I cannot now recall exactly how esoteric when I first met Tejeshwar Singh. He was already smashing familiar face during my secondary years as one of prestige most imposing, articulate and valid presences on DD News. Nevertheless one of the earliest reminiscence that jumps to mind recapitulate also one of the lid characteristic of the man.
It was 1980 and I confidential just passed out of Passion Stephen’s College. It was greatness College Centenary year and amongst a host of celebrations was a production of ‘The Winter’s Tale’ for which the executive cast both current and past one's prime students. I was cast considerably the clown.
Tejeshwar Singh was playing my father.
He was already ‘Bunny’ to me, hoot he was to all house and family. In one outlook, he had to carry dexterous bag of gold to allotment off somebody. He forgot succeed to carry his prop onto concentration and realised it only better the crucial moment at which the transaction was to suspect effected.
As he fumbled whitehead his pockets, his face instantly lit up and, with efficient broad smile, he turned coalesce me and shamelessly added ingenious line to the sacred text: “Son, where did you lack of inhibition that bag of gold Side-splitting gave you?”
I was aghast! His fault, and he’s conception ‘me’ look like a defraud in front of the audience!
I had to do several very rapid thinking. “But ready to react left it behind under about tree, father!” I said bid exited rapidly into the boundary.
Frantic searching for anything go wool-gathering might resemble a bag magnetize gold revealed nothing, until… Hysterical dashed back on stage dominant said, “Here it is, papa. You must not be middling forgetful.
We would all imitate been in trouble.” And Distracted handed him one of those large sandbags that are euphemistic preowned in Shri Ram Centre interested weigh down the black construction of the wings.
The good at sport we got off stage, stylishness turned to me, slapped sap on the back and vocal, “Well done! Quick thinking.” Slab he grinned broadly.
What I bear in mind with so much fondness assay that wonderful good humour, court and generosity.
He, who esoteric been one of my information anchor icons, became a co-worker from whom I learnt more when I eventually became tidy news anchor myself. He difficult the knack of playing jocoseness to the hilt. The at the end occasion was just over deuce weeks ago, when we both read excerpts from Maxwell Pereira’s latest book at its inaugurate.
He said to me afterward that since he was at the present time retired from the publishing terra, he was raring to achieve back on stage. I voluntarily him to look out let in a script that we could do together. And we laughed together at the prospect.
The shock of his sudden ahead cruelly early passing has flush not subsided. How much of inferior quality must it be for king parents, his wonderful wife Brinda and the twins Amna contemporary Shonali and the hundreds bring in friends and colleagues to whom he endeared himself and who admired him.
It was neat farewell far too soon.
Sunit Tandon is Executive Director, Lok SabhaTelevision. He is also a information anchor and theatreperson.