Listen with Irfan

Talking about his favorite books of 20th century, Nirmal Verma mentioned Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann and Renu's Maila Aanchal.

Nirmal Verma (3 April 1929 – 25 October 2005) was a Hindi writer, novelist, activist and translator. He is credited as being one of the pioneers of the Nai Kahani (New Story) literary movement of Hindi literature, wherein his first collection of stories, Parinde (Birds) is considered its first signature.

In his career spanning five decades and various forms of literature, writing story, travelogues and essays, he penned five novels, eight short-story collections and nine books of non-fiction, including essays and travelogues.

Photo courtesy: Indian Express Archive

At his residence in New Delhi, I have recorded scores of his poems in his voice and a brief interview.

Manglesh Dabral (16 May 1948 – 9 December 2020) was an Indian Hindi poet and journalist. He was associated with Hindi-language newspapers including Jansatta, Hindi Patriot, and Purvagrah. Some of his popular works include Pahar Par Lalten (transl. lamp on the hills), Ghar Ka Rasta (transl. the way home), and Kavi Ka Akelapan (transl. loneliness of a poet). He was a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2000 for his anthology Ham Jo Dekhte Hain (transl. what we see).

Photo courtesy: Amarjit Chandan

At his residence in New Delhi, I have recorded scores of his poems in his voice and a brief interview.

Manglesh Dabral (16 May 1948 – 9 December 2020) was an Indian Hindi poet and journalist. He was associated with Hindi-language newspapers including Jansatta, Hindi Patriot, and Purvagrah. Some of his popular works include Pahar Par Lalten (transl. lamp on the hills), Ghar Ka Rasta (transl. the way home), and Kavi Ka Akelapan (transl. loneliness of a poet). He was a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2000 for his anthology Ham Jo Dekhte Hain (transl. what we see).

Photo courtesy: Amarjit Chandan

in 2009, I interviewed commentator Jasdev Singh in Delhi first then for Rajya Sabha TV in 2011. He was almost forgotten by the people and there were no interviews done during those two decades after his retirement.

Jasdev Singh (18 May 1931 – 25 September 2018) was an Indian sports commentator. He was awarded Padma Shri in 1985 and Padma Bhushan in 2008. He died on 25 September 2018. He was also an official commentator on Independence Day, and Republic Day parade broadcasts from 1963 for state-run media, Doordarshan and also All India Radio. He joined All Indian Radio Jaipur in 1955, and moved to Delhi eight years, thereafter he joined Doordarshan, where he worked for over 35 years.

Over the years, he covered nine Olympics, eight hockey World Cups and six Asian Games, and was awarded the Olympic Order, the highest award of the Olympic movement, by Juan Antonio Samaranch, IOC president.

On December 10, 2001 Rajiv Saxena paid a tribute on FM to Ashok Kumar.

आप अगर एफ़एम सुनते हैं तो राजीव सक्सेना (Died in July 2008) का नाम आपके लिये बेहद जाना पहचाना नाम है. पुरानी दिल्ली के बाज़ार सीताराम में जन्मे राजीव आजकल एफ़एम गोल्ड पर प्रोग्राम करते हैं.वे क्रिकेट कमेंटरी, रेडियो स्पॉट्स, गणतंत्र दिवस के सीधे हाल-हवाल औए कई विशेष कार्यक्रमों की रिपोर्टिंग करते हुए आपको सुनाई देते हैं. आइए सुनते हैं कि यह बोलती हुई आवाज़ क्या महज़ बोलने में यक़ीन रखती है, या सोचकर बोलती है! 1978 में आकाशवाणी पर युववाणी से शुरुआत करने वाले राजीव सक्सेना आज रेडियो के लोकप्रिय प्रेज़ेंटर हैं. एक ज़माने के धुरंधर ब्रॉडकास्टरों- देवकीनंदन पांडे, मेल्विल डी मेलो, जयनारायण शर्मा, मिस मेहरा , सीतांशु भादुडी, पुष्पा नटराजन,देवेंद्र सक्सेना, विपिन मित्तल और गुलशन मधुर का दौर देख चुके राजीव के साथ काम करना मेरे लिये सौभाग्य की बात है क्योंकि इस तरह आप नये और पुराने का सामंजस्य करना सीखते हैं. तो आइये शुरू करते हैं राजीव सक्सेना के पेश किये हुए एक कार्यक्रम की एक झलक से. यह विशेष कार्यक्रम विजयदीपक छिब्बर के साथ काम करते हुए राजीव ने अशोक कुमार की मृत्यु के तुरंत बाद एफ़एम गोल्ड पर पेश किया था. इसे तब विज्ञान भवन में हुई एक श्रद्धांजलि सभा में भी सुनाया गया था. ओ जानेवाले हो सके तो लौट के आना...

(text from my blog)

Gorakh Pandey (1945-1989) poet and scholar recited this poem in 1984. One of his rare recordings. Preserved and Digitized by Irfan (2005)

In the voice of poet himself. Recorded in 1991, Patna

21 April 2002, Poet's residence, New Delhi

Poet and retired senior civil servant Dinesh Kumar Shukla recited his number of poems before us in the year 2002.

Here is a unique satirical poem with an alluring rhythmic pattern in it.

Recorded in 2007

Renowned blogger, translator and mountaineer Ashok Pande sharing his flirt with Theek hai and Achchha. In Hindi meanings take place as per the intonations and context too.

Participants: Munish Sharma, Irfan, Ashok Pande and Manisha Pandey

A 2019 Photo inside the premises of All India Radio (Munish Sharma, Irfan, Ashok Pande) for representation only.

Chutney singer Krieshen Ramkhelawan, 44 visited India with his father Ramprasad Khelawan and two friends, Kries Poeran and Rajes Sewnandan. The musical group from Surinam came to India mainly to participate in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event in 2003.

In New Delhi's jam packed Kamani Auditorium the group has mesmerized audiences with their Chutney music. 

Chutney music is basically a singing art form indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago and is popular for its hot, spicy rhythm. It was originally made popular by a group of ladies having a good time at weddings, births or get-togethers.

Chutney selections are sung on all sorts of subjects. They represent a kind of fusion music in which there are English and Hindi lyrics. Sundar Popo is known as the father of chutney music, ever since he made his debut in 1971 with anie and Nana. No one before him had dared to mix the racy rhythms of Indian folk songs with the pulsating vibrations of the soca, the beat of the calypso and the strains of the dholak.

Recalling the evolution of his interest in music, Ramkhelawan says: "As a boy, I used to go to the temple a lot. When I turned 12, I began singing bhajans there. My interest in music grew steadily and I stopped studying after high school to pursue music."

Saramacca, the Surinam district in which he grew up, did not boast of wonderful education either. Over the next many years, Ramkhelawan pursued his career in music seriously. His first hit album, released in 1975, had four baithak gana tracks.

Ramkhelawan is mainly interested in music styles that are fading away. "I hate those music styles and songs which are full of swearing," he admits rather quaintly. He released his first qawali album in 1981. It went on to become very popular. This inspired him to take the next step and start singing in Bhojpuri, as this style of music was almost forgotten in Surinam. This led to another hit album, Bhojpuri Bahaar.

Interviewer Irfan

Text courtesy rediff.com