- A friend greeting Prof. Bhatia on his 84th birthday.
There is so much of youth in Prof. Bhatia - the 84-year-old young man.
No wonder, his friends arrange his each birthday with gusto, some of them even aspiring to learn the tricks he plays with life. But, every time Prof. Bhatia dodges their queries, leaving all at sea. I am lucky, as he recently budged to my persistent quizzing.
“What gets you kicking Professor?” I kept asking him for over three months. One fine day, he yielded: “A game of football and divine imagination.”
No. There are so many things other than these which keep Prof. Bhatia erect. He is a fantastic human being and an out of this world poet. A good chess player too. To me, he is also an invaluable friend.
I have always seen him smiling, and extending his scrawny right hand to all who choose to wish or ignore him.
Born at Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, Prof. Neb Raj Bhatia migrated to India a couple of months before India became independent. Starting as a typist, he got educated in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Urdu and Persian besides doing his MA in English from Punjab University, the credentials that earned him different Central Government jobs and visits to various countries across the globe.
The “Spanish Professor”, as he is called, also worked as interpretor-cum-translator with some top Indian leaders including Indira Gandhi whom he refused to give tuitions, saying: “One cannot create the class room atmosphere of teaching and learning in a wealthy person’s living room. You have to come to my class.”
Presently, I believe, he has more than a few ailments including asthma, but that does not deter him from taking his regular dose of six-to-eight pegs of wine, while his all time buddy – a hat - silently keeps an eye on him. Surely, Prof. Bhatia seems to have taken more from alcohol than alcohol has taken from him. Today, as I wait for his collection of Urdu poems “Awaargi”, may I put to the professor the famous lines from the film Arth:
“Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho; Kya gam hai jisko chhupa rahe ho
Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho…
Aankhon mein nami, Hansi labon par; Kya haal hai, Kya dikha rahe ho
Ban jayenge zahar peete peete; Yeh ashk jo peeye ja rahe ho
Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho…”
♣ ♣ ♣
Copyright © 2008 Neeraj Bhushan. All Rights Reserved.
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Filed under: People | Tagged: French, German, Interpreter, Italian, Neb Raj Bhatia, Portuguese, Prof. Bhatia, Spanish, Translator
Beautiful story and an angel man that you seem to have enriched yourself in studying him and sharing with all of us.
Here we go: -
woh hansi kya joe honthon pai aa ker wajooh na de
woh gaye mehman joe rozon mai aa ker takaluf na de
woh gum kya joe aansu mai bheege kalam se dastak
na de
woh umre kya joe badhte hue kadam ke saath
ghat-tee huyi pareshani na de
zinda rehne koe zeest se yari ker lee, issi mukam
se phir yaadon ki tayari ker lee!
That is the essence of “one moment of glorious life is worth an age without a name” in Wordsworth’s words.
At least this gentleman has left his contacts lot to be reminded of in life, deed and even after.
Hi! I saw and heard this Professor at the India Habitat Centre few months back. I wish him a very very long life.
Thanks Neeraj for the wonderful piece about Prof.Bhatia. Surprising that we have not met so far, as I too belong to the big gang of friends Prof. has got. I came to know about your page this morning itself. Good job, for a wonderful gentleman like Prof. Bhatia. There is no one like Prof. Bhatia in this whole universe, but, Prof.Bhatia.
I am delighted to know that the Professor has got a huge friend following. Thanks for the good words. Indeed, ‘there is no one like Prof. Bhatia in this whole universe, but, Prof. Bhatia.’ Thanks again.
I met Prof Bhatia 30 years back. Since all these years, I have seen him very closly. He is like father, guide to me. A very loveable person. At this age even, he is as active as 20 years old man. I wish him long life.
I met him when i was in 4class he is one of my best friend