considered to be Rang Barse from the Yash Chopra
film Silsila, which was, incidentally, picturised on
his son Amitabh and daughter-in-law Jaya.
----------------------------------

One of the brightest stars of Hindi poetry

By: PTI
http://mid-day.com
January 19,2003

Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan burst upon the horizon of Hindi
poetry as a bright star one evening in 1935 with his
recitation of Madhushala to a huge audience, unfolding to
listeners an enchanting world with rings of Omar Khayyam.

He was to carve out another niche for himself decades later
with his autobiography in four volumes, beginning with "Kya
Bhoolun Kya Yaad Karoon" (what to forget and what to
remember), regarded till date as a literary masterpiece.

In a literary career spanning over more than 50 years, he
captured the imagination of readers and continued to hold it
with an unbroken series achievements.

Born in Allahabad on 27 November 1907, Bachchan had early
education there and later studied at both Allahabad
University and Banaras Hindu University.

He then taught at Allahabad University from 1941 to 1952
before moving to Cambridge for research and obtained
doctorate on "W B Yeats and Occultism".

On return, Harivanshrai Bachchan resumed teaching for a year
and after a short stint as a Producer in All India Radio, he
joined the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi as an
Officer on Special Duty in 1955.

He remained there for about ten years and was intimately
associated with the evolution of Hindi as the official
language.

In recognition to his contribution to the world of
literature and Hindi language, he was nominated to Rajya
Sabha in 1966.

He was also awarded Padma Bhushan, K.K. Birla Foundation's
first Saraswati Samman, Sahitya Akademy award, Soviet Land
Nehru Prize and Afro-Asian Writers' Conference Lotus Prize.

For the last several years, he had been living with his film
star son Amitabh Bachchan in Mumbai.

His early writings consisted of the famous triology of
Madhushala, Madhubala and Madhukalash, noted for his
profound sensitivity and simple diction.

This was followed by some of the finest lyrical poetry. He
has about 30 collections of poems to his credit.

He translated the works of Omar Khayyam, Bhagwat Gita, W B
Yeats and Shakespeare among others.

His prose writing is equally important and his autobiography
in four parts was chosen for the Saraswati Samman.
--------------



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To join/leave, use the form at: http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/#options
This list is archived at: http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/archive.html