Proud To Be Punjabis

Amrita Sher-Gil

2012-11-02T02:42:00.001-07:00

Through countless centuries, the women of Punjab nurtured many an art and craft with their loving hands. They embroidered phulkaris with bold floral designs bathed in golden and crimson hues, painted the mud walls of their rural homes with amazing colour combinations, drew the chowkpurna (Punjabi word for alpana or rangoli) designs on their thresholds for the well-being and prosperity of their family members as well as to welcome the visitors. They made clay pottery, toys and dolls. In short, they gave expression to their innate aesthetic urges and instincts in a hundred and one ways. Every woman was an artist and contributed to the centuries-old tradition of arts and crafts in her own way.

With the advent of the British on the Indian scene, a number of changes took place in our social milieu and economic set-up. Our traditional way of life, socio-economic-cultural set-up and values received a rude jolt.

The situation in the field of art was no less dismal. The days of traditional schools were over. The art schools set up by the British government imparted instruction that was neither related to our past nor to contemporary European art that burgeoned with the spirit of new experiments; the emphasis was solely on outdated academics. Painters not only of Punjab but all over India were wallowing in a state of utter hopelessness for lack of direction and guidance. There were two dominant schools of painting in India at that time. The Bengal school whose adherents were turning out maudlin imitations of ancient Indian styles, aiming at a kind of romantic revival of India's glorious artistic heritage and the Bombay School of Art mainly engaged in poor imitations of western academic painting. The painters of both these schools could hardly play the role of torchbearers. At such a critical period of transition, a powerful personality was needed to show the light to painters groping in the dark. Art forms were clamouring for a powerful expression. This void was filled not by a man but a woman painter of Punjab. Amrita Shergil who, soon after her arrival on the art scene, took not only Punjab but also the entire country by storm.

Amrita Shergil was not a product of Indian or Punjabi socio-cultural milieu. She was the daughter of Sardar Umrao Singh Shergil and Antoinette, a Hungarian lady endowed with considerable artistic talent. She was born in Budapest in 1913, and spent the formative years of her life in Europe. She dabbled in paint from her early childhood. Her intelligent mother detected the talent latent in her, and encouraged her to paint. She took her to Italy and Paris, the hotbeds of artistic activity and the birthplace of many a historic art movement in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Amrita had the good fortune of studying at the best art school at Paris, the Ecole des Beaux Arts, under the competent guidance of great masters. Besides, living in Paris, she had the added advantage of visiting art galleries, museums, salons, etc. She studied the works of contemporary and ancient master painters in the original.

Amrita's work done during her stay in Europe till 1934 was largely academic, consisting of still-life, nude studies, portraits and the like. Her genius was to flower only after her return to her fatherland, India. She came here not as a foreigner attracted by the 'picturesque' India, and the exotic sights and smells; she came here as an Indian in feeling and spirit and with a mind to make this land her home. Despite her training in western art, she had complete awareness of and deep respect for India's artistic traditions. When she set foot on Indian soil for the first time in November 1934, she was haunted by the faces of the unhappy and dejected, poor and starving Indians whom she saw first around Simla, then in the South and finally in Punjab, where she was to spend the last days of her life (She died in Lahore in 1942). After settling down in Simla in early 1935, she took an important decision of interpreting "the life of Indians, particularly the poor, pictorially." This, she said, she would do "with a new technique, my own technique" and "this technique though not technically Indian, in the traditional sense of the word, will yet be fundamentally Indian in spirit." These words suggest that she had a clear idea of what she was to accomplish in the near future.

All her paintings portray incredibly thin, emaciated starving men and women. She painted the Pahari villagers whom she encountered around her Summer Hill residence in Simla, in her works captioned Hill Men and Hill Women. Then followed more works painted in the same style such as Bride's Toilet, Fruit Vendors, The Brahmachari, etc. All the figures painted by her, especially those of women, have lackluster eyes, an expression of resignation and despondency writ large on their drawn faces. Being a woman, she was naturally more interested in painting women and their activities. Since she was completely unfamiliar with their milieu, both social and family, she was fascinated by them; their cloistered shackled lives through which they moved like shadows. This mood of sorrow prevails in all her paintings.

Insofar as her achievements as a painter, rather as the first modern painter of Punjab as well as the entire nation, are concerned, Amrita had come a long way from her days in Paris. Despite her remarkable stylistic affinities with Gauguin, she was moving more and more towards an individual style of her own, that is, towards greater simplification of form and elimination of unimportant details. By 1936, she had seen the Ajanta frescoes that were to leave a deep impression on her style and colour schemes. In Fruit Vendors and Bride's Toilet, this influence is palpably discernible. Here we have the same Ajantesque simplification of physique and the same reliance on clear outime and firmly moulded form. This style marks almost all her paintings executed between 1935 and 1937. By this time, she had achieved that perfect blending of western techniques and Indian spirit, which no Indian painter had been able to achieve till then. She had laid the foundation of modern Indian art.

Then began the second and last phase of her artistic career (in 1938) that ended with her death in 1941. In the works done during this period, she moved further away from naturalistic shadows and relied more on imaginary treatment. Earlier, in Hill Women she had experimented with the use of shadows to create rounded forms; in her later works such as Red Clay Elephant there are hardly any shadows. She was endowed with an extraordinary sense of colour.

Amrita guided her contemporary painters not only by her works but also through lectures and articles in which she urged them not to cling to "traditions that were once vital, sincere and splendid and which are now merely empty formulae", nor to imitate fifth rate western art slavishly. She also told them to "break away from both and produce something vital, connected with the soil, something essentially Indian."

Amrita Shergil and her paintings created quite a stir in the field of art not only in Punjab but all over India. Many men painters came under her influence, but not a single woman painter emerged on the art scene of Punjab until the '5Os. This shows that an individual genius, with however towering a personality, cannot change society. The social set-up in Punjab remained more or less unchanged and the middle classes continued to remain culturally impoverished, due to lack of aesthetic awareness. No one, not even painters encouraged their daughters or sisters to take to painting. It needed a great deal of courage and a spirit of defiance against social norms -for women to come out of their cloistered existence and play a vital role in the field of art. This was true not only of painting or sculpture, but also of practically all forms of art - music, dance and drama. In the post-independence era, some liberal families, mainly from the affluent or upper middle class strata of society, started sending their daughters to schools.

Kuldip Singh Kular

2012-08-28T04:17:00.001-07:00

Dr. Kuldip Singh Kular, (born December 12, 1948 in Ludhiana, Punjab, India) is a physician and former MPP in Ontario, Canada. He represented the riding of Bramalea-Gore-Malton in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, for the Ontario Liberal Party.

Kular was born to a Sikh family in Punjab, and received a medical degree from Guru Nanak Dev University. He moved to Canada in 1974, and completed two years of residency training in paediatrics at the IWK Health Centre at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. He then worked for two years at the Canadian Armed Forces Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia before starting a family practice in Campbellton, New Brunswick in 1978.

In 1986, Kular founded a family and sports medicine clinic in Brampton, Ontario, a city which has a large number of recent Indo-Canadian immigrants. He was also a founding member of the Northern Indian Medical and Dental Association of Canada.

In the 2003 election, Kular defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative Raminder Singh Gill by about 4000 votes in Bramalea-Gore-Malton-Springdale. He was a member of the Speaker of the Ontario Legislature’s multi-party delegation in June 2005 to the 43rd Canadian Regional Conference for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in St. John's, Newfoundland.

In the 2007 election Kular was re-elected in the newly reshaped Bramalea—Gore—Malton, defeating the closest candidate, Progressive Conservative Pam Hundal, by about 6,000 votes.

In the 2011 election he was defeated by NDP candidate Jagmeet Singh by 2,120 votes.

Dr. Kular served on the Standing Committees on Estimates, Social Policy, Regulation & Private Bills and the Select Committee on Electoral Reform through his three terms. He was parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal, and to the Minister of Health and Long-Term in order by period of service.

Dr. Kular is an avid jogger and enjoys skiing, gardening and traveling.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuldip_Singh_Kular

UK former minister's daughter living life of Sikhs warrior

2012-08-28T04:00:00.001-07:00

Spear in hand. Check. Dagger (slung over shoulder). Check. Turban. Check. Flowing white tunic. Check ... this is Uttrang Kaur Khalsa or, at least, that is the name she goes by in India where she lives in an ashram (spiritual hermitage) and begins each day at sunrise.

We know her, of course, by a rather different name and reputation. Behind the ‘warrior chic’ uniform is former It Girl Alexandra Aitken. Complete with a bag of bananas.

It was only last year that news emerged that Miss Aitken, 32, daughter of former Tory jailbird Jonathan Aitken, had married a Sikh warrior and was converting to Sikhism.

Not surprisingly, the revelations were greeted with bemusement and scepticism in society circles.

Apart from anything else, Miss Aitken’s nuptials were announced in Hello! magazine, hardly in keeping with Sikh traditions.

Nor, more pertinently, was Miss Aitken’s former lifestyle which consisted mainly of falling out of nightclubs in revealing dresses and, on one memorable occasion, posing naked in GQ magazine.

Could there be a more unlikely transformation? Miss Aitken, photographed striding along an Indian country road, is staying with a sect of yoga Sikhs in the Punjab village of Bani.

The Sikh customs she has adopted could not be further removed from her old life. Miss Aitken is no longer allowed even to cut her hair and uses only a wooden comb.

The woman often seen in the company of royalty at polo matches now spends much of her time in prayer, apparently, often helping to scrub the temple floors with holy water at the end of each day.

She is also, by all accounts, learning Punjabi and studying Sikh religious history.

Why the spear and dagger? Well, her husband, Inderjot Singh, is a so-called ‘warrior’ Sikh (or Nihang Sikh).

However, few Sikh women carry ceremonial weapons, still less own an iPod (in the photograph, headphones can be clearly seen tucked beneath Miss Aitken’s white-and-purple turban), which has left many in the village puzzled.

It is not the only source of intrigue.

Miss Aitken, it seems, has not be seen with Mr Singh of late and locals say he is no longer with her at the ashram. Neither did Miss Aitken attend the recent funeral of Mr Singh’s father, leading some to wonder if the couple might have split up.

Cross-cultural marriages, after all, bring their own particular strains and difficulties.

They met at the Golden Temple of Amritsar in 2009 when Miss Aitken was on a trip to India.

Speaking about that moment in an interview last year, she recalled: ‘I was sitting on the roof of the Golden Temple at about 3am, and the most beautiful man I’d ever seen in my whole life walked in. He seemed 100 per cent man, gentle and intuitive and poetic and sensitive, but also extraordinarily strong and manly. And you don’t see many of these around. So I was like: “Oh wow!”’

Miss Aitken described falling for a devout man who spent his time helping to feed and clothe the poor.

She painted a picture of someone so religious that, when the two were married the following year, in the temple where they had first fallen in love, dozens of holy men left their caves to attend the wedding ... Or did they?

Flashback: Alexandra Aitken before her transformation, pictured with her father, former politician, Jonathan Aitken

The truth, as ever, is more complicated. For some of Mr Singh’s friends and family have cast doubt over his religious credentials and his involvement in the devout Nihang sect.

It seems that, in fact, until his mid-20s Mr Singh used to enjoy the party lifestyle, drinking, smoking and flirting with girls.

His upbringing in the industrial city of Ludhiana was quite conventional, born to a civil servant father and a mother who was a clerk with the local electricity board. Apparently, he found religion after a trip to — of all places — Australia, where he went to college for a year.

‘When he was there he met a saint and became very religious,’ said an old friend. ‘Before that, yes, he was not so religious; he did like parties.’

Marriage: Alexandra Aitken on her wedding day when she married Inderjot Singh in India

So perhaps the former party lovers were kindred spirits in that regard? They certainly were quick to marry. Friends were informed of Miss Aitken’s new life by email, with the following subject line: ‘I am a happily married devoted mrs wife and new contact details!’

The accompanying message read: ‘Hi, heavenly friends. A very funny forgiving huge hearted saintly hero was adventurous enough to marry me! We’ll have celebrations in London and LA soon. Hope you’ll join us.’

In fact, the wedding was arranged with such haste that Miss Aitken’s parents were unable to attend, leaving them understandably upset.

They were not the only ones. While Mr Singh’s parents appear to have been happy with their son’s choice of bride, not everyone in the family shared their delight. Relatives believed Mr Singh had polluted their pure bloodline by marrying a British girl.

Either way, Alexandra Aitken’s story is an extraordinary one, even judged by the standards of her family’s colourful history. Her father, a former Cabinet minister, famously vowed in 1995 to use the ‘sword of truth’ against The Guardian when he sued the paper for libel in a row over his dealings with Saudi arms traders, but was later jailed for seven months for perjury.

At around the same time, the Aitken sisters Alexandra and her twin, Victoria, discovered that Petrina Khashoggi, supposedly the daughter of millionaire arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, was their half-sibling. DNA tests established that she was conceived during an affair between Aitken and Soraya Khashoggi, the ex-wife of Mr Khashoggi.

Until their father’s trial — he was bankrupted by the legal costs of the libel case — the Aitken girls enjoyed the luxury of live-in staff at an imposing town house in Westminster and a home in Kent.

Their father’s fall from grace put an end to all that. Victoria embarked on a ‘career’ as a rap artist in the U.S. while Alexandra remained in London.

She attended parties, contributed to Tatler and became part of the early Noughties Sloaney set, which included Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. Aged 21, along with Petrina, she posed naked for that now famous GQ photoshoot.

Alexandra Aitken pictured at the The Times London Film Festival during her days as an It girl

Could she have imagined then that one day she would be scrubbing temple floors in the Punjab and wearing a turban?

That tortuous journey, it seems, began in 2002, with the first of her re-inventions. Miss Aitken earnestly insisted that she wanted to be a serious actress. Although she did appear in some short films, the career change failed to ignite.

Eventually, she left London, moving to Hollywood to offer psychic readings and teach yoga.

Along the way, she had dabbled in Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Kabbalah.

Explaining her conversion to Sikhism in that newspaper interview last year, Miss Aitken said: ‘I don’t really think of Sikhism as a religion, more a path for anyone who is looking for something more spiritual.

‘We live in a computer age where life is increasingly stressful . . . people are desperately trying to find a way to relax, to escape from everything.

‘As I see it, you’ve got one of two options: you can either find a drug dealer, or you can find something that’s going to give you a natural high. Everyone is looking for something. I’ve found Sikhism.

‘But I didn’t just jump on the first bus going. I did my homework; I’ve read just about everything.’

However, she admitted: ‘Frankly, if someone had told me ten years ago, when I was living the party girl lifestyle in London, that a decade later I’d be a teetotal vegan [living in an ashram], I wouldn’t have believed them.’

When Sikhs conquered Delhi

2012-08-22T02:29:00.000-07:00

Nadir Shah's brutal offensives and the eight invasions by Ahmed Shah Abdali had made the Mughal Empire fragile and weak.

Sikhs had emerged as a strong and powerful force in northern India, and eventually halted Abdali's invasions. Under the leadership of Dal Khalsa chief, Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, the Sikhs refused an alliance, and instead challenged Abdali for battle.

They were anxious to avenge the killing of over 20,000 Sikhs, mostly women, children and old people, and also the destruction and desecration of the Golden Temple. Sensing defeat, Abdali called it a day, and finally returned to Afghanistan, never to come back again.

The vast area of the Indian subcontinent lying between the Indus and the Yamuna thus became free from foreign rule.

Sikhs Control Greater Punjab

With no enemy in the North, and Shah Alam II at the head of the decaying Mughal Empire at Delhi, the powerful 12 Sikh misls had a free run in increasing their influence, from the Indus to the Yamuna, seeking rakhi (tribute, protection money) from various small chiefs, nawabs and rajas.

The Marathas, after their defeat by Abdali in the third battle of Panipat in 1761, were marginalised, and the Rohillas were a spent force and the English were in the process of finding their place at Delhi.

It was easy for the Sikh misls to cross the Yamuna and make forays towards Delhi and beyond. The misls did not owe any allegiance to each other, except when the Sarbat Khalsa, through a Gurmatta, resolved to attack a common target.

Sardar Baghel Singh

Baghel Singh's Karor Singhia Misl was operating in south-east Punjab. He was a very able leader, a good political negotiator who was able to win over many adversaries to his side. The Mughals, the Marathas, the Rohillas, the Jutts and the British sought his friendship, and, above all, he was a devout Sikh; amrit prachar was his passion.

Karor Singhia was one of the strongest misls with 12,000 well trained horsemen. The combined strength under Baghel Singh, including soldiers of a few sardars who joined him, was well over 40,000.

He captured territories much beyond Delhi to include Meerut, Khurja, Aligarh,Tundla, Shikhohabad, Farrukhabad, Agra and many other rich townships around Delhi, collecting tribute and rakhi from nawabs and rajas. He captured Saharanpur and overran the Rohilla territory in April 1775.

Sikhs March Towards Delhi

In March 1776, Baghel Singh's forces gave a crushing defeat to the Mughal army near Muzaffarnagar; thus Sikhs extended their influence on the whole of the Yamuna-Gangetic doab.

Baghel Singh invaded Delhi on January 8, 1774, and captured the area up to Shahdara. The second invasion was on July 17, 1775, when the Sikhs captured the area around the present-day Pahar Ganj and Jai Singhpura. Bulk of the fighting took place where present-day New Delhi is located.

Sikhs temporarily withdrew due to shortage of supplies, but they kept the agenda of the Red Fort alive, and continued domination and intrusions into the Emperor's territory surrounding Delhi.

By early 1783, the Sikhs commenced preparations for the capture of the Red Fort.

A force of 60,000 under the leadership of Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Sardar Baghel Singh assembled at Ghaziabad, continuing their attacks and capturing rich towns around Delhi.

Enormous booty was collected by Sikhs, which was sent to Punjab with an escort of 20,000 soldiers. One-tenth of this booty was sent to the Golden Temple as offering to the Guru.

Sikhs Forces Capture Delhi

On March 8, the Sikhs captured Malka Ganj and Sabzi Mandi. Prince Mirza Shikoh, on orders from the Emperor, tried to stop the invaders but suffered defeat, and fled. On March 9, they captured Ajmeri Gate. There was a panic in the city; many took shelter in the fort.

Jassa Singh Ramgarhia joined the Sikh forces at the last moment with 10,000 soldiers. As many as 30,000 Sikh horsemen of Baghel Singh's army were camping at a place now known as Tees Hazari, location of the Delhi High Court.

The Sikhs attacked the Red Fort on March 11,1783. The Emperor and all his guards, in fact every one in the fort, hid themselves. The story goes that an insider informed Sikhs of a weak spot in the wall of the fort, where the soldiers made a hole by ramming it with wooden logs; the place is now named as Mori ('hole') Gate, the location of Inter State Bus terminus (ISBT).

Red Fort is Captured

The Sikhs entered the Red Fort, hoisted the kesri Nishan Sahib, and occupied the Diwan-e-aam, a key location in the fort, where the Emperor, sitting on the throne, used to have audience with the public. In a symbolic gesture, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was made to sit on the throne, which made him the Emperor.

His old rival and his name-sake, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, joined by some other chiefs, opposed Ahluwalia's sitting on the throne. Before the event took an ugly turn, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia gracefully vacated the throne and, thus, avoided a controversy amongst the chiefs at a critical moment.

Emperor reconciles with the Sikhs

The Emperor was quick to reconcile with the Sikhs; he offered a treaty and accepted their terms. The Emperor agreed to pay Rs 300,000 as Nazrana. The kotwali area was to remain the property of the Sikhs.

Baghel Singh was allowed to construct gurdwaras on all sites connected with Sikh history. Baghel Singh was to retain 4,000 soldiers till his task was completed; the Emperor was to pay all expenses. The Sikh army left the fort after the treaty.

The Sikhs conquered the Red Fort, but they missed a great opportunity and failed to exploit the advantage of being the strongest force.

Source : http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/When_Sikhs_conquered_Delhi

Hero of forgotten war

2012-08-19T06:47:00.002-07:00

Lt.Col. Abjit Singh Sekhon never approved of escort vehicles. Nor did he permit gun toting bodyguards even when he was deployed in an insurgency ridden Naga town. The infantry officer didn’t think his rank made his life more valuable. “Why should I risk their lives? They also have mothers,” he would chide his wife Kanwaljeet Kaur, or anyone who dared to suggest that he should get an escort.

Commissioned into 7 Madras, Sekhon considered himself very fortunate when he was chosen to command it. Those were turbulent times and the battalion was part of the IPKF in Sri Lanka but the Lt. Col was upbeat about his assignment.

Soldiering was in his genes. His grandfather in the pre-independence Army was decorated with the Order of British Empire (OBE) while his father, a civil services officer, had earned the title of “Sardar Sahib” for participating in World War II.

Sekhon’s entry into the armed forces was a foregone conclusion. The tough conditions in Lanka suited him just so. On April 13, 1988 he received a tip-off about the presence of some hard core militants at Vannerikulam. He took a calculated risk, reached the unmapped area and took the LTTE militants by surprise. Leading the action, Lt. Col. Sekhon killed two Tigers, one of whom was an area leader. Again on April 21 when information came about the presence of militants at Urithirapuram, Sekhon led two platoons and got out of his vehicle to shoot down a militant. But his luck was running out. A LTTE sniper close by shot him through the chest. The man who believed in leading from the front died on the spot. Later, he was awarded Vir Chakra for his exemplary gallantry.

But the shock of his death was too much to bear for his father Gurdial Singh who passed away a year later.

It’s been 18 years but Sekhon continues to inspire his beloved battalion, 7 Madras. Kanwaljeet says it’s the affection shown on her by the unit that gave courage to her and her two young sons during those traumatic years. “In all this time never once have they forgotten to invite me to his martyrdom anniversary. And even though it’s a Madras regiment, they hold an akhand path on this occasion.” Sekhon’s two sons, one a commercial pilot and the other a management graduate, are equally fond of their extended family. Their father would approve. The bonds of OG, he believed, are thicker than blood.

Asma Chaudhry

2012-08-04T13:55:00.001-07:00

Asma Chaudhry is the Anchor Person OF Dunya News and hosts the famous show Insession. She has been associated with the field of journalism for the last 10 years. She started my career as Sub Editor in Jang Group of News papers. Later on she got associated with the state television and served there as a Producer. She was the recipient of PTV Award for program Vision Pakistan in 2003. Since then, she has worked with the top rated channels of Pakistan as a Producer as well as an Anchorperson. She presented the program Parliament Cafeteria live from parliament with prominent political personalities of Pakistan, in her earlier career. As a special diplomatic correspondent she also covered the AGRA Summit, SAARC Summit, US Presidential Elections 2008 and also visited USA, UK, India, Germany, Srilanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh for special assignments. She also participated in IVL program arranged by state department of USA on Documentary Productions and Film Making. Currently, she is serving as a lead anchor person and hosting a popular program- In Session on Dunya News TV. Recently, She is awarded with the Best Anchor Current Affair Female Award in 2nd Pakistan Media Award. 2011

Awards

She was the recipient of PTV Award for program Vision Pakistan in 2003. Recently, she awarded with the Best Anchor Current Affair Female Award in 2nd Pakistan Media Award 2011.

Source : http://www.awaztoday.com/singleprofile/136/Asma-Chaudhry.aspx

Ayesha Omar

2012-07-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Ayesha Omar (born October 12, 1980) is a Pakistani actress, model, singer, former MTV Pakistan VJ and painter. She is best known for portraying the character of Khoobsurat in ARY Digital's sitcom Bulbulay.

Born on October 12, 1980, Ayesha graduated from the prestigious National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan, where she mastered the art of painting fine art. She acquired fame with two of her hit singles, "Aao" and "Koi To Ho".

Since her early days at school, Ayesha had been keen in theater and charity work. She was a president at her arts school and managed theater productions along with doing costumes and conceptual creative work. She would dedicate her summers at the Rising Sun School for special children. At the age of eight, she started hosting a show with Muneeza Hashmi called Meray Bachpan Kay Din in which she would interview celebrities about their early days.

However, it was her break in the light teen comedy Kollege Jeans that prompted her career in television. The show was directed by another NCA graduate Jawad Bashir and cast her alongside Ali Zafar and other prominent TV personalities. Soon after she was invited to host a show called Rhythm for Prime TV where she interviewed musicians from all over Pakistan including veterans like Arif Lohar and Shazia Manzoor.

She would even act with Nautanki, NCA’s drama group, even before she joined the college whence she gathered that a formal training is required. The National College of Arts (NCA) provided her every other reason to indulge into any prospect of performing arts. During her tenure at the institution she also modelled 18 fashion shows held as well as perform in seven plays with Lahore’s amateur theater groups.

In 2003, a set of paintings that Ayesha created for her final NCA thesis generated excitement and controversy when exhibited. The controversy surrounded her submission of two semi-nude self portraits, also a part of the exhibition. Asked, Ayesha would say that the Pakistani society has forgotten the integral preciousness of life and quoted that “the human body is the purest of all natural forms, it’s chaste, it’s innocent, but you have to see beyond the apparent to perceive the metaphysical.

Ayehsa Omar hosted ‘Hot Chocolate’ on ARY Zauq. She is now hosting a morning show 'Ye Waqt Hai Mera' on CNBC Pakistan and Samaa tv (Source: Wikipedia)

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ayesha-Omer/79287254168

Salima Hashmi

2012-07-27T04:47:00.001-07:00

Salima Hashmi (Urdu: سليما حاشمى; is a PoP), Pakistani artist, cultural writer painter, and an anti-nuclear weapon activist, served for four years as professor (of arts and dance) and the head of the National College of Arts. She is the eldest daughter of one of Pakistan's most renowned poets, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and the British-born Alys Faiz.

She represents the first generation of modern artists in Pakistan, who carry an artistic identity different from indigenous artists. Known for her condemning the Pakistan's and Indian nuclear programs, she is among one of the few Pakistani intellectuals who condemned the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan in 1998.

Family

Hashmi was born to Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Alys Faiz. She has one sister. She is a maternal cousin of Salman Taseer, the former Governor of Punjab, Pakistan. She is a cousin of the architect, Yasmin Cheema from her father's side.

She is married to Shoaib Hashmi. Her son Yasser Hashmi is in final stages of his doctrate at McGill University Canada and teaches Psychology at Lahore University Of Management Sciences. Her Nephew Adeel Hashmi is a well known young director, Actor and model in the world of media in Pakistan.

Academic career

She is currently the Dean of the School of Visual Arts & Design at the Beaconhouse National University. Salima is famous for her quick wit and ability to read and analyze artwork with effortless ease. She is a respected patron of young artists known to have the capacity to make or break a career. Formerly known as "Art-Shart", Rohtas-2 is the gallery set up by Salima Hashmi at her house in Lahore Model Town. Shoaib Hashmi, her husband, retired from a teaching position at Government College University, Lahore, and was also a popular co-star with Salima in comedy television shows in the early 1970s.

Bibliography

Salima Hashmi also authored a critically lauded book titled "Unveiling the Visible: Lives and Works of Women Artists of Pakistan" in 2001. In 2006, Salima Hashmi co-authored a book with Indian art historian Yashodhara Dalmia titled 'Memory, Metaphor, Mutations: Contemporary Art of India and Pakistan', published by Oxford University Press. Her latest work, a series of illustrations to accompany English translations of her father's poetry by her husband Shoaib Hashmi, is in process of publication.

Education

She has been the Dean at the School of Visual Arts, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore. In addition, she is an activist, a painter, art educationist, writer and curator. In recent years she has been working on developing closer links with India and working towards a unity group. She was educated at the National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, the Bath Academy of Art, U.K., and the Rhode Island School of Design, USA.

In addition, Salima taught for 30 years at NCA, Pakistan’s premier art institution, and retired as its Principal. Her work has been exhibited, and she has traveled and lectured extensively all over the world. She has also curated numerous international art shows in England, Europe, the USA, Australia, Japan and India.Salima Hashmi is a recipient of The President’s Award for Pride of Performance, Pakistan.

Arts career

Salima Hashmi is one of the most well-known artists of Pakistan. Besides being an accomplished painter, she taught at Pakistan's prestigious National College of Arts (NCA) for about thirty years and served as the Principal of NCA for four years. In 1999, Salima Hashmi received Pakistan's Pride of Performance award. Today she is the Dean of School of Visual Arts at the newly established Beaconhouse National University in Lahore and she also runs her own art gallery featuring works of young artists.

Political Views

Salima Hashmi comes from a socially and politically active family. Her father was the legendary Pakistani poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and her mother, the British-born Alys Faiz was a respected journalist and peace activist in Pakistan. One of two daughters, Salima was always active in the arts, performing in plays before taking on painting professionally.

Salima was about eight years old when Faiz Ahmed Faiz was imprisoned for his political views. She remembers visiting him in jail. Later, during the repressive years of General Zia-ul-Haq rule, Salima's father had to go into self-exile as a result of the harassment he faced by Zia's government. Therefore, Salima grew up in a politically charged atmosphere. Painting became her outlet.

Voice for Women

Zia period is considered one of Pakistan's most repressive era especially for women, implications of which are still prevalent in society today. Salima's work focuses on the suffering of women in a highly patriarchal society especially under Zia-ul-Haq's. Her paintings usually include abstract figures of women depicting their struggles. They are a reflection of Salima's thoughts and feelings regarding the political and social uncertainties under which people of Pakistan have lived.

Nuclear Tests Response

Salima deplored the nuclear test conducting by India and Pakistan in 1998. In an interview with Humsafar magazine she talked about her series People Wept at Dawn which she says is in response to the nuclear tests. Salima expressed her frustration at the India and Pakistan nuclear test by saying:

"It would be so much more fruitful if these energies could be used in producing food to eat, providing shelter, freedom from disease and education for all."

Salima Hashmi has also been active in the human rights movement since the early 80s when she was one of the founding members Women's Action Forum, an organization dedicated to promoting women's rights though it has been criticized for being limited to the elite class of Pakistan.

Faiz Ahmed Faiz

2012-07-27T04:16:00.001-07:00

Date of Birth: February 13th, 1911 Place: Sialkot (Punjab), Pakistan Faiz's mother was Sultan Fatima. Faiz's father died in Sialkot in 1913. Faiz's father was a learned man and enjoyed the company of well-known literary persons. Wrote the biography of Amir Abdur Rehman. Faiz was therefore, born in a respectable and literary environment and was a very promising student with a religious background. Primary Education: Started memorizing the Holy Quran at the age of four and in 1916 started his formal education in the famous school of Moulvi Ibrahim Sialkoti, and learnt Urdu, Persian and Arabic. Was admitted to the Scotch Mission High School in 1921 in Class IV. Passed his Matriculation Examination in the 1st Division from Murray College, Sialkot and during this period learnt Persian and Arabic from Allama Iqbal's teacher, Shamsul Ullama Moulvi Syed Meer Hasan. College Education: Passed his B.A. (Honours) in Arabic from the Government College, Lahore and then M.A. in English from the same College in 1932. Passed his M.A. in Arabic in the 1st Division, from Oriental College, Lahore. Employment: Lecturer in English at M. A. O. College, Amritsar in 1935 and then at Hailey College of Commerce, Lahore. Joined the Army as Captain in 1942 and worked in the department of Public Relations in Delhi. Was promoted to the rank of Major in 1943, and Lieut. Colonel in 1944. Resigned from The Army in 1947 and returned to Lahore, where, in 1959 appointed as Secretary, Pakistan Arts Council and worked in that capacity till 1962. Returning from London in 1964 he settled down in Karachi and was appointed as Principal, Abdullah Haroon College , Karachi. Editorship of the monthly magazine Adabe-Latif from 1947 to 1958. Worked as Editor under the Progressive Papers Ltd, of the Pakistan Times, the Urdu newspaper Imroze and the weekly Lailo-Nihar. In the 1965 war between India & Pakistan he worked in an honorary capacity in the Department of Information. Acted as Editor of the magazine Lotus in Moscow, London and Beirut. Marriage & Children: In March 9th, arrested under Safety Act and charged in the Rawalpindi Conspiracy case, and having borne the hardships of imprisonment for four years and one month in the jails of Sargodha, Montgomery (now Sahiwal) Hyderabad and Karachi, was released on April 2nd, 1955.

Legacy

Faiz was acknowledged long ago as the greatest Urdu poet after Iqbal. Even those who were critical of his progressive social and political beliefs could not deny him that position, although they always qualified their praise of him by regretting that such a good man should have fallen among the Communists.

He was a keen student of various traditions of classical poetry in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Arabic, Persian, and English among others and had realized at an early age that it was the content and not the form which was basic in the art of poetry, that originality had little to do with formal experimentation and was primarily a matter of a profound understanding of human existence in its totality and wholeness.

His Critical essays, written mostly during his formative years, are a testimony to the fact that he had arrived at, and formulated clearly the essential elements of the poetics necessary for our age, the age of the masses.

Iqbal had sung poems of glory to the fact of revolution and given out a clarion call to the people to rise up against the master-classes and tyrants. Faiz, having joined the people in their rebellion, and having adopted the collective cause as a poet of the revolution, made the transformation of the individual human being and his passage through the infinite variety of situations and moods in this process, the subject of his poetry. He is concerned, above all, with the experience of the individual human soul in the long and arduous journey of revolutionary struggle.

And yet love is the leit motif of his poetry. Faiz is one of the great lyricists who seems, from one point of view, to have sung of nothing with greater passion than love.

Faiz takes Ghalib's plea for a deeply philosophical coordination of the poetic profession as his premise to refute the arguments of the aesthetes of his time for whom poetry was merely peripheral activity. But he goes further and comments that Ghalib's definition of creative vision is incomplete, because the poet is not only required to see the ocean in the drop, but also has to show it to others.

That is why, apart from being a great revolutionary poet, he was a great love poet, and there was no distinction between the two, love and revolution had become identical in him.

Publications

• Naqshe Faryadi, 1941

• Daste Saba, 1953

• Zindan Nama, 1956

• Mizan, a collection of literary articles,1956

• Daste-Tahe-Sang, 1965

• Sare-Wadiye Seena, 1971

• Shame-Shehr Yaran, 1979

• Merey Dil Merey Musafar, 1981

• Nuskha-Hai-Wafa, 1984

• Pakistani Culture, Urdu & English

Source : http://www.faiz.com/

Guru Nanak

2012-07-27T01:03:00.001-07:00

Guru Nanak Dev (1469 to 1539)

Full Name :	Nanak Dev
Personal Details
Birth :	On Saturday 15 April 1469 at Rai Bhoeki Talwandi, Pakistan (Nankana Sahib)
Guruship :	1469 to 1539
Joti Jot :	On Monday 22 September, 1539at Kartarpur
Family
Parents :	Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta Devi
Brother/Sisters :	Sister Bebe Nanki
Spouse :	Mata Sulakhani
Children :	Sri chand and Lakhmi Das
Other Details
Bani in GGS:	974 Shabads in 19 Ragas,Gurbani Includes Japji, Sidh Gohst, Sohilaa, Dakhni Onkar,Asa di Var, Patti, Bara Mah
Other Info:	Four Udasis

Guru Nanak (Gurmukhi: ਗ੝ਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ) (Saturday 15 April 1469 - Monday 22 September, 1539), the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Gurus of the Sikhs, was born in the village of Talwandi.

Also called Rai Bhoe-ki Talwandi, the village now known as Nankana Sahib, is near Lahore in present-day Pakistan. He was born, according to all ancient Sikh records, in the early morning of the third day of the light half of the month of Baisakh (April - May) in the year 1469; this is believed to be Saturday 15 April 1469. However, the Sikhs now celebrate this auspicious event each year on the full moon day in November; consequently, the date in November changes from one year to another. See

Before Guru Nanak departed for his heavenly abode in 1539, his name had travelled not only throughout India's north, south, east and west, but also far beyond into Arabia, Mesopotamia (Iraq), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Afghanistan, Turkey, Burma and Tibet. As Guru's Birth Anniversary (also called "Guru Nanak Jayanti") is lunar linked, it celebrated on the full moon in November. The event was celebrated on 15 November in 2005; 5 November in 2006; 24 November in 2007; 13 November in 2008; and will be celebrated on 2 November 2009, 21 November 2010, 10 November 2011 28 November 2012, 17 November 2013 6 November 2014, 25 November 2015, 14 November 2016, 4 November 2017, 23 November 2018, 12 November 2019 and 30 November 2020.

The name "Nanak" was used by all subsequent Gurus who wrote any sacred text in the Sikh holy scripture called the Guru Granth Sahib. So the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad is also called the "Second Nanak" or "Nanak II". It is believed by the Sikhs that all subsequent Gurus carried the same message as that of Guru Nanak and so they have used the name "Nanak" in their holy text instead of their own name and hence are all referred to as the "Light of Nanak."

Guru Nanak also called Satguru Nanak, Baba Nanak, Nanak Shah Faqir, Bhagat Nanak, Nanak Kalandar etc. by different people of religions and Cults.

Bhai Gurdas ji's summary

ਸ੝ਣੀ ਪ੝ਕਾਰ ਦਾਤਾਰ ਪ੝ਰਭ੝ ਗ੝ਰ੝ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਗ ਮਾਹਿ ਪਠਾਇਆ || ਚਰਨ ਧੋਇ ਰਹਰਾਸਿ ਕਰਿ ਚਰਣਾਮ੝ਰਿਤ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਪੀਲਾਇਆ ||

ਪਾਰਬ੝ਰਹਮ ਪੂਰਨ ਬ੝ਰਹਮ ਕਲਿਜ੝ਗ ਅੰਦਰ ਇਕ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ || ਚਾਰੇ ਪੈਰ ਧਰਮ ਦੇ ਚਾਰਿ ਵਰਨ ਇਕ ਵਰਨ੝ ਕਰਾਇਆ ||

ਰਾਣਾ ਰੰਕ ਬਰਾਬਰੀ ਪੈਰੀ ਪਵਣਾ ਜਗਿ ਵਰਤਾਇਆ | ਉਲਟਾ ਖੇਲ੝ ਪਿਰੰਮ ਦਾ ਪੈਰਾਂ ਉਪਰਿ ਸੀਸ ਨਿਵਾਇਆ ||

ਕਲਿਜ੝ਗ ਬਾਬੇ ਤਾਰਿਆ ਸਤਿਨਾਮ੝ ਪੜ੝ਹਿ ਮੰਤ੝ਰ ਸ੝ਣਾਇਆ || ਕਲਿ ਤਾਰਣਿ ਗ੝ਰ੝ ਨਾਨਕ ਆਇਆ ||੨੩|| ਵਾਰ ੧ ||

The Provider Lord listened to the cries, Guru Nanak descended into this world.

Washing His feet and praising God, he got his Sikhs to drink the ambrosial nectar.

In this Dark Age, he showed all gods to be just one.

The four feet of Dharma, the four castes were converted into one.

Equality of the King and beggar, he spread the custom of being humble.

Reversed is the game of the beloved; the egotist high heads bowed to the feet.

Baba Nanak rescued this Dark Age; read ‘satnam’ and recited the mantar.

Guru Nanak came to redeem this Dark Age of Kaljug. Bhai Gurdas - Vaar 1 pauri 23

His path

It was a dark and moonless night; the clouds were heavy with rain as it was the monsoon season. Suddenly lightning flashed and thunder sounded as a few raindrops started to fall. The village was asleep. Only Nanak was awake and the echo of his song filled the air.

Nanak’s mother was worried because it was pitch dark and day break was far away. The lamp in his room was burning. She could hear his melodious voice as he sang, restraining herself no longer she knocked at his door. “Go to sleep, my son, the sun is a long way ahead.” Nanak became silent. From the darkness sounded the call of the sparrow-hawk. “Piyu, piyu, piyu!” it called.

“Listen, mother!” Nanak called out. “The sparrow-hawk is calling to his beloved; how can I be silent, because I am competing with it? I will call my beloved before he calls his – even for longer because his beloved is nearby, perhaps in the next tree! My beloved is so far away. I will have to sing for lives upon lives before my voice reaches Him.” Nanak resumed his song.

Guru Nanak’s path was, is and will ever remain decorated with endless rows of true flowers; he realised God by singing virtues of God and following a life of true deeds. Guru Nanak did not practise normal Hindu austerities, meditation or yoga; he only sang in the beautiful poetic forms of the time. Singing, often extemporaneously, with all his heart and soul, so much so that his singing became his meditation, his purification and his yugam (yoking ones self to the almighty, to Satguru. This was Nanak’s path; decorated with true flowers of song, songs of glory and praise of the Almighty Lord.

Whatever he has said was said in verse straight from GOD. His blissful and mesmerizing songs are not those of an ordinary singer; they have sprung from within one who has known. There is the ring of truth, the reflection of God within them. It is these songs, songs of love and expressions of truthfulness and worship, along with the songs of Guru Nanak's nine successors, that form the eternal Guru of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib.

Background

His father was Kalayan Das Mehta, also known as Mehta Kalu, and his mother was Mata Tripta ji. They were Hindus belonging to the Vedic Kshatri (Khatri) caste. Guru ji had an older sister called Bebey Nanki, who was the first to recognise Nanak as an enlightened Soul. Guru Nanak from an early age evidenced a questioning and enquiring mind. He soon mastered the Vedas and Sanskrit and was enrolled into a madrassa to study Persian and Arabic. Picking up both languages quickly, he surprised his teacher by composing an acrostic on the Persian language. When it was time for Nanak to be invested with the twice born thread the “sacred” thread, called the Janeu, he refused to take part in the ritual. When the priest continued to insist that the young Nanak done the string he went into a trance and sang:

Let mercy be the cotton, contentment the thread,

Continence the knot and truth the twist.

Oh priest! if you have such a thread,

Do give it to me.

It will not wear out, nor get soiled, nor be burnt, nor lost.

Says Nanak, blessed are those who go about wearing such a thread.

(Rag Asa)

Guru Nanak's Life at Sultanpur

Nanak married Sulkhni of Batala, and they had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. Guru ji's brother-in-law, the husband of his sister Nanki, obtained a job for him in Sultanpur as the manager of the government's grainary. One morning, when he was twenty-eight, he went as usual down to the river to bathe and meditate. It was said that he was gone for three days. When he reappeared, filled with the spirit of God, it was apparent to all that he was a changed man. He would say nothing, he quit his job and distributed all that he had to the poor. Accompanied by his childhood friend, a Muslim named Mardana who had always played the Rebab while Nanak sang, they left town. When, after a few days, he spoke saying "There is no Hindu, no Musalman." It was then that Guru Nanak began his missionary work and travels.

As a householder, Guru ji continued to carry out the mission of his life – to lead people on the true path to God, to dispel superstition, to bring people out of ritualistic practises, to lead them directly to follow Gurbani without the need for priests and clergy, and to restrain and guard against the five thieves within – Pride, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Lust.

The three basic guidlines

Guru Nanak founded and formalised the three pillars of Sikhism:

1. Naam Japna Guru ji led the Sikhs directly to practise Simran and Naam Japna – meditation on God through reciting, chanting, singing and constant remembrance followed by deep study & comprehension of God’s Name and virtues. In real life to practice and tread on the path of Dharam (righteousness) - The inner thought of the Sikh thus stays constantly immersed in praises and appreciation of the Creator and the ONE ETERNAL GOD Waheguru.

2. Kirat Karni He expected the Sikhs to live as honourable householders and practise Kirat Karni – To honestly earn by ones physical and mental effort while accepting both pains and pleasures as GOD's gifts and blessings. One is to stay truthful at all times and, fear none but the Eternal Super Soul. Live a life founded on decency immersed in Dharam - life controlled by high spiritual, moral and social values.

3. Vand Chakna. The Sikhs were asked to share their wealth within the community by practising Vand Chakna – “Share and Consume together”. The community or Sadh Sangat is an important part of Sikhism. One must be part of a community that is living the flawless objective values set out by the Sikh Gurus and every Sikh has to contribute in whatever way possible to the common community pool. This spirit of Sharing and Giving is an important message from Guru Nanak.

Contributions to humanity

During his his time on Earth Guru Nanak was revered by both Hindus and Muslims and even today many, outside of the Sikh faith, revere him. It is related that as he lay dying, his followers some formerly Hindu and others formerly Muslims argued whether his body should be cremated as Hindu tradition dictated or buried as in Islamic tradition. It is said that when they removed the sheet which had covered the Guru they found only beautiful flowers. The Hindus burned theirs, the Muslims buried theirs.

His main contributions were:

Equality of humans

When in the middle east, the west and the rest of asia slavery, varna/class and race discrimination was rife and respect between the different classes and caste was at a peak, Guru Nanak preached against discrimination and prejudices due to race, caste, status, etc. He said: "See the brotherhood of all mankind as the highest order of Yogis; conquer your own mind, and conquer the world." (SGGS page 6); also "There is one awareness among all created beings." (page 24) and finally "One who recognizes the One Lord among all beings does not talk of ego. ||4||" (page 432). He urges all the peoples of the world to "conquer" their minds to these evil practises. All human beings had the light of the Lord and were the same -- only by subduing one's pride and ego could one see this light in all.

Equality of women

In about 1499 when the world offered low to no status or respect to women, Guru Nanak sought to improve the respect of women by spreading this message: "From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman." (page 473). In so doing, he promoted women's rights and equality — a first for the 15th century!

Universal message for all people

It had been a custom at the time for religious leaders to address only their own congregation and for segregation of the different religions -- but Guru Nanak broke with tradition and spoke to all of humanity. To the Muslim he said: "And when, O Nanak, he is merciful to all beings, only then shall he be called a Muslim. ||1||" (page 141); to the Hindu, he said "O Nanak, without the True Name, of what use is the frontal mark of the Hindus, or their sacred thread? ||1||" (page 467); and to all he preached: "To take what rightfully belongs to another is like a Muslim eating pork, or a Hindu eating beef." (page 141).

The four journeys

History states that he made four great journeys, travelling to all parts of India, and into Arabia and Persia; visiting Mecca and Baghdad. He spoke before Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Parsees, and Muslims. He spoke in the temples and mosques, and at various pilgrimage sites. Wherever he went, Guru Nanak spoke out against empty religious rituals, pilgrimages, the caste system, the sacrifice of widows, of depending on books to learn the true religion, and of all the other tenets that were to define his teachings. Never did he ask his listeners to follow him. He asked the Muslims to be true Muslims and the Hindus to be true Hindus.

After the last of his great journeys, Guru Nanak tried a new experiment - he asked a wealthy follower to donate a large tract of land . Here he built a town calling it Kartapur (in Punjab) on the banks of the Ravi where he taught for another fifteen years. Followers from all over came to settle in Kartapur to listen, and sing, and be with him. During this time, although his followers still remained Hindu, Muslim, or of the religion to which they were born, they became known as the Guru's disciples, or sikhs. It was here his followers began to refer to him as teacher, or guru. The Guru told his followers that they were to be householders and could not live apart from the world -- there were to be no priests or hermits. Here is where the Guru instituted the common meal, requiring the rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim, high caste and low caste, to sit together while eating. All worked together, all owned the town. Here is where Lehna, later to be Guru Angad, came to be with Guru Nanak.

To this day in Gurdwaras from the Punjab around the world to California's Yuba City people of all religions and creeds can enjoy a wonderful evening of beautiful song, music and of course a hot friendly meal.

A well known legend, when Nanak met Babur (1483-1530) the Emperor of India offered him a shared pipe of [Bhang], Nanak replied that he had a bhang whose wonderful effects never wore off. Inquiring of Nanak where he could find such wonderful bhang - Nanak declined the emperor's offer, saying GOD the [SAT GURU] was his bhang.

The Guru leaves for his heavenly abode

Kartarpur (meaning: The City of God), was established by Guru Nanak in 1522[1]. On Asu sudi 10, 1596 Bikrmi [Monday September 22, 1539 AD] Guru Nanak breathed his last at Kartarpur. Since the Guru's followers had been raised as Hindus or Muslims (each of which had different methods of dealing with one's earthly remains), an argument arose over whether the Guru's body should be cremated or buried. Traditionally, Hindus cremate while Muslims bury the bodies of loved ones after death.

Ultimately it was decided that flowers would be placed by each group on his body. Whosoever's flowers were found withered the next morning would loose the claim. It is related that the next morning when the cloth sheet was removed the Guru's body was missing and both sets of flowers were found as fresh as when they were placed.

The two communities then decided to divide the cloth sheet that covered the Guru's body and together with the flowers that they had place, one burying it and the other consigning it to fire. Therefore, both a samadh (Hindu tradition monument of remembrance) lies in the Gurdwara at Kartarpur and a grave (according to Muslim traditions) lies on the premises as a reminder of this joint claim to Guru Nanak by both the communities.

The gurdwara is located next to a small village named Kothay Pind (village) on the West bank of the Ravi River in Punjab, Pakistan. The original abode established by Guru Nanak was washed away by floods of the river Ravi.

The Gurudwara at Kartarpur can be seen from another Gurdwara located across the border at the historical town of Dehra Baba Nanak in India (It is not Dera, as so many people wrongly call it. Dehra is derived from the word Deh or body). Both sites are one of the holiest places in Sikhism located in the Majha region.

Recently, there has been lobbying to open the corridor for Sikhs from India to visit the shrine without any hindrance or visa. It lies only 3 km from the border.

Source: http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Guru_Nanak

Bhai Santokh Singh

2012-07-27T00:20:00.000-07:00

Bhai Santokh Singh, (8 October 1787 - 19 October 1843) the noted author of six works - Naam Kosh, Guru Nanak Parkash, Garb Ganjni Teeka*, Balmik Ramayan, Atam Purayan Teeka and his magnum opus, Sri Gur Partap Suraj Granth aka Suraj Parkash, was born on 8 October 1787. He was the son of Bhai Deva Singh and Mata Rajadi, professional cloth printers of Nurdin village, also known as Sarai Nurdin, 7 km northwest of Tarn Taran in Amritsar district of the Punjab. * (Teeka or tika means translation and explanation of a work.)

Background and Early life

His father, though poor, was educated and well versed in the sacred texts. He sent his son, after preliminary education at home, to Amritsar where he became a pupil of Giani Sant Singh (1768 - 1832), a renowned man of letters and custodian of Sri Darbar Sahib.

After having studied Sikh Scripture and history, Sanskrit language and literature, poetics, philosophy and mythology at Amritsar for about 15 years, Santokh Singh moved to Buria, an old town on the right bank of the Yamuna in the present Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana, some time before 1813.

Writer, poet and preacher

There he established himself as a writer, poet, and preacher. His patron was Dial Singh, also from a clothmakers' family and an old acquaintance of the poet's father, who was serving as an army officer under Sardar Hari Singh, chief of Buna.

Here Santokh Singh wrote his earlier works, Nam Kosh, a versified Hindi translation of Amar Kosa, the famous Sanskrit dictionary, (completed in 1821), and Sri Guru Nanak Prakash, an epic poem consisting of 9,700 verses dealing with the life and teachings of Guru Nanak (completed in 1823).

He had attained such repute as a poet and scholar that Bhai Udai Singh, chief of Kaithal, invited him in 1825 to join his court. Santokh Singh is said to have spent some time at Patiala also as an employee of Maharaja Karam Singh before going to Kaithal.

Spends 18 years in Haryana

During his 18 year span at Kaithal, now a district town in Haryana, he wrote Garab Ganjani Tika (1829), an exhaustive philosophical commentary in Hindi prose on Guru Nanak's japji, along with a critical appreciation of its poetic features (the work was meant to be a rejoinder to Anandghana's tika of the Japu); Valmiki Ramayana (1834), a versified translation of the epic in chaste and refined Braj Bhasa; a translation of Atma Purana in Sadhukari prose (date not known); and his mangum opus, Sri Gur Pratap Suryodaya, popularly known as Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, a voluminous history of the Gurus, written in Braj Bhasa, consisting of 51,820 verses written during 1835-43.

A family man with a burning flare

Bhai Santokh Singh was married during his stay at Buna to Bibi Ram Kaur of Jagadhri. Five sons and three daughters were born to the couple. Some of their descendants are now living at Patiala and at Kaithal. The poet died at Kaithal on 19 October 1843, soon after the completion of his Gur Pratap Suraj Granth.

A shrine in honour of his memory was constructed at his native place, Sarai Nurdin, during the 1950's.

Source: http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Bhai_Santokh_Singh

Battle of Longewala

2012-07-23T22:48:00.005-07:00

Battle of Longewala

Part of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

Tank tracks at Longewala. Photographic reconnaissance image taken at the time showing the desperate last minute manoeuvres by Pakistani tanks in the Longewala sector. Circles show destroyed Pakistani tanks.

Date	4–7 December 1971
Location	Longewala ~30 Km from Ramgarh,Rajasthan, India
Result	Decisive Indian Victory^[1]

Belligerents

India

Pakistan

Commanders and leaders

Brig.E.N.Ramadoss.
Lt.Col Mohammed Khursheed Hussain^[2]
Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri
Wg Cdr M.S. Bawa
Wg Cdr R A Cowasjee
Wg Cdr Suresh
Wg Cdr Sherwin Tully
Major Atma Singh

Brig. Tariq Mir
Brig. Jahanzeb Abab
Brig. Syed Mohammad Zaidi
Lt.Col. Zahir Alam Khan

Strength

120 soldiers
4 Hawker Hunters
1 HAL Krishak
1 Jeep mounted M40 recoilless rifle

2800 soldiers^{[citation needed]}
65 tanks^{[citation needed]}
138 military vehicles^{[citation needed]}
5 field guns^{[citation needed]}
3 anti aircraft guns^{[citation needed]}

Casualties and losses

2 soldiers killed
1 jeep mounted recoilless rifle destroyed

200 soldiers killed
36 tanks destroyed or captured
More than 500 vehicles destroyed or abandoned^[3]

[show] Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

[show] v t e Indo-Pakistani conflicts

The Battle of Longewala (Hindi: लोंगेवाला की लड़ाई Lōṅgēvālā kī Laḍ.āī, Urdu: لوںگیوالا کی لڑائی) (D4 - 5 December 1971) was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.

The "A" company (reinforced) of the 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment, under the Indian Army's 30th Infantry, commanded by Brig E.N. Ramadoss (AVSM, SM, Mentioned-In-Despatches), was left with the choice of either attempting to hold out until reinforced, or fleeing on foot from a mechanised infantry Pakistani force. Choosing the former, the company officer commanding Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri ensured that all his assets were correctly employed, and made the most use of his strong defensive position, and weaknesses created by errors in enemy tactics. He was also fortunate in that an Indian Air Force forward air controller was able to secure and direct aircraft in support of the post's defence until reinforcements arrived six hours later.

The Pakistani commanders made several bad decisions, including failure of strategic intelligence to foresee availability of Indian strike aircraft in the Longewala area, exercising operational mobility with little or no route reconnaissance, and conducting a tactical frontal assault with no engineer reconnaissance. This led to the Pakistani brigade group being left extremely vulnerable to air attack, vehicles becoming bogged in ground surface not suitable for movement of armoured vehicles as they tried to deploy off a single track, these being more susceptible to enemy fire by using external fuel storage in tactical combat, attempting to execute a night attack over unfamiliar terrain, and infantry being surprised by obstacles to troop movement causing confusion and stalling the attack during the crucial hours of darkness, when the assaulting infantry still had a measure of concealment from Indian small arms and infantry support weapons fire.

Background

The main thrust of the Indian Army during the 1971 war was directed towards the eastern theatre, with the western sector envisaged as a holding operation to prevent the Pakistan Army from achieving any success that would allow the President of Pakistan, Yahya Khan, any bargaining tool to trade against the captured territories in the east. By the last week of November 1971, the Indian Army had launched offensive manoeuvres at Atgram against Pakistani border posts and communications centres along the eastern border. The Mukti Bahini also launched an offensive on Jessore at this time. It was clear to Islamabad by this time that open conflict was inevitable, and that East Pakistan was indefensible in the long run. Yahya Khan chose at this point to try to protect Pakistan's integrity and to hold India by Ayub Khan's strategy – "The defence of East Pakistan lies in the West".

The Western sector

Khan's policy made the assumption that an open conflict with India would not last long due to International pressure, and that since East Pakistan was undefendable, the war-effort should be concentrated on occupying as large an area of Indian territory as possible as a bargaining tool at the negotiating table. To this end, Gen Tikka Khan had proposed an offensive into India, and the PAF's "overriding priority was to give maximum support to this offensive".[citation needed] The initial plans for the offensive called for at least a temporary cover of air dominance by the PAF under which Khan's troops could conduct a lightning campaign deep into Western India before digging in and consolidating their positions. To support Khan's troops, the PAF had launched pre-emptive strikes on the evening of 3 December that led to the formal commencement of hostilities. In the western theatre, the town of Rahim Yar Khan, close to the international border, formed a critical communication centre for Khan's forces and, situated on the Sindh - Punjab railway, remained a vulnerable link on Khan's logistics. The fall of Rahim Yar Khan to Indian forces would cut off the rail as well as road link between Sindh and Punjab, starving Khan's forces of fuel and ammunitions delivered to Karachi.

Indian battle plans called for a strike across the international border with the 12th Indian division towards Islamgarh through Sarkari Tala, subsequently advancing through Baghla to secure Rahim Yar Khan, which would not only destabilise the Pakistani defences in the Punjab, but also in the Jammu & Kashmir Sector, allowing the planned Indian offensive in the Shakargarh sector to sweep the Pakistani forces trapped there.

Pakistan, which envisaged the Punjab as an operational centre, had a strong intelligence network in the area and planned to counter its own comparatively weak strength on the ground with a pre-emptive strike through Kishangarh towards the divisional headquarters south of Ramgarh Pakistani intelligence did a very good job infiltrating the operations area posing as local people and passing on information. However, these sources failed to pass on information on the Longewala post which, originally a BSF post, was now held by a company of the Punjab Regiment. Longewala formed a strategic point en route to capturing vast tracts of land and also a pivotal theatre of war in engaging India on the western front.

Tactical plan

Pakistan's tactical plan was based on the assumption that an attack in the area would help Pakistan’s 1st Armoured Divisions task in the Sri Ganganagar area. Pakistan High command also felt that it was important to protect the North-South road link which they felt was vulnerable as it was close to the border. A Combined Operations Plan was decided upon. This involved two Infantry Brigades and two Armoured Regiments. A separate division, the 18 Division, was formed for this purpose. 18 Division Operation Orders required one Infantry Brigade (206) with an Armoured Regiment (38 Cavalry) to capture and establish a firm base at Longewala, a junction on the Indian road system and 51st Infantry Brigade and the 22nd Cavalry (Pakistan Army Armoured Corps) to operate beyond Longewala to capture Jaisalmer.

The Pakistani plan was to reach Longewala, Ramgarh and Jaisalmer". The plan was far-fetched from the start, if only because it called for a night attack to be conducted over terrain that was not preceded by route or engineer reconnaissance, and the armoured troops were therefore unaware of the ground surface that could not support rapid movement towards the objective. As the day unfolded, Longewala would stand out as one of the biggest losses in a battle for Pakistan despite overwhelming superiority before commencement of the battle, largely due to the vehicles becoming bogged down in soft sand.

Indian defensive planning

On the Indian side, the Longewala post was held by the A company of the 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment, led by Major K S Chandpuri, the defences occupying a high sand dune which dominated the area that was largely intractable to vehicles. The post was surrounded by a barbed wire fence of three stands. The rest of the battalion was located at Sadhewala, 17 km north-east of the Longewala post. Chandpuri commanded an infantry company reinforced by a section each of MMGs and L16 81mm Mortar, and one Jeep-mounted RCL. His two other recoilless rifle teams of the anti-tank section were under training at the battalion headquarters. Major Chandpuri also had under his command a four-man team of the camel Border Security Force division.[10] The Longewala post had no armoured vehicles, but artillery support was available from a battery of 170 Field Regiment (Veer Rajput) tasked in direct support to the battalion, and 168 Field Regiment which had been deployed to the area in secrecy just a day earlier. The direct support battery was attached to the 168 Field Regiment and served as its "Sierra" Battery. Immediately after PAF strikes on Indian airfields on 3 December, Chandpuri dispatched a 20 man strong patrol under Lieutenant Dharam Veer to Boundary Pillar (BP) 638, erected right on the international border. This patrol was to play an important part in detecting the Pakistani forces.

The battle

During the night of the 4th, Lt. Veer's platoon conducting a patrol detected noises across the border that suggested a large number of armoured vehicles approaching. These were soon confirmed by reports - from the Army's Air Observation Post aircraft flown by Maj. Atma Singh - in the area of a 20 km long armoured column on the track leading to the post advancing in the general direction of the Longewala post.Directing Lt Veer's patrol to trail the advancing armoured column, Chandpuri got in touch with the battalion headquarters requesting urgent reinforcements and armour and artillery support. Battalion HQ gave him the choice of staying put, and containing the attack as much as possible, or carrying out a tactical retreat of the company to Ramgarh, as reinforcements would not be available for at least six hours. Considering that Chandpuri's command had no transportation, and was facing a mobile enemy, he decided to maintain the defensive position of the post where his troops at least had the benefit of prepared defensive works, rather than conducting a withdrawal at night that was a far more riskier option.

The Pakistani forces begun their attack at 12:30 am. As the offensive approached the lone outpost, Pakistani artillery opened up across the border with medium artillery guns, killing five of the ten camels from the BSF detachment. As the column of 65 tanks neared the post, Indian defences, lacking the time to lay a prepared minefield, laid a hasty anti-tank minefield as the enemy advanced, one infantryman being killed in the process. The Indian infantry held fire until the leading Pakistani tanks had approached to 15–30 metres before firing their PIATs. They accounted for the first two tanks on the track with their Jeep-mounted 106 mm M40 recoilless rifle, with one of its crew being killed during the combat. This weapon proved quite effective because it was able to engage the thinner top armour of the Pakistani tanks from its elevated position, firing at often stationary bogged down vehicles. In all the post defenders claimed 12 tanks destroyed or damaged. The initial Pakistani attack stalled almost immediately when the infantry discovered the barbed wire which was unseen in the night, and interpreted it to signify a minefield. Firing for the Indian RCL crews was made easier by the flames of fires when the spare fuel tanks on the Pakistani tanks, intended to supplement their internal capacity for the advance to Jaisalmer, exploded, at once providing ample light for Indians located on higher ground, and creating a dense acrid smoke screen at ground level for the Pakistani infantry, adding to the confusion. Two hours were lost as Pakistani sappers were brought up, only to discover there was no minefield. However, at this time Pakistani infantry were required to make another attack, from a different direction, but in the dawn light. The Pakistani advance then attempted to surround the post two hours later by vehicles getting off the road, but many vehicles, particularly armoured personnel carriers and tanks, in trying to soften up the Indian defenders before attacking, became bogged in the soft sand of the area surrounding the post. Throughout the engagement Major Chandpuri continued to direct the supporting artillery fire.

Although massively outnumbering the Indian defenders, and having surrounded them, the Pakistani troops were unable to advance over open terrain on a full-moon night, under small arms and mortar fire from the outpost. This encouraged the Indians not to give up their strong defensive position, frustrating the Pakistani commanders. As dawn arrived, the Pakistan forces had still not taken the post, and were now having to do so in full daylight.

In the morning the Indian Air Force was finally able to direct some HF-24 Maruts and Hawker Hunter aircraft to assist the post; they were not outfitted with night vision equipment, and so were delayed from conducting combat missions until dawn. With daylight, however, the IAF was able to operate effectively, with the strike aircraft being guided to the targets by the airborne Forward Air Controller (FAC) Major Atma Singh in a HAL Krishak. The Indian aircraft attacked the Pakistani ground troops with the 16 Matra T-10 rockets and 30 mm cannon fire on each aircraft. Without support from the Pakistan Air Force, which was busy elsewhere, the tanks and other armoured vehicles were easy targets for the IAF's Hunters. The range of the 12.7 mm anti-aircraft heavy machine guns mounted on the tanks was limited and therefore ineffective against the Indian jets. Indian air attacks were made easier by the nature of the barren terrain. Many IAF officers later described the attack as a 'Turkey Shoot' signifying the lopsidedness. By noon the next day, the assault ended completely, having cost Pakistan 22 tanks claimed destroyed by aircraft fire, 12 by ground anti-tank fire, and some captured after being abandoned, with a total of 100 vehicles claimed to have been destroyed or damaged in the desert around the post. The Pakistani attack was first halted, and then Pakistani forces were forced to withdraw when AMX-13 Indian tanks from division's cavalry regiment, and the 17th Rajputana Rifles launched their counter-offensive to end the six-hour combat; Longewala had proved to be one of the defining moments in the war.

Aftermath

Notwithstanding the Indian victory, there were intelligence and strategic failures on both sides. India's intelligence failed to provide warning of such a large armoured force in the western sector. Moreover the defending post was not heavily armed to neutralise the enemy. Finally, they did not push home the advantage by finishing more tanks when the IAF had the Pakistan tanks on the run. They did, however destroy or capture some 36 tanks, remaining one of the largest disproportionate tank casualties for one side in a single battle after World War II.

Invading Pakistan troops meanwhile, had over-estimated the Longewala post's defensive capability due to the difficulty of approach over sand, conducting the attack at night and in full-moon light, against stiff resistance encountered there from a well prepared defensive position located on a dominant height. Attacking with virtually no air cover, they took too long to close for an assault on the position, and failed to anticipate availability of Indian close air support. Given that Pakistan's Sherman tanks and T-59/Type 59 Chinese tanks were slow on the sandy Thar desert, some military analysts[who?] have opined that the attack may have been a poorly planned and executed given the terrain. Some Pakistan tanks had suffered engine failures due to overheating in trying to extricate themselves, and were abandoned. The open desert battleground provided little to no cover for the tanks and infantry from air attacks. The plan to capture Longewala may have been good in conception, but failed due to lack of air cover. As a result, two tank regiments failed to take Longewala.

For his part, the Indian company commander Major (later Brigadier) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri was decorated with India's second highest gallantry award, the Maha Vir Chakra. Several other awards were earned by members of the defending company, and the battalion's commander. On the other hand, the Pakistani divisional commander was dismissed from service. However, the commander of the Pakistani 51 Brigade who mounted the daring attack and crossed into Indian territory was later awarded Pakistan's high award of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz.

The British media significantly exploited the defence of Longewala. James Hatter compared the Battle of Longewala as to Battle of Thermopylae in his article Taking on the enemy at Longewala describing it as the deciding moment of the 1971 war. Similarly, Field Marshal R.M. Carver, the British Chief of the Imperial General Staff, visited Longewala a few weeks after the war to learn the details of the battle from Major Chandpuri.

Casualties

The battle of Longewala saw heavy Pakistani losses and low Indian losses. Since the Indians were able to use the defenders advantage, they managed to inflict heavy losses on the Pakistanis. Indian casualties in the battle were 2 soldiers. In addition, one Indian jeep mounted Recoilless rifle was knocked out. Pakistani losses were 200 soldiers killed. The Pakistanis also suffered the loss of 22 tanks destroyed or abandoned, and lost 100 additional vehicles, including APC's.

Battle of Longewala in popular culture

The Battle of Longewala was depicted in the 1997 Bollywood Hindi film Border, which was directed by J.P. Dutta and starred Sunny Deol as the Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, Jackie Shroff as the Wing Commander M.S. Bawa, Sunil Shetty as the Rajput Border Security Force Captain Bhairon Singh, and the then teen idol Akshaye Khanna as Lt. Dharam Veer Bhan. The main criticism of the movie was that it showed Indian forces being in a terrible position before any sort of help came from the Indian Air Force. The movie also exaggerates the casualties of Indian soldiers for dramatic purposes. This was not the case in the real incident as Indian forces had defended a position on a height that commanded the area, and were able to defend it effectively due to tactical mistakes made by the Pakistani commanders. This resulted in only 2 jawan casualties before combat ceased. Indian troops were later able to capture damaged or abandoned Pakistani tanks.

Kuldip Singh Chandpuri

2012-07-23T22:26:00.001-07:00

Brigadier (retired) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri is an Indian Army officer known for his heroic leadership in the famous Battle of Longewala. for which he was awarded Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) by the Indian Army. Border, a 1997 Bollywood film directed by J.P.Dutta, is an adaptation of the real-life battle, with Major Chandpuri being portrayed by Bollywood actor Sunny Deol.

Biography

Kuldip Singh Chandpuri was born into a Gurjar Sikh family at Montgomery (Undivided India), Punjab (India) and he currently lives in Chandigarh.

Career

Brig. Chandpuri was selected in the Indian Army in 1962, and commissioned in 1963 in 3 Battalion The Punjab Regiment, which is one of the oldest and highly decorated unit of the Indian army. He took part in the 1965 war in the western sector. After the war, Brig. Chandpuri served the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) at Gaza (Egypt) for a year. He also served twice as an instructor at the prestigious Infantry School, Mhow (MP) where the elite of the Indian army is imparted instructions and combat training.

Battle of Longewala

Kuldip Singh Chandpuri held the rank of major in the Indian Army's 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment when the Pakistan army attacked the Longewala post in the state of Rajasthan, India, early in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Chandpuri and his company of 120 soldiers defended the post at considerable odds against the 2000-3000 strong assault force of the 51st Infantry Brigade, backed by the 22nd Armored Regiment. Chandpuri and his company held the Pakistanis at bay for a full night until the Indian Air Force arrived in the morning.

Chandpuri inspired his men, moving from bunker to bunker encouraging them in beating back the enemy until reinforcements arrived. Kuldip Singh Chandpuri and his men inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and forced them to retreat, leaving behind twelve tanks. For his conspicuous gallantry and leadership, Chandpuri was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) by the Indian Army.

Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri retired from the army as a brigadier.

Poonam Dhillon

2012-07-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

Poonam Dhillon is an Indian Hindi film, theatre and TV actress. She is best known for her 1979 film, Noorie, for her six films with Rajesh Khanna Red Rose, Dard, Nishaan, Zamana, Awam (from 1980 to 1987) and Sohni Mahiwal (1984), Samundar, Saveray Wali Gaadi (1986) and Naam (1986).

Career

Dhillon first gained fame when she was crowned Miss Young India at the age of 16. Director Yash Chopra noticed her and offered her a role in the film Trishul (1978) where she performed the song "Gapoochi Gapoochi gum gum" with co-star Sachin Pilgaonkar. Chopra then gave her the title role in Noorie (1979), which he produced. For this, Dhillon was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Subsequently she did about 90 films in Hindi, including Sohni Mahiwal, Red Rose, Teri Kasam, Dard, Nishana, Yeh Vada Raha, Samunder, Romance, Kasam, and Sitamgar. She was often paired with Rajesh Khanna and together, they performed in Dard, Nishaan, Zamana and Awam and the critically acclaimed Red Rose which became a box office failure and potboiler Jai Shiv Shankar. She takes the pride of featuring in six films opposite Kaka, the phenomenally brilliant actor of the yesteryear: the much glorified Rajesh Khanna.

She did a cameo in Judai (1996) as a favor to producer Boney Kapoor after Juhi Chawla dropped out. She also appeared in regional films such as Nyay Danda, (Bengali), Yudha Kanda (Kannada) and Ishtam (Telugu).

She has done Hindi theatre, The Perfect Husband which won the best comedy play award in 2005 and which completed Golden Jubilee run. She is currently acting in the plays The Perfect Wife co-starring Sooraj Thapar and Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi with Asif Sheikh.

Dhillon ventured into the make-up van business, pioneering the concept in the Indian film industry. She runs a successful make-up van company, "VANITY". She was one of the first to start a personal website in 2000. She has been very active with social causes like drug awareness, AIDS awareness, family planning and organ donation. Dhillon was the fourth guest on Bigg Boss (Season 3) aired on Colors TV. She ended up as the second runner-up on the show. She did a show for "save & empower the Girl child" with LILAVATI hospital. She has an event and film production company, poetic justice films pvt ltd.

Filmography

Dil Bole Hadippa! (2009) – Yamini Singh (Vikram's wife)

13B (2009) – Manohar's mother

Ishtam (2001) – Lakshmi

Judaai (1997) – Nisha (guest appearance)

Mahaanta (1997) – Shanti (Mrs. Vijay Kapoor)

Virodhi (1992)

Jai Shiv Shankar (1992)

Jhoothi Shaan (1991) – Ganga

Qurbani Rang Layegi (1991) – Poonam

Amiri Garibi (1990) – Rani

Atishbaaz (1990)

Pathar Ke Insan (1990) – Lata Rai

Police Public (1990) – Karuna Arun Sharma

Yuddha Kaanda (1989) – Kannada film

Batwara(1989) – Rajendra's wife

Abhimanyu (1989) – Tulsi/Miss California 'Kelly'

Deshwasi (1989)

Galiyon Ka Badshah (1989) – Madhu

Hisaab Khoon Ka (1989)

Saaya (1989)

Hum Farishte Nahin (1988) – Sunita

Kasam (1988)

Maalamaal (1988) – Poonam Malhotra

Sone Pe Suhaaga (1988) – Shraddha

Himmat Aur Mehanat (1987) - Sharda

Avam (1987)

Mard Ki Zabaan (1987)

Avinash (1986)

Dosti Dushmani (1986)

Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986) – Raaji

Karma (film) (1986) – Tulsi

Khel Mohabbat Ka (1986) – Lily/Shyamoli

Naam (1986) – Seema Rai

Palay Khan (1986)

Samundar (1986) – Anjali

Saveray Wali Gaadi (1986) – Jyoti

Bepanaah (1985) – Radha Malhotra

Geraftaar (1985) – Anuradha Saxena

Kabhi Ajnabi The (1985)

Shiva Ka Insaaf (1985) – Nisha

Sitamgar (1985)

Tawaif (1985)

Teri Meherbaniyan (1985) – Bijli

Zamana (1985)

Badal (1984) – Meenakshi

John Jani Janardhan (1984)

Laila (1984)

Sohni Mahiwal (1984) – Sohni

Yaadgaar (1984)

Nishan (1983)

Qayamat (1983)

Romance (1983) – Sonia

Aapas Ki Baat (1982) – Kajal Srivastava

Sawaal (1982)

Teri Kasam (1982) – Dolly

Yeh To Kamaal Ho Gaya (1982) – Priya Singh

Yeh Vaada Raha (1982) – Sunita Sikkan/Sonu

Baseraa (1981) – Sarita Sethi

Dard (1981) – Poonam Bhargav

Main Aur Mera Haathi (1981) – Julie

Poonam (1981) – Poonam

Red Rose (1980) – Sharda

Biwi-O-Biwi (1980) – Asha

Nishana (1980)

Kaala Patthar (1979) – Raghunath's daughter

Noorie (1979) – Noorie Nabi

Trishul (1978) – Babli/Kusum Gupta

Television

Andaaz

Chusth Durusth on Zee TV

Kittie Party

"Showbiz India" Celebrity Profile (2005)

Bigg Boss (Season 3) on Colors TV

Official website: http://www.poonamdhillon.com

Dev Anand

2012-07-22T07:33:00.001-07:00

Dharam Dev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian film actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema. Part of the Anand family, he co-founded Navketan Films in 1949 with his elder brother Chetan Anand.

The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002 for his contribution to Indian cinema. His career spanned more than 65 years with acting in 114 Hindi films of which 104 have him play the main solo lead hero and he did 2 English films.

Early life

Dev was born Dharam Dev Pishorimal Anand on 26 September 1923 in the Shakargarh tehsil of the Gurdaspur district in Punjab (British India) (present-day Narowal district of Pakistan). His father Pishori Lal Anand was a well-to-do advocate. Dev was the third of four sons born to Pishori Lal Anand. One of Dev's younger sister is Sheela Kanta Kapur, who is mother of Shekhar Kapur. His older brothers were Manmohan Anand (Advocate, Gurdaspur Dist. Court) and Chetan Anand and younger one was Vijay Anand. Dev Anand spent his early years in Gharota village near Gurdaspur, Gurdaspur town. He did his schooling till matriculation from Sacred Heart School, Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh (then in Punjab) and went to college Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh before going to Lahore to study. Later Dev completed his graduation in English Literature from the Government College, Lahore in British India.

Career

After graduating in English Literature from the Government College, Lahore (then in British India, now in Pakistan), Anand left his hometown for Bombay in the early 1940s. He began his career in the military censor's office at Churchgate, for a monthly salary of Rs. 165. Later he joined as a clerk in an accountancy firm for a salary of Rs. 85. He joined his older brother, Chetan, as a member of the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA).Dev Anand aspired to become a performer after seeing Ashok Kumar's performance in films like Achhut Kanya and Kismat. Dev Anand quoted in an interview that "I remember when I gatecrashed into the office of the man who gave me the first break, he kept looking at me — Babu Rao Pai of Prabhat Film Studios. At that time he made up his mind that this boy deserves a break and later mentioned to his people that ‘this boy struck me because of his smile and beautiful eyes and his tremendous confidence." Then he was soon offered the lead role in Prabhat Films' Hum Ek Hain (1946), a film about Hindu-Muslim unity, where Dev Anand played a Hindu boy and was paired opposite Kamala Kotnis. While shooting the film in Pune, Anand befriended the actor Guru Dutt. Between them, they agreed that if one of them was to become successful in the film industry, they would help the other to be successful. They formed a mutual understanding that when Anand produced a film, Dutt would direct it and when Dutt directed a film, Anand would act in it.

Late 40s and romance with Suraiya

In the late 1940s, Anand was offered a few roles starring as the male lead opposite singer-actress Suraiya in woman-oriented films. He considered himself to be very lucky to get a chance to star opposite such an established actress and accepted the offers. While shooting these films, he became romantically involved with Suraiya. The two of them were paired in seven films together: Vidya (1948), Jeet (1949), Shair (1949), Afsar (1950), Nili (1950), Do Sitare (1951) and Sanam (1951), all of which were successful at the box office. In these films, Suraiya was always first-biller in the credits, indicating that she was a bigger star than Anand. She fell in love with him during the shooting of the song Kinare kinare chale jayen ge from the film Vidya—while shooting the scene, the boat they were in capsized, and Anand saved Suraiya from drowning. Their entire affair was conducted in a clandestine manner, with friends like Durga Khote and Kamini Kaushal going out of their way to engineer secret rendezvous. On the sets of the film Jeet, Anand finally proposed to Suraiya and gave her a diamond ring worth Rs 3,000. Her maternal grandmother opposed the relationship as they were Muslim and Anand was Hindu, and so, Suraiya remained unmarried. They stopped acting together after her grandmother opposed their partnership, and Do Sitare was the last film in which they appeared. Although the films he starred in with Suraiya had been successful, the producers and directors of those films attributed their success to the acting prowess and screen presence of Suraiya. Anand began looking for an opportunity to play the main male lead in a film where his acting skills could be demonstrated, so as to dispel scepticism about his acting abilities.

Break and the 1950s

Anand was offered his first big break by Ashok Kumar. He spotted Anand hanging around in the studios and picked him as the hero for the Bombay Talkies production, Ziddi (1948), co-starring Kamini Kaushal, which became an instant success. After Ziddi's success, Anand decided that he would start producing films. It was in the film Ziddi, where the first-ever Kishore-Lata duet, Yeh Kaun Aaya Karke Yeh Sola Singhar, was recorded. This duet was an instant hit, and from here, on both the playback singers' association with Dev Anand began. It continued for next four decades. His association with Kishore Kumar started when the former sang the first solo of his playback singing career – Marne Ki Duayen – picturised on Dev Anand in the movie Ziddi. Dev had forged a very strong bond of friendship with Kishore Kumar during the making of the film. In 1949, he launched his own company Navketan Films (which means "newness"), which, as of 2011, had produced 35 films.

Dev chose Guru Dutt as director for the crime thriller, Baazi (1951). The film, starring Dev Anand, Geeta Bali and Kalpana Kartik was a trendsetter, regarded as the forerunner of the spate of urban crime films that followed in Bollywood in the 1950s. The film Baazi saw debut of Kalpana Kartik (aka Mona Singh) as the lead female actress and Guru Dutt as a director. The collaboration was a success at the box office and the duo of Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik were offered many films to star in together. They signed all the film offers and subsequently the movies Aandhiyan, Taxi Driver, House No. 44 and Nau Do Gyarah went on to become big hits too. During the making of film Taxi Driver, the couple fell in love and Dev proposed marriage to his heroine Kalpana. In 1954, Taxi Driver was declared a hit and the two decided to marry in a quiet ceremony. The couple had a son, Suneil Anand in 1956 and later a daughter, Devina, was born. After her marriage, Kalpana decided not to pursue her acting career further. Nau Do Gyarah was the couple's last movie together.

A rapid-fire style of dialogue delivery and a penchant for nodding while speaking became Dev's style in films like House No. 44, Pocket Maar, Munimji, Funtoosh, C.I.D. and Paying Guest In the 1950s his films were of the mystery genre or light comedy love stories or were films with social relevance like Ek ke baad ek and Funtoosh.His style was lapped up by the audience and was widely imitated. He starred in a string of box office successes for the remainder of the 1950s opposite newcomer Waheeda Rehman in C.I.D., Solva Saal, Kala Pani, Kala Bazar and Baat Ek Raat Ki. Waheeda first became a star with C.I.D becoming a hit. In 1955 he also co-starred with Dilip Kumar in Insaniyat. With his acting in Kala Pani (1958), as the son who is willing to go to any lengths to clear his framed father's name, he won his first Filmfare award for Best Actor for the film. He attempted films of tragic genre occasionally like Pocketmaar (1956), Kala Pani (1958), Bombai Ka Baboo (1960) and Sharabi (1964) and tasted success with them. Dev also played a few characters with a negative shade, like in Jaal(1952) where he played a smuggler, then as an absconding gang member in Dushman, as a black marketer in Kala Bazar. Apart from his pair with Suraiya and Kalpana Kartik, his pair with Nutan and Waheeda Rehman was popular among the audiences in late 50’s and 60’s. His films Rahee and Aandhiyaan, were screened along with Raj Kapoor's Awaara. From the early fifties till mid sixties, the trio of Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand ruled the roost.

Romance hero image in the 60s

In the sixties, Dev Anand acquired a romantic image with films like Manzil and Tere Ghar Ke Samne with Nutan, Kinaare Kinaare with Meena Kumari, Maya with Mala Sinha, Asli-Naqli with Sadhana Shivdasani, Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai and Mahal with Asha Parekh and Teen Deviyaan opposite three heroines Kalpana, Simi Garewal and Nanda. In the film Teen Deviyaan, Dev Anand played a playboy.

His first colour film, Guide with Waheeda Rehman was based on the novel of the same name by R. K. Narayan. Dev Anand himself was the impetus for making the film version of the book. He met and persuaded Narayan to give his assent to the project. Dev Anand tapped his friends in Hollywood to launch an Indo-US co-production that was shot in Hindi and English simultaneously and was released in 1965. Guide, directed by younger brother Vijay Anand, was an acclaimed movie. Dev played Raju, a voluble guide, who supports Rosy (Waheeda) in her bid for freedom. He is not above thoughtlessly exploiting her for personal gains. Combining style with substance, he gave an affecting performance as a man grappling with his emotions in his passage through love, shame and salvation.

He reunited with Vijay Anand for the movie Jewel Thief, based on thriller genre which featured Vaijayantimala, Tanuja, Anju Mahendru, Faryal and Helen. Their next collaboration, Johny Mera Naam (1970), again a thriller, where Dev was paired opposite Hema Malini was a big hit. It was Johnny Mera Naam which made Hema Malini a big star.

Directorial debut and the 70s

His directorial debut, the espionage drama Prem Pujari, was a flop but has developed a cult following over the years. He tasted success with his 1971 directorial effort, Hare Rama Hare Krishna which talked about the prevalent hippie culture. His find Zeenat Aman, who played the mini-skirt sporting, pot-smoking Janice, became an overnight sensation. Dev also became known as a filmmaker of trenchantly topical themes. This same year, he starred with Mumtaz in Tere Mere Sapne, an adaptation of A. J. Cronin's novel, The Citadel. The film was directed by Dev's brother, Vijay and was also successful.

In the 1970s, Raj Kapoor started playing roles of father in films like Kal Aaj Aur Kal in 1971 and Dharam Karam in 1974 and had put lot of weight and films with Dilip Kumar as lead hero were failures at the box office . Some of the hurriedly-made films with Dev Anand as the leading man—three each opposite Hema Malini and Zeenat Aman and Yeh Gulistaan Hamara with Sharmila Tagore became flops and posed a threat to his career as leading man. But he delivered commercial hits again with young heroines Yogita Bali and Rakhee in Banarasi Babu (1973), Hema Malini in Chhupa Rustam (1973) and Amir Garib (1974), Zeenat Aman in Heera Panna(1973), Warrant(1975) and Darling Darling(1977) and Parveen Babi in Bullet(1976). The presence of his discoveries in the 1970s—Zeenat, and later Tina Munim, in films and his good onscreen chemistry with beautiful young stars like Rakhee, Parveen Babi, Hema Malini, Zeenat Aman in various films boosted Dev's image as the evergreen star even though he was well into his fifties.

Political activism during the Emergency in the late 70s

Dev Anand has also been politically active. He led a group of film personalities who stood up against the Internal Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. He actively campaigned against her with his supporters in Indian parliamentary elections in 1977. He also formed a party called the "National Party of India", which he later disbanded.

The 1978 hit Des Pardes, directed by Dev Anand was the debut movie of actress Tina Munim and this film’s success gave him the tag of evergreen hero. He was 55 but he shared very good chemistry with the 20 year old Tina Munim. Dev Anand was offered lead role in Man Pasand by director Basu Chatterjee. Dev Anand’s successful run at the box office continued in the 1980s with Man Pasand, Lootmaar (both opposite Tina Munim), Swami Dada (1982) being both critically acclaimed and box office hits.

Later career

Though Dev Anand’s demand as the lead hero had not decreased even in the 1980s, he decided that it was the right time to introduce his son Suneil Anand in films as the hero. He launched his son in the Kramer vs. Kramer inspired Anand Aur Anand (1984), which was produced and directed by Dev Anand himself and had music by R. D. Burman. He expected the film to do well but the film was a box office disaster and Suneil Anand decided not to act in films any more.

But films with Dev Anand as the lead hero Hum Naujawan (1985), Lashkar (1989) continued to be box office success and was appreciated by critics. Awwal Number (1990), where Dev Anand co-starred with Aamir Khan became an average grosser. Aamir said in an interview that Awwal Number is the only film he signed without reading the script because it was being directed by his senior Dev Anand. Aamir quoted “Dev saab was an icon for many generations and entertained us throughout his life. He was already 60 years old in 1983 when he acted with Padmini Kolhapure in Swami Dada but looked half his age and shared a good on screen chemistry. In 1989, his directorial venture Sachche ka Bolbala was released. Though critically acclaimed, it was a commercial failure.

Since the 1990s except for Awwal Number, rest of the eight films directed by him were box office failures. But Sau Crore (1991) and Censor (2000) were critically acclaimed. His last film Chargesheet (2011) was panned by critics across the board. The only two hero film he acted in were Insaniyat in 1955 with Dilip Kumar and Return of Jewel Thief with Dharmendra in 1996. He also starred in English films like The Evil Within(1970) where he was paired opposite Vietnamese actress Kieu Chinh and Zeenat Aman and Guide (English Version). Off the 114 Hindi films he appeared in 6 decades, Kahin Aur Chal (1968) and multistarrer film Ek Do Teen Chaar (1980) remained unreleased and Shrimanji (1968) had him in guest appearance and 82 were box office hits and 29 were commercial failures. By 2011, he held the record for being the second actor from Hindi films who has played the central solo lead character in maximum films—104, with first being Rajesh Khanna who played author backed solo lead hero in maximum films 106.

Comparisons with Gregory Peck

Often compared to the famous actor Gregory Peck the world over, Dev Anand said that he didn't feel ecstatic bearing the tag line bestowed on him in his hey days. "When you are at an impressionable age you make idols. But when you grow out of the phase, you develop your own persona. I don't want to be known as India's Gregory Peck, I am Dev Anand".

Acquainted to the Bollywood actor, Peck's personal interactions with him spanned four to five long meetings in Europe and Mumbai.

Dev Anand and Suraiya met Peck for the first time at Mumbai's Willingdon Club,after the Filmfare Awards in 1954, on Peck's stopover in the city from a schedule at Sri Lanka after shooting for Purple Plane. He knew of the 'Indian Star' as an actor, more so probably because of his romance with Suraiya was grabbing the headlines, and they had a chat. The second time they met in Rome when Dev Anand was on his way back from the Venice Film Festival, he visited him on the sets of Roman Holiday. "I was returning from the Venice film fest. I stopped my car and joined the crowd watching the shoot, hoping that his eyes would fall on me. As expected, he nodded and I walked up to him. He remembered me and we exchanged pleasantries." The third meeting was at London on the sets of Moby Dick. However, Suraiya asked for an exclusive meeting with her idol at her house. Though Anand says jealousy was natural for anyone in love, he didn't mind that he was not invited. "I didn't quite feel anything. It wasn't as if they were going to fall in love or make love. Even if they would have, it wouldn't have mattered. I was mature enough. Moreover, he wasn't my rival. I too was a big star by then," says Anand.

Critical appraisal

Dev Anand has directed 19 films and produced 35 films of which 7 directorial ventures and 18 films respectively were commercially successful at the box office. He wrote the story for 13 of his films. Critics say his directorial ventures have always been ahead of its time. Dev Anand's films are well known for their hit songs. He is known to have been an active participant in the music sessions of a number of his films. His association with music composers Shankar-Jaikishen, O. P. Nayyar, Kalyanji-Anandji, Sachin Dev Burman and his son Rahul Dev Burman, lyricists Hasrat Jaipuri, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Neeraj, Shailendra, Anand Bakshi, and playback singers Mohammad Rafi, Hemant Kumar and Kishore Kumar produced some very popular songs. S.D Burman, R.D Burman, Rafi, Pran and Kishore Kumar were his closest friends from film industry.

In September 2007, Dev's own autobiography Romancing with Life was released at a birthday party with the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. In February 2011, his 1961 black and white film Hum Dono was digitised and colourised and released.

Dev Anand is credited with giving actors like Zarina Wahab in Ishq Ishq Ishq, Jackie Shroff in Swami Dada, Tabu in Hum Naujawan and Richa Sharma(Sanjay Dutt’s first wife) a break into the film industry, discovered Zeenat Amaan, Tina Munim and encouraging music composer Rajesh Roshan. Amit Khanna started his career with Navketan as executive producer in 1971 and had been secretary to Dev Anand in 70's. He adds, "The uniqueness of Navketan today is that it's the only film company in the world still run by the one who started it." Shatrughan Sinha disclosed in an interview that it was Dev Anand who gave him a break in films by giving a role in 'Prem Pujari' and since Dev had given Sinha a very small role in that film, he compensated for it by giving Sinha another role in his next film 'Gambler'. Sinha quoted "Later on we worked together in 'Sharif Badmash' and it was really a privilege to work with him,". It was under Dev Anand's Navketan Banner where Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Waheeda Rahman, S.D. Burman, Jaidev, Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Yash Johar, Shekhar Kapoor, Kabir Bedi were given breaks into Hindi films and Dev launched actors Zaheera, Zaheeda Hussain, Zarina Wahab, Natasha Sinha, Ekta Sohini, Sabrina.

Death

Dev Anand died in his room at The Washington Mayfair Hotel in London at the age of 88 on 3 December 2011 (4 December 2011 by Indian Standard Time) of a cardiac arrest. His death came just months after the release of his last film, Charge Sheet. Anand was reportedly in London for a medical check up at the time of his death. Condolences poured in from all corners of the Indian film industry, with most of them remembering his positive attitude towards life. On 10 December, his funeral service was held at a small chapel in London after which his casket was taken to the Putney Vale Crematorium in South West London for cremation. His ashes were returned to India for immersion burial in the Godavari river.

Awards, honors and recognitions

Civilian Honors

2001 – Padma Bhushan (India's third highest civilian award from the Government of India)

National Film Awards

2002 – Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award for cinematic excellence.

Filmfare Awards

1959 - Winner Best Actor for Kalapani

1967 - Winner Best Film for Guide

1967 - Winner Best Actor for Guide

1991 - Winner Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

National honors and recognitions

1996 – Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award

1997 – Mumbai Academy of Moving Images Award for his Outstanding Services to the Indian Film Industry

1998 – Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ujala Anandlok Film Awards Committee in Calcutta

1999 – Sansui Lifetime Achievement Award for his 'Immense Contribution to Indian Cinema' in New Delhi

2000 – Film Goers' Mega Movie Maestro of the Millennium Award in Mumbai

2001 – Special Screen Award for his contribution to Indian cinema

2001 – Evergreen Star of the Millennium Award at the Zee Gold Bollywood Awards on 28 April 2001

at the Nassau Coliseum, New York

2003 – Lifetime Achievement Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema" at IIFA Award

in Johannesburg, South Africa

2004 – Legend of Indian Cinema Award at Atlantic City (United States)

2004 – Living Legend Award by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)

in recognition of his contribution to the Indian entertainment industry

2005 – Sony Golden Glory Award

2006 – ANR Award by the Akkineni International Foundation

2006 – Glory of India Award by IIAF, London

2007 – Punjab Ratan (Jewel of Punjab) Award by the World Punjabi Organisation (European Division)

for his outstanding contribution in the field of art and entertainment.

2008 – Lifetime Achievement Award by Ramya Cultural Academy in association with Vinmusiclub

2008 – Lifetime Achievement Award by Rotary Club of Bombay

2008 – Awarded at the IIJS Solitaire Awards

2009 – Outstanding contribution to Indian cinema at the Max Stardust Awards

2009 – Legend Award was given to Dev Anand by Rajnikanth

2010 – Phalke Ratna Award by Dadasaheb Phalke Academy

2010 – Rashtriya Gaurav Award

2011 – Rashtriya Kishore Kumar Samman from the Government of Madhya Pradesh

2011 – NDTV Indian of the Year's Lifetime Achievement Award with Rahul Dravid

International honors and recognitions

In July 2000, in New York City, he was honoured by an Award at the hands of the then First Lady of the

United States of America, Hillary Rodham Clinton, for his 'Outstanding Contribution to Indian

Cinema'.

In 2000, he was awarded the Indo-American Association "Star of the Millennium" Award in the

Silicon Valley, California.

Donna Ferrar, Member New York State Assembly, honoured him with a "New York State Assembly Citation" for his 'Outstanding Contribution to the Cinematic Arts Worthy of the Esteem and Gratitude of the Great State of New York' on 1 May 2001.

In 2005, he was honoured with a "Special National Film Award" by the Government of Nepal at

Nepal’s first NationIndian film festival in Stockholm.

In 2008, he was guest of honour at a dinner hosted by the Provost of Highland Council in Inverness,

Scotland to celebrate 10 years since he first worked in the Scottish Highlands. He spent several days

in the area, en route to Cannes, as a guest of the Highlands and Islands Film Commission.

Dara Singh - The Great

2012-07-21T12:36:00.004-07:00

Dara Singh (19 November 1928 – 12 July 2012) was an Indian wrestler-turned-actor from Indian Punjab. He started acting in 1952 and was the first sportsman to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. He has also worked as Hindi and Punjabi film producer, director and writer in his career. He has also been an Indian television actor.

Early life

Dara Singh was born on 19 November[citation needed] in 1928 in the village of Dharmuchak, which was then a part of British Punjab and as of 2012 is in Amritsar district. His birthname was Deedar Singh Randhawa and his parents — Surat Singh and Balwant Kaur — were Jat Sikhs.

Career

Wrestling

As an adult he was 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall, weighed 132 kilograms (290 lb) and had a chest measurement of 54 inches (140 cm). Due to his physique, he was encouraged to take up Pehlwani, an Indian style of wrestling. He wrestled by invitation of the kings of Indian princely states and wrestled frequently in haats and melas (fairs and carnivals).

Singh left his village for Singapore in 1948.

All India Jat Mahasabha Centenary Celebrations 2007, Seen in the image are Dharmendra, Dara Singh (sitting in center bearing turban) and Kamal Patel

His last tournament, where he announced his retirement, was held in Delhi in 1983, inaugurated by Rajiv Gandhi and the winning trophy was presented by Giani Zail Singh. In 1996 he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

Films and television

He started his career as an actor in 1952 with Sangdil. He was confined to B-grade roles for many years and played his first lead role in Babubhai Mistry's film King Kong (1962). From around 1963 he partnered often with Mumtaz. With her he performed in 16 Hindi films and the couple became the highest-paid B-grade actors, with Singh receiving nearly four lakh rupees per film. He then went on to do television in the late 1980s, where he played the role of Hanuman in the television adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayan. He was liked more in the role of 'Bheem Sen' in films like Veer Bheem Sen and Ramayan and in role of 'Hanuman' both in films and TV serial. He worked with Prathviraj Kapoor in Sikander-e-Aazam, Khakaan, Lootera, Daku Mangalsingh and Insaaf. He also played the Alexander in Sikander-e-Aazam. He worked in some television serial shows, including Had Kar Di which was aired on Zee TV and Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa for StarOne. His last Hindi movie was Jab We Met and last Punjabi movie released before his illness was Dil Apna Punjabi. He acted in National Award winning film Main Maa Punjab Dee directed by Balwant Singh Dullat. He directed seven Punjabi films of which Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun, Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar, Dhyanu Bhagat, Rab Dian Rakhan were commercial hits,[citation needed] and directed two films in Hindi, Bhakti Mein Shakti and Rustom (1982). His directorial venture Bhakti Mein Shakti, a mythological film, completed a record run at Delhi's Imperial Cinema in 1978. He produced 8 films and wrote the story for 7 films. These films were produced and directed under the banner "Dara Film" which he setup in 1970.

Dara Studio

Singh was also the owner of Dara Studio at Mohali, District Mohali, Punjab. Dara Film Studio was founded in 1978. The Studio is operational from 1980 as film studio.

Politics

Singh became the first sportsman to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha - the upper house of the Parliament of India. He served in that role between 2003 and 2009. He was also president of the Jat Mahasabha.

Death

He was admitted in Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on 7 July 2012 following a cardiac arrest. He was released from hospital on 11 July in deference to the wishes of his family. He died on 12 July 2012 at his home in Mumbai. He was cremated at Juhu crematorium.

Personal life

Dara Singh married twice. He had a son, Parduman Singh Randhawa, from his first marriage and from his second marriage he had five children: two sons and three daughters including Vindu Dara Singh, who is a film and television actor.

Awards and accomplishments

Other awards and accomplishments of Dara Singh are:

National Wrestling Alliance: Canadian Open Tag Team Champion, with Yukon Eric

Rustam-e-Hind, 1954[4]

Rustam-e-Punjab, 1966

Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame

Class of 1996

Filmography

As actor

1952 Sangdil

1954 Pehli Jhalak Wrestler Dara Singh

1959 Jagga Daku Jagga Daku

1962 King Kong Jingu / King Kong

1963 Faulad Amar

1963 Rustom-E-Baghdad Dara/Rustom-E-Baghdad

1963 Awara Abdulla Abdulla

1964 Samson Samson

1964 Aandhi Aur Toofan

1964 Darasingh: Ironman Dara Singh

1965 Rustom-E-Hind

1965 Boxer

1965 Sher Dil

1965 Raaka

1965 Sikandar-E-Azam Alexander

1965 Lootera

1966 Naujawan

1966 Veer Bajrang

1966 Dada

1966 Daku Mangal Singh Daku Mangal Singh/ Kumar

1966 Jawan Mard

1967 Do Dushman

1967 Watan Se Door

1968 Thief of Baghdad

1968 Jung Aur Aman

1968 Balram Shri Krishna Balram

1969 Toofan Badal

1970 Choron Ka Chor Ashok

1970 Ilzaam Raju/Kishan

1970 Mera Naam Joker Sher Singh

1970 Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar Kartar Singh

1971 Kabhi Dhoop Kabhi Chhaon

1971 Ramu Ustad Ramu

1971 Tulsi Vivah Bhagwan Shiv

1971 Anand Pahalwan

1972 Aankhon Aankhon Mein Pahelwan

1972 Hari Darshan Bhagwan Shiv

1972 Lalkaar

1972 Mele Mitran De

1972 Sultana Daku

1975 Warrant Pyaara Singh

1973 Hum Sab Chor Hain

1973 Mera Desh Mera Dharam

1974 Kuwara Baap

1974 Bhagat Dhanna Jatt Dhanna Jatt

1974 Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam Daku Daulay Khan

1974 Har Har Mahadev Bhagwan Shiv

1974 Kisan Aur Bhagwan Dhanna

1974 Zehreela Insaan

1975 Dharam Karam Ustaad ji

1975 Dharmatma Pahelwan

1976 Bajrangbali Hanuman

1976 Lambhardarni Lambardar/Dharma

1976 Raakhi Aur Rifle Ganga Singh

1976 Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun Kartar Singh

1976 Apna Khoon Apna Dushman

1977 Jai Bolo Chakradhari

1977 Ram Bharose Sardar Vikram Singh

1978 Bhakti Mein Shakti Dyanu Bhakt

1978 Dhyanu Bhagat Dhyanu Bhagat

1978 Nalayak Pahelwan

1978 Sone Ka Dil Lohe Ke Haath Nihalchand

1978 Giddha Bhalwaan Dulla ji

1979 Chambal Ki Raani

1981 Guru Suleman Chela Pahelwan

1981 Khel Muqaddar Ka

1982 Main Intequam Loonga Ajay Kumar

1982 Rustom Rustom Mangal Singh

1983 Babul Da Vehra

1983 Unkhili Muttiar Mechanic

1984 Aan Aur Shaan

1985 Mutharamkunnu P.O. Himself

1985 Mard Raja Azaad Singh

1986 Karma Dharma

1986 Bulekha

1986 Krishna-Krishna Bhagwan Shri Balram

1986 Ramayan Hanuman

1986 Sajna Sath Nibhana Joseph

1986 Maaveeran

1988 Maula Jatt Maula Jatt & Dharma

1988 Paanch Fauladi Ustadji (Fauladi #1)

1988 Mahaveera Delar Singh

1988 Mahabharat Hanuman

1989 Shehzaade Jailor

1989 Elaan-E-Jung Bheema

1989 Gharana Vijay Singh Pahelwan

1990 Tera Mera Pyar Preet's dad

1990 Naaka Bandi Dharam Singh

1990 Pratigya Daku Delavar Singh

1990 Sheran De Putt Sher Subedaar

1991 Dharam Sankat Dara (the dacoit)

1991 Ajooba Maharaja Karan Singh

1991 Maut Ki Sazaa Pyara Singh

1992 Prem Deewane Loha Singh

1993 Bechain

1993 Anmol Dara Shamsher, Zafar's father

1994 Karan

1995 Ram Shastra Police Commissioner

1997 Lav Kush Hanuman

1997 Main Maa Punjab Dee

1998 Guru Gobind Singh

1998 Auto Driver

1998 Qahar Guest appearance

1999 Dillagi

1999 Zulmi Baba Thakur

2000 Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge Sapna's grandfather

2001 Farz Tayaji

2002 Shararat Mr. Gujral

2003 Kal Ho Naa Ho Chaddha uncle

2003 Border Hindustan Ka Jamail Singh

2004 Family Business

2006 Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa Amardeep Sehgal (Dadaji)

2006 Dil Apna Punjabi Hardam Singh

2007 Jab We Met Geet's grandfather

Neeru Bajwa

2012-07-19T11:21:00.001-07:00

Neeru Bajwa (Punjabi: ਨੀਰੂ ਬਾਜਵਾ; born 26 August 1980) is an Indian actress who started her career with Dev Anand in the bollywood film Main Solah Baras Ki and then moved onto working in Indian Soap Opera's and Punjabi Films. Her real name is Arshvir Bajwa.

Biography

She was born and brought up in Vancouver, British Columbia. In her documentary film Bollywood Bound she admits to being a high school drop out who had little interest in studies and was always stricken by the glamour of Bollywood, so she moved to Mumbai to chase her dreams. She was engaged to television actor Amit Sadh, according to her interview they lived in together and were set to marry in December 2005 but broke off the relationship after being together for eight years.

Career

Indian Television

She started her career in Indian Soap Opera's in 2003 with Hari Mirchi Lal Mirchi on DD1 before moving on to Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani on Zee TV followed by Jeet on Star Plus and then Guns and Roses on Star One where she met ex-fiance Amit Sadh.

Music Videos

She appeared in her first Punjabi video in 2003 for Punjabi singer Kamal Heer for the song Kainthey Wala. She went on to do several other Punjabi videos for different artists like Hey Soniye with Silinder Pardesi, Juggy D, Rishi Rich. and recently she was seen in Gippy Grewal`s music video Daang from his album Desi Rockstar.

She also appeared in a music video "hum kis gali ja rahay hain" sung by Atif Aslam.

Bollywood Films

She made her debut in Bollywood in 1998 with Dev Anand in the film Main Solah Baras Ki and then came back to the Bollywood screen in 2010 with Prince alongside Vivek Oberoi. She was also seen in Phoonk 2 and Miley Naa Miley Hum.

Punjabi Films

She made her Punjabi Film debut in 2004 opposite Harbhajan Mann in the movie Asa Nu Maan Watna Da and did two more films with him before going on to work with other Punjabi actors like Jimmy Shergill, Amrinder Gill, Gippy Grewal, Diljit Dosanjh and Tarun Khanna. She is the top female actor in Punjabi Cinema, she has acted in many blockbusters, her film Jatt and Juliet released in June 2012 is set to become the highest grosser in Punjabi Cinema, her film Jihne Mera Dil Luteya is the second highest grosser in Punjabi Cinema and her film Mel Karade Rabba is the third highest grosser. In September 2012 she will be seen in the multi starer film Saadi Love Story produced by Jimmy Shergill productions, directed by Dheeraj Rattan who's written several Punjabi blockbusters and starring Diljit Dosanjh, Amrinder Gill, and Surveen Chawla. After that she will appear opposite Gavie Chahal in the film Pinky Mogewali. She pairs up opposite Diljit Dosanjh again in the film Jatt Romantic which is being directed by Bollywood director Dharmesh Darshan.

Film Work

Main Solah Baras Ki (1998)

Bollywood Bound (2003)

Asa Nu Maan Watna Da (2004)....

Dil Apna Punjabi (2006) ... Laadi

Munde U.K. De (2009) ... Reet Brar

Heer Ranjha (2009) ... Heer

Mel Karade Rabba (2010) ... Seerat Randhawa

Prince (2010) ...Maya

Phoonk 2 (2010) ...Arushi

Jihne Mera Dil Luteya (2011)... Noor Bajwa

Miley Naa Miley Hum (2011) ...Manjeet Ahluwalia

Pata Nahi Rabb Kehdeyan Rangan Ch Raazi (2012)

Jatt & Juliet (2012)... Juliet

Pinky Moge Wali (2012)... Pinky

Saadi Love Story (2012)

Television Work

Hari Mirchi Lal Mirchi (2003)

Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani (2003)

Jeet (TV series) (2003)

Guns & Roses (2004)

Nach Baliye 2 (2006)

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/neeru.bajwa?ref=ts

Cinema of Punjab

2012-07-19T11:00:00.001-07:00

Punjabi cinema (Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਿਨੇਮਾ) is the Punjabi language film industry in the states of Punjab in India and Pakistan. This article deals with Punjabi cinema in India.

The first Punjabi film was released in Lahore, provincial capital of the Pakistani Punjab. The Lahore film industry is known as Lollywood, a portmanteau of the words Lahore and Hollywood.

As of 2009, the Punjabi film industry has produced between 900 and 1,000 films.[citation needed] The average number of releases per year in the 1970s was nine; in the 1980s, eight; and in the 1990s, six. In 1995, the number of films released was 11; it plummeted to seven in 1996 and touched a low of five in 1997. Since the 2000s Punjabi cinema has seen a revival with more releases every year with bigger budgets, home grown stars, and Bollywood actors of Punjabi descent taking part.

First film

K.D. Mehra made the first Punjabi "talkie" film, Sheila, also known as Pind Di Kudi in 1936.[1] Young Noor Jehan was introduced as an actress and singer in this film. Sheila was made in Calcutta and released in Lahore. It ran very successfully and was a hit across the province. Due to the success of this film more producers started making Punjabi films. K.D. Mehra made his second film, Heer Sial (1938), with the assistance of M.M. Billoo Mehra. This film had Noor Jehan and new artists Balo and M. Ismail. This film was commercially successful.

Due to the vast Punjabi community in Lahore and Punjab, the area soon became a significant Punjabi-language film market. Studios opened up and many artists, producers, directors, and technicians from Bombay and Calcutta shifted to Lahore. Prominent names were Shanta Apte, Motilal, Chandra Mohan, Hiralal, Noor Jehan, Mumtaz Shanti, Wali, Syed Attahullah Shah Hashmi, Krishna Kumar, and Shanker Hussain. Baldev Raj Chopra, later known as a director, got started in the movie industry in Lahore, where he ran a film magazine called the Cine Herald. Ramanand Sagar, also later a director, was associated with the Evening News. Syed Attahullah Shah Hashmi worked for the film newspaper Adakar.

Punjabi partition

In 1947, India was divided into two parts, India and Pakistan. The Punjab region was split between the two nations. West Punjab became part of Pakistan and East Punjab became part of India. This affected Punjabi cinema because most Muslim artists and directors moved to Pakistan, and worked in Lollywood, while Sikhs and Hindus moved to Bombay.

1950s

Attempts were made to keep Indian Punjabi cinema alive in this period. Film-makers made films like Posti, Do Lachhian and Bhangra with some success but were not able to revive Punjabi cinema. Songs from the films would run for months and years on the radio resulting in a long term audience for the films.

Post-partition, the trend of comedies continued. One of the hit comedies was Mulkh Raj Bhakhri's Bhangra (1958), starring Sundar and Nishi. It was remade by director Mohan Bhakhri as Jatti in 1980 with Mehar Mittal and Aparna Chowdhry, and it was again a commercial success. The music from the film was by Hansraj Behl with lyrics by Verma Malik. Songs sung by Shamshad and Rafi like "Batti balkay banere utte rakhdi han, rah bhul na jave chann mera" and "Chitte dand hasnon nayion rehnde" were widespread hits. Johnny Walker (1957) was a hit.

1960s

The big-budget romantic Punjabi film by director Padam Prakash Maheshwary, Satluj de Kande, was released in 1964. This film starred Balraj Sahni, Nishi, Wasti, and Mirza Musharraf, with music by Hansraj Behl. This was the only Punjabi film starring Balraj Sahni. It was a major hit and earned a National Film Award. Satluj de Kande was broadcast three times on the public TV channel Doordarshan in India.

In 1969 the religious film Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai starring Prithviraj Kapoor, I. S. Johar, Vimmi, Som Dutt, Nishi, Suresh, and David Abraham was released. The film was the first really major successful Punjabi film in post-independent India with a major cultural impact on Punjabi Sikhs at home and abroad and is credited with the revival of the Punjabi film industry in India. People stood in kilometre long lines to buy a ticket for the film.

1970s

After the success of Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai, films were released in huge numbers. Hindi actors of Punjabi descent became interested in Punjabi films. Kankan De Ohle (Dharmendra, Asha Parekh and Ravindra Kapoor) and Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar (Dara Singh, Balraj Sahni, Ram Mohan and Asha Sachdev) were released in 1970. 1971 saw no major releases. In 1972, Dara Singh starred with Prithviraj Kapoor in Mele Mitran De. Man Jeete Jag Jeet, a religious film starring Sunil Dutt, Radha Saluja and Ranjeet, was a major release of 1973. In 1974, Do Sher (Dharmendra and Rajendra Kumar), Bhagat Dhanna Jatt (Dara Singh and Feroz Khan), Sacha Mera Roop Hai (Manmohan Krishan) and Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam (Shaminder Singh and Radha Saluja) were released. The most successful was Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam, due to the wide appeal of its religious historical setting and appearances by Bollywood actors including Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, Dharmendra, Johnny Walker, and Dara Singh.

Teri Meri Ik Jindri (1975) starred Dharmendra and introduced his cousin Veerendra. Many films were released in 1976: Daaj Giddha, Main Papi Tum Bakhshanhaar, Papi Tarey Anek, Santo Banto, Sardar-E-Azam, Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun, Taakra, and Yamla Jatt. Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun was the biggest hit and starred Dara Singh in the main lead and Rajesh Khanna made special appearance as the Qawal. The film ran into conflict with the Sikh political parties as the film had Fauj-i-Khas soldiers wearing fake beards. The year 1977 was not a major one for the Punjabi film industry. Jai Mata Di, Saal Solvan Chadya, Sat Sri Akal, and Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha were released, amongst others. Saal Solvan Chadya was a highlight because of the cameo appearance by Rekha. Sat Sri Akal was another hit film. It starred Sunil Dutt, Shatrughan Sinha, and Premnath. In 1978 Udeekan, Dhyani Bhagat, Jai Mata Sheranwali, and Jindri Yar Di were released. The drama Udeekan was a hit. Walayati Babu, the first ever remake in Punjabi cinema, was released in 1978. The film was remade from the Punjabi film of the same name by Johnny Walker, and featured a special appearance by Amitabh Bachchan and Mehar Mittal played the main lead. 1979 was a big year: Guru Manio Granth, Jatt Punjabi, Kunwara Mama, Sukhi Pariwar, and Til Til Dalekha were released. The religious film Guru Manio Granth was an instant hit. Jatt Punjabi had a big cast and a special appearance by Manoj Kumar. Til Til Da Lekha starred Rajesh Khanna as the main lead hero and Mehar Mittal played the comedian's role and became a golden jubilee hit at the box office. Til Til Dalekha was the second Punjabi Movie of Rajesh Khanna and his first film as the lead hero in Punjabi Films. Til Til Dalekha won the Punjab State Government award for best story writer and second best feature film of 1979. The first mystery film was released, Vangaar (The Challenge); it failed to become a hit.

1980s

Chann Pardesi, the first Punjabi film to win the national award, was released in 1980, and was the biggest hit of that year. It starred Raj Babbar, Rama Vij, Amrish Puri, Om Puri, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. Fauji Chacha had veteran Bollywood actor Sanjeev Kumar in the lead. A remake of Mulkh Raj Bhakhri's 1958 film Bhangra came out in 1980 from director Mohan Bhakhri. The film was titled Jatti, and starred Sundar, Nishi, Mehar Mittal, and Aparna Chowdhry. As with the original, the remake was a tremendous success.[4]

1981 had only one hit: Balbiro Bhabhi. This film had Veerendra in the lead role. Two major releases of 1985 were Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da and Sarpanch. The former was a religious film that established Gurdas Mann as a star. Sarpanch starred Veerendra. In 1983, many movies were released, with Putt Jattan De the biggest commercially. Veerendra had another hit in 1984 with the film Yaari Jatt Di. This film was the first Punjabi film to have more than half its footage shot in the United Kingdom. Mamla Garbar Hai was a hit for actor Gurdas Mann. The film's songs were especially loved.

Two hit films of 1985 were Mohammad Sadiq's Guddo and Veerendra's Vairi. Long Da Lishkara was the big hit of 1986, starring Raj Babbar, Gurdas Mann, Om Puri, and Nina Deol. In 1987 Veerendra starred in Patola and Jor Jatt Da. Punjab was shaken with the assassination of Veerendra by gunshot during the filming of Jatt Tey Zameen. The death opened the door for supporting actors including Gugu Gill and Yograj Singh to take leading roles.

1988 had no major film releases. In 1989 came the critically acclaimed Marhi Da Diva. The film starred Raj Babbar, Pankaj Kapur, Kanwaljit Singh, Parikshit Sahni, and Deepti Naval.

1990s

In 1990 Qurbani Jatt Di, starring Gugu Gill, Yograj Singh, Gurdas Mann, Dharmendra, Raj Babbar and Priti Sapru. The film was directed by Preeti Sapru herself, and did well at the box office. A second important release was Dushmani Di Agg the last film of Veerendra. It also starred Gurdas Mann and Priti Sapru, and was successful at the box office. In 1991 the major film Anakh Jattan Di starred Daljeet Kaur and Gugu Gill. It was the first movie where the people really accepted ex-villain Gugu Gill as a hero. The film was followed by films like Jor Jatt Da, which managed to recover its cost. Badla Jatti Da was the major success of the year. It starred Gugu Gill, Yograj Singh in a villain role, and Aman Noorie. Udeekan Saun Diyan garnered critical acclaim, but was not a commercial success. Sounh Menoo Punjab Di, starring Satish Kaul, Rama Vij, Mehar Mittal, and Pal Randhawa was also one of releases of 1991. The film was directed by Sukhdev Ahluwalia, one of the most successful directors of Punjwood, and had music by Surinder Kohli.

Vaisakhi starring Deep Dhillon and Sunita Dheer, was released in 1991 to critical acclaim, but did not succeed commercially. Jatt Jeona Morh was a major hit that year, and made Gugu Gill a superstar. Also released was Yograj Singh's Jagga Daku, which did moderately well. Dil Da Mamla, starring Guggu Gill and Amar Noori, did poorly at the box office.

1993 had films like Jatt Sucha Singh Soorma (with Yograj Singh and Neena Sidhu), Mirza Sahiban (starring Gugu Gill), Lalkara Jatt Da, and Saali Adhi Gharwali. These films managed to do adequately at the box office, but were not major successes. Preeti Sapru's Mehndi Shagnan Di, starring Malkit Singh, Hansraj Hans, Preeti Sapru, and Yograj Singh, lost money. Kudi Canada Di starring Yograj Singh also did poorly.

Kachehri (1994) starred Gurdas Mann, Yograj Singh, and others. The film was praised by critics, was a commercial success, and won a national award. A second release was Tabahi, starring newcomer Vishal Singh; it was the blockbuster hit of the year. Guggu Gill's Vairi did quite well at the box office, but Jigra Jatt Da, with Yograj Singh as the villain, did poorly at the box office.

Kimi Verma starred in Naseebo and Qahar in 1995 to critical acclaim, but not commercial success. Naseebo managed managed to recover its costs. Pratigya, starring Gugu Gill, Gurdas Maan, Preeti Sapru, and Dara Singh did well at the box office. Zaildaar (Yograj Singh), Nain Preeto De (Yograj Singh), and Sir Dhad Di Baazi did well. Gurdas Mann's Baghawat did not. Jakhmi Jagirdar and Mera Punjab amongst others also did poorly that year.

Punjabi cinema began to decline in 1996. Only the film Sukha (starring Vishal Singh) did well at the box office. Deson Pardeson, Dhee Jatt Di (Upasana Singh, Gurkirtan, and Shivinder Mahal), Vichoda (Yograj Singh), Gawahi Jatt Di, and Jorawar all did poorly at the box office. Dara Singh's Vindoo and Farha's Rabb Diyan Rakhan also fared poorly.

Films of 1997 (Mela, Truck Driver, Sardari, Preetan De Pehredaar, and Pachtaawa) all failed to make a profit. Even Gugu Gill's films were not successful. Train to Pakistan was filmed in a mixture of Hindi and Punjabi, and was later dubbed into Punjabi for film festivals.

In 1998 Gugu Gill's Purja Purja Kat Mare, Dara Singh, Ravinder Maan, and Vishal's Laali, and Kalbhooshan Kharbanda and Tanuja's Dildaara did not make money. Even big budget films like Guru Gobind Singh did poorly. The critically acclaimed Main Maa Punjab Dee won a National award, but it was not a big hit initially. Later this film was shown repeatedly on national television. The year ended on a positive note as Jaspal Bhatti's Mahaul Theek Hai became an instant hit of Punjabi cinema. It was the first big hit since Jatt Jeona Morh (1991) and Badla Jatti Da (1992).

Punjabi films were more successful in 1999. Mahaul Theek Hai, Gurdas Maan, and Divya Dutta's Shaheed e Mohabbat was a critical and commercial success. Muqqadar, Tera Mera Pyar, Nadiyon Vichde Neer, Door Nahin Nankana, and Ishq Nachave Gali Gali (Randeep Virender, Manjeet Kullar, Deepak Saraf, Neeru Singh, Surinder Sharma) all did poorly at the box office. Rajniti, which was also made in Hindi, failed to make money. Raj Babbar's Shaheed Udham Singh did well towards the end of the year. There were only two major hits that year, Shaheed e Mohabbat and Shaheed Udham Singh.

2000s

In 2000 there was just a single release: Dard Pardesan De, starring Avinash Wadhawan, Upasana Singh, Paramveer, and Deepshikha, which fared poorly in Punjab, but did very well overseas. Sikandra and Jagira were released in 2001. Avinash Wadhawan and Ayesha Jhulka starred in Khalsa Mero Roop Hai Khaas , which was released to the overseas market but not in Punjab.

In 2002 Jee Ayan Nu was released, featuring singer turned actor Harbhajan Mann and directed by Manmohan Singh. The movie was made on a big budget for Punjwood - 90 lakhs, as compared to the more typical 20-50 lakhs. Badla came out in 2003. Asa Nu Maan Watna Da was released in 2004, again with actor Harbhajan Mann and director Manmohan Singh.

Jija Ji, Des Hoyaa Pardes, Main Tu Assi Tussi, Yaaran Naal Baharan, and Nalaik were released in 2005. Dil Apna Punjabi (again pairing Harbhajan and Manmohan), Ek Jind Ek Jaan, Mannat directed and written by Gurbir Singh Grewal Having Jimmy Sheirgill and Introducing Kulraj Randhawa and Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris came out in 2006. Kambdi Kalai a Punjabi diaspora movie based out of the United States, came out in 2006. Rustam-e-Hind and Mitti Wajan Mardi (Harbhajan and Manmohan) were released in 2007.

A significant number of movies were produced in 2008: Yaariyan, Mera Pind, Lakh pardesi hoye, Heaven on earth, and Sat sri akal. In 2009, Jag Jeodeye Deh Mele became a hit, and Tera Mera Ki Ristha with Jimmy Shergill was a hit. But the biggest earner of all the Punjabi films was Manmohan Singh's Munde Uk De with Jimmy Shergill and Gurpreet Ghugghi.

Munde Uk De broke the record of Dil Apna Punjabi Movie which was also directed by Manmohan Singh and became the biggest earner of all the Punjabi movies.

Mehndi Wale Hath with new star cast Goldie Somal, Gavie Chahal, Prableen etc. Was a hit film in east punjab territory released in 2006. Written &Directed by Harinder Gill.

Jawani Zindabad featuring Raj Barar the famous Punjabi singer, Pooja Kanwal, Gugu Gill, Gurkirtan etc. Written & directed by Harinder Gill released in March 2010.Its a big hit in Canada. Channa Sachi Muchi starring Miss Puja & Goldie Somal writer & director Harinder Gill released in Aug.2010.

2010s

In 2010, 16 movies were released. Mel Karade Rabba, starring Jimmy Shergill later broke all records and grossed 11 crore nett and became the highest grossing Punjabi film ever. Sukhmani (film) (Hope for life), starring Gurdas Maan, Juhi chawla & divya Dutta. Chhevan Dariya (The Sixth River), directed by Ish Amitoj Kaur was released on September,2011. Ish Amitoj Kaur was the first Punjabi woman to have directed produced and written a Punjabi film. The film starred Gulshan Grover, Neena Gupta, Manpreet Singh,Lakhwinder Wadali, Christa Cannon and Rana Ranbir.

In the year ending Chak Jawana were released, directed by SIMERJIT SINGH starring Gurdas Maan.

In February 2011, the PTC Punjabi channel organised the first ever Punjabi film awards at Panchkula. It was a tremendous boost to the industry and was attended by the likes of Om Puri, Prem Chopra, Gurdas Maan, Guddu Dhanoa, Preeti Sapru, Raza Muraad, Satish Kaul, Manmohan Singh, Amrinder Gill, Gippy Grewal, Jasbir Jassi, Puneet Issar, Rakesh Bedi, Rama Vij, Sudhanshu Pandey, Akriti Kakkar and many more.

With renewed interest from the public, Punjabi cinema has seen a revival with more releases every year featuring bigger budgets, home grown stars, and Bollywood actors of Punjabi descent taking part.

2011 looks to be the year when the industry moves away from the "typical NRI-centered" storylines and towards more meaningful and creative storylines with movies like The Lion of Punjab and Dharti. This year also saw the production of the first Punjabi 3D feature film Pehchaan 3D.

Jihne Mera Dil Luteya is a 2011 Punjabi film directed by Mandeep Kumar with story and screenplay by Dheeraj Rattan, produced by Batra Showbiz Pvt. Ltd. and starring Gippy Grewal, Diljit Dosanjh, Neeru Bajwa, Jaswinder Bhalla . It grossed 12.5 crore.

In September, Yaara o Dildaara directed by Ksshitij Chaudhary, starring Harbhajan Mann, Tulip Joshi, Kabir Bedi, Gurpreet Ghuggi.

2012

Pure Punjabi

Pata Nahi Rabb Kehdeyan Rangan Ch Raazi

Rehmataan

Mirza - The Untold Story

Taur mittran Di

Aappan Pher Milange

Rahe Chardi Kala Punjab Di

Kabaddi Once Again

Desi Romeos

Jatt and Juliet

Sirphire

Yaraan Naal Baharaan-II

Pinky Moge Wali

Yaar Pardesi

Carry On Jatta

Yamle Jatt Yamle

Raula Pai Gaya

Mitro - Mitro

Desi Munde

Dhee Punjab Di

National Award winners

Satluj De Kande (1964) and Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai (1969) directed by Panna Lal Maheshwari won the National Film Award's Certificate of Merit.

Best feature film awards were won by Chann Pardesi (1980), directed by Chitrarth; Marhi Da Deeva (1989), directed by Surinder Singh; Kachehari (1994), Main Maa Punjab Dee (1998), written and directed by Balwant Dullat; Shaheed-E-Mohabbat (1999), directed by Manoj Punj; Shaheed Udham Singh (2000), directed by Chitrarth; and Des Hoya Pardes (2005)."waris shah - ishq daa waaris" (2006) directed by Manoj Punj.

Punjabi stars

Amrinder Gill

Anupam Kher

Arya Babbar

Babbu Mann

Bhavana Bhatt

Bitly Maan (Director)

Daljeet Kaur

Dara Singh

Divya Dutta

Diljit Dosanjh

Gavie Chahal

Gippy Grewal

Gugu Gill

Gurdas Maan

Gurpreet Ghuggi

Harbhajan Mann

Jaspal Bhatti

Jimmy Shergill

Juhi Babbar

Juhi Chawla

Kanwaljit Singh

Kimi Verma

Kulraj Randhawa

Madan Puri

Mahek Chahal

Mandy Takhar

Manjeet Kullar

Manmohan Singh

Meher Mittal

Miss Pooja

Mustafa Qureshi

Neeru Bajwa

Noor Jehan

Om Puri

Parmeet Sethi

Parminder Gill ( Barnala )

Priya Gill

Puneet Issar

Rajesh Khanna

Raj Babbar

Raza Murad

Saima Noor

Satish Kaul

Shaan Shahid

Shafqat Cheema

Shashi Puri

Shivendra Mahal

Simran Kaler (Film Maker and Writer)

Sukhjinder Gill Kairewala ( Actor & Director )

Sultan Rahi

Surveen Chawla

Syed Noor

Tulip Joshi

Upasana Singh

Veerendra

Vishal Singh

Vivek Shauq

Yograj Singh

Harinder Gill (writer & Director)

Gurmeet Punia (SONU)

Mehar Mittal - Punjabi comedian

2012-07-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

Mehar Mittal (Punjabi: ਮੇਹਰ ਮਿਤੱਲ) (1935 ), is an Indian Punjabi actor and producer. He is known for playing comic roles in Punjwood films. He worked in over 100 Punjwood films in a career spanning three decades. Originally a lawyer in India, he ventured into the film industry with great success. Jaskiran Kaur remarks in Chandigarh Newsline, "nobody in the Punjabi cinema, not even the n number of international clones, can match up to this man’s amli way of life, absolutely crazy antics and amazing sense of timing, which is the first and the last rule of comedy."

Early Life & Background

Mehar Mittal hails from a small village in Bhatinda, Punjab. He studied law in Chandigarh and then practiced as a tax advocate for 8 years in Chandigarh itself. At the age of 35 he took to films. He became a popular Punjabi actor mostly because of his comedic roles and went on to star in numerous number of films. His popularity could be gauged from the fact that during the 1980s, with small exceptions, no major Punjabi film was made without him in a prime role, whether in a comedic role or as the main protagonist itself. Though his acting career was mostly in Punjabi cinema, later on he shifted to Mumbai.

Filmography

Jatt te Jameen.

Qahar (1998) - Doctor

Tum Karo Vaada (1993) - Veer (Waiter)

Jorr Jatt Da (1991) ...Ruldu

Qurbani Jatt Di (1990)

Sheran De Putt Sher (1990)

Hum To Chale Pardes (1988)

Bulekha (1986)

Long Da Lishkara (1986) - Rurhiya Kubba

Peengan Pyar Deeyan (1986)

Jeeja Sali (1985)

Maujaan Dubai Diyaan (1985)

Duja Viah (1984)

Mamla Garbar Hai (1984)

Nimmo (1984)

Ranjhan Mera Yaar (1984)

Sohni Mahiwal (1984)

Babul Da Vehra (1983)

Do Madari (1983) - Madari

Laajo (1983)

Patwari (1983)

Unkhili Muttiar (1983)

Gopichand Jasoos (1982) - Friendly appearance

Meharbaani (1982)

Sarpanch (1982)

Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da (1982) - Sakhi Ram (Dakhiaa)

Balbiro Bhabhi (1981)

Putt Jattan De (1981) - Baalam Pardesi

Walayati Babu (1981) - Vilayti Ram

Chann Pardesi (1980)

Ishq Nimana (1980) ...Nathu Ram

Fauji Chacha (1980)

Sardara Kartara (1980)

Jatt Punjabi (1979)

Kunwara Mama (1979) - Kunwara Mama

Sukhi Pariwar (1979)

Til Til Dalekha (1979)

Jindri Yar Di (1978)

Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha (1977)

Daaj (1976)

Giddha (1976)

Lambhardarni (1976)

Main Papi Tum Bakhshanhaar (1976) - Pandit

Santo Banto (1976)

Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun (1976)

Taakra (1976)

Yamla Jatt (1976)

Pratigya (1975)

Teri Meri Ik Jindri (1975) - Hansu (Hai-ka-na)

Sacha Mera Roop Hai (1974)

Chan Pardesi ( 1980 )

Awards

Mehar Mittal was awarded for his selfless, devoted and inspiring services as a cine artist in Punjabi films by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy at the 136th Dadasaheb Phalke Jayanti in Mumbai.

Aussie Cops Hire Their First Sikh

2012-07-18T04:37:00.001-07:00

Jag Singh Malhi became the first South Australia ("SA") Police Academy graduate to wear an official-issue turban when he joined the Western Adelaide Police on Wednesday, June 27, 2012

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫ਼ਤਿਹ

Vaheguru ji ka Khalsa Vaheguru ji ki Fateh

Peer Buddhu Shah

2012-07-18T03:58:00.000-07:00

Peer Buddhu Shah (13 June 1647 - 21 March 1704), was a Muslim divine whose real name was Badr ud Din, who was an admirer and ally of Guru Gobind Singh. He visited the Guru regularly and at one point introduced 500 shias Muslims Pathan soldiers who had been expelled by Aurangzeb to the Guru who employed them. However, when these soldiers faced battle against the Hill chiefs, they deserted the Guru's army.

The Peer was very upset by this action and brought many hundreds of his own followers and his family members to assist the Guru's force. The Guru was most impressed by this dedication shown by the Peer in this urgently needed support. However, in supporting the Guru, this action made him an enemy of the Mughals, who in 1704 executed him.

When Banda Singh Bahadur came to know that the Peer had been executed because he helped Guru Gobind Singh in the battle of Bhangani, he avenged the Pir's death by storming Sadhaura and killing Usman Khan, who had been responsible of the Peer's death. Pir Buddhu Shah's descendants migrated to Pakistan in 1947. Their ancestral house in Sadhaura has since been converted into a Gurdwara named after Pir Buddhu Shah.

Early Life

He was born on 13 June 1647 in a prosperous Sayyid family of Sadhaura, in the present-day Ambala district of Haryana. Because of his simplicity and silent nature during his early childhood he was given the nickname of Buddhu (literally meaning "simpleton") which stuck to him permanently. He was married at the age of 18 to a pious lady, Nasirari who is better known as Bibi Naseera. She was the sister of Said Khan a high ranking officer in the Mughal army. Peer Buddhu Shah had four sons Sayyed Ashraf, Sayyed Muhomad Shah, Sayyed Muhomad Baksh and Sayyed Shah Hussain.

First Meeting With Guru Gobind Singh

It is not certain how Buddhu Shah first became acquainted with Guru Gobind Singh, but it is recorded that he called on him in 1685 at Paonta, on the bank of the Yamuna. While Guru Gobind Rai was staying at Paonta, the Pir was touring the hilly areas. The Pir came to know that Guru Gobind Rai, the tenth embodiment in the line of Guru Nanak, was staying at Paonta.

He went to see the Guru, in a palanquin, as it was the fashion among kings and emperors of those times to move with royal pomp and show, in palanquins, with numerous attendants and servants. After the first meeting it became routine for Pir Budhu Shah to regularly visit the Guru. He no more needed a palanquin to visit the Guru.

After meeting Guru Gobind Singh, Peer Buddhu Shah felt that he wanted to stay with the Guru sahib but his worldly commitments did not allow him to stay: (English translation not available)

ਸ੝ਨਿ ਕਰ ਜੋਰਤਿ ਬਾਕ ਬਖਾਨੋ। ਸੱਯਦ ਜਾਤਿ ਦੇਹ ਕੀ ਜਾਨੋ।

ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਸਢੌਰੇ ਮਹਿˆ ਘਰ ਅਹੈਂ। ਬ੝ੱਧੂ ਸ਼ਾਹ ਨਾਮ ਜਗ ਕਹੈ।

ਮਹਿਮਾ ਸ੝ਨੀ ਘਨੀ ਬਹ੝ ਦਿਨ ਤੇ। ਚਹਤਿ ਮਿਲਨਿ ਕੋ ਪ੝ਰੀਤੀ ਮਨ ਤੇ।

ਅਬਿ ਹਜ਼ੂਰ ਕੇ ਮੇਲਨਿ ਕੀਨਿ। ਬਨਹਿ ਨ ਬਿਛ੝ਰਨਿ ਮੈਂ ਲਖਿ ਲੀਨਿ।

(Sri Gur partap Suraj Granth, ਰਿਤ੝ 1 ਅੰਸੂ 49, ਪੰਨਾ 4686)

The audience with the Guru gave him the peace of mind which the study of religious books, prayers and meditation had not given. His mind was cleared of all doubts after exchange of views with the Guru. The difference of 'That is yours and this is mine' had disappeared from his mind; the Pir could clearly see that everything belonged to the one God, by the time he left for Sadhaura.

Pray of unemployed Pathans

Once Peer Buddhu Shah was staying at Sadhaura when he was visited by 500 soldiers of Aurangzeb army who had been fired from his military (because they were shias Muslims) and it was ordered that no one should employ them in any army. They requested peer Buddhu Shah that they are disable now as they have sold all their belongings for the sake of food and the situation is that now that they have to sell their weapons too to survive.

They wanted to enter into the army of such a man who was not scared of Aurangzeb. Peer Buddhu Shah took the Pathans to Guru Gobind Singh and asked Guru sahib to engage them in his army. At his recommendation, that the Guru engaged 500 Pathan soldiers under the command of four leaders, Kale Khan, Bhikham Khan, Nijabat Khan and Hayat Khan (Omar khan) who were to be paid Rs.5 and the other soldiers were to be paid Rs.1. They were all trained by Guru sahib.

Betrayal by Pathan soldiers

Soon, there was a battle between the Guru and the Hill rulers who started the battle as they were scared by the gathering strength of the Guru's community and the bold activities of Guru sahib. With this the Pathans who had been introduced by Pir ji into the Guru's army started to retrieve away from the Guru's force. They were leaving the army giving various excuses. Guru sahib did not pressurised them and said they could leave and go if this is what they wanted. One Pathan, Kale Khan did not leave Guru sahib. Guru sahib wrote a letter to Peer ji to bring to his attention the fact that the Pathans introduced by him and who had been drawing salaries from the Guru's darbar were now betraying the cause when there was a serious need by the Guru.

Battle of Bhangani

In 1688, during the Battle of Bhangani when Guru Gobind Singh was attacked by a combined force of the hill chiefs led by Raja Fateh Shah of Srinagar (Garhwal), all the Pathans with the exception of Kale Khan deserted him and joined forces of the attacking hill chieftains. The Guru conveyed the news of the treachery to Pir Buddhu Shah, He came to realise that the Guru's fight was not for any kingdom but against the tyranny which was being perpetrated against the poor people. Religion was being used as an excuse to commit tyranny. Peer ji immediately rushed to the Bhangani, and joined the Guru forces on the battlefield.

When Pir Budhu Shah came to know about this disloyalty of the Pathans, he came to the Guru's aid with his seven hundred of his own followers, four sons and two brothers. Guru was very happy to see Peer Buddhu Shah's followers fighting against hill chiefs as they were not professionally soldiers but ordinary people. Guru sahib felt very happy seeing the devotion of peer Buddhu Shah and his followers. Many of the Pir's disciples as well as two of his sons, Ashraf and Muhammad Shah, and his brother, Bhure Shah fell in the action.

After Battle

After the battle Guru Gobind Singh offered rich presents to the Pir which who politely declined to accept. However he, as the tradition goes, begged the Guru to bestow upon him the comb from his hair and the turban he was going to tie. The Guru gave him the two articles and a small kirpan or sword which the Pir and his descendants kept in the family as sacred heirlooms until Maharaja Bharpur Singh of Nabha (1840-1863) acquired them in exchange for a jagir (a land grant/estate).

The personal items of Guru Gobind Singh that the Maharaja traded for the jagir are still preserved in the family's palace at Nabha (in the Punjab).

Death of Peer Buddhu Shah

The Rajput chiefs defeated at Bhangani remained hostile towards Guru Gobind Singh, and wished to evict him from Anandpur to where he had returned. To solicit help from the imperial government, they sent to the emperor reports describing the Guru as a dangerous rebel.

Complaints also reached the authorities against Pir Buddhu Shah who had rendered assistance to the Guru. The Faujdar of Sirhind, under whose jurisdiction the parganah of Sadhaura then fell, directed a local official, 'Usman Khan', to chastise the Pir. Usman Khan was already against Peer Buddhu Shah as he already played many tricks against Buddhu Shah to try and kill him. The latter marched on Sadhaura, arrested Buddhu Shah, took him to the forest tortured him and executed him on 21 March 1704. The local people and follower of peer sahib were very sad with such incident but they were scared of Usman Khan and his force.

Aftermath

When Banda Singh Bahadur came to know of this incident that Peer Buddhu Shah had been executed because he helped Guru Gobind Singh in the battle of Bhangani, he avenged the Pir's execution in 1709 by storming Sadhaura and killing Usman Khan. Pir Buddhu Shah's descendants migrated to Pakistan in 1947. Their ancestral house in Sadhaura has since been converted into a Gurdwara named after Pir Buddhu Shah.

According to Giani Gian Singh Panth Parkash (Page 370):

Jung Bhangani mein Guru keri, Budhu Shahi Shahi baheri

Is he het sandhore waaran, turkan karyo boora at karan

Molvian to fatwaa lai kae, budhu shah hateo dukh dae kae

Jab hawaal so bandae soneo, badla lewan het mann ganiyae.

Source : http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Peer_Buddhu_Shah

First Indian to win Australian Bravery Decoration

2012-07-18T02:37:00.001-07:00

An evening of October 2002 is freshly etched in the memory of Dr Albel Singh Kang and his wife when they came in confrontation with an armed robber.

Dr Kang decided instantaneously to confront the robber. Years later, his quick decision to fight the robber rather than sneaking away was well-recognised by the Australian government, making him the first Indian to be adorned with the bravery award as part of the Australian Bravery Decorations in 2005.

Presently attached to the Blacktown Courthouse in Sydney Police as senior Sherrif, Dr Kang - who had otherwise been trained to be an engineer at the Punjab Agricultural University — was also the first Sikh to join Australian Police Services in 1998. He is presently in the city on his first visit to India ever since he was honoured by the Australian government.

Recounting the incident which shocked his wife so much that she has never since gone for evening walks, he says, “There was no time to decide whether to sneak away (though he could easily have) with my wife or confront the robber. What happened then was simply my reaction to the incident.”

On the day in 2002, Dr Kang and his wife Sarabjeet were confronted by an armed robber when they were having their evening stroll in the neighbourhood of Rooty Hills in Sydney.

“At gun point, the robber asked us to give all our belongings. I showed him my empty pockets and told him that I was not carrying my wallet. He then turned around and started to leave the place in a haste. However, I quickly pounced on him and tried to snatch the pistol from him,” Dr Kang narrates.

It was an instantaneous decision,” he continues. “While I was struggling to disarm him, my wife hit him and soon we were able to overpower him. In the meantime, we kept yelling for help,” he adds.He said nobody came for their help all the while they were struggling to hold the robber until the police came to their rescue. “I was a little scared, lest he break free and shoot us, but there was no help from the passers-by.”

Years later, his act of courage did not only make him stand out among others in the neighbourhood but also provided the rare distinction of Australian Bravery Decorations.

He says bravery is in-built in a man and such situations only bring it forth.

“In such a situation, there is no time to think, so whatever you do stems out of the inner courage. At the same time, it is also true that there is a thin line between courage and stupidity. Any lapse on my part could have got both of us killed.”

Source : http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/there-is-a-thin-line-between-courage-and-stupidity/424897/

Dr. Helena Skountrianos and Dr. Bobby Virk

2012-07-10T11:28:00.001-07:00

An art lover and a painter herself, Dr. Helena Skountrianos is truly passionate about the aesthetics of smile artistry. She specializes in orthodontics and has been in practice since 2002. Dr. Skountrianos earned her dental degree from the University of Athens, in Greece. After graduating at the top of her class, she moved to the United States on a scholarship sponsored by the European Union. She completed her advanced postdoctoral training at Saint Louis University, where she received her Orthodontic Degree and a Master of Science in Dentistry. She also completed a Cleft Lip and Palate fellowship, at Saint Louis University as well.

Moving from a student in St. Louis to a teacher in Boston, Dr. Skountrianos shared her love of learning as an Assistant Professor and Director of Predoctoral Orthodontics at Boston University. Two years later, she relocated to Washington State, where she brings her exceptional expertise to both children and adults as a highly respected provider of orthodontic care. Dr. Skountrianos has lectured nationally and internationally and still remains very active in lecturing and research concerning the field of orthodontics.

Dr. Skountrianos is one of the few orthodontists to be a Board Certified Specialist (Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics). Among her many professional affiliations, Dr. Skountrianos is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists, the World Federation of Orthodontists, the American Dental Association, the Washington State Dental Society and the Pierce County Dental Society.

While in Boston, Dr. Skountrianos met her husband and fellow orthodontist, Dr. Bobby Virk. Dr. Virk earned his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania Dental School in 1998 and called Pacific Northwest home! After runnig a very busy Family and Cosmetic Dental Group Practice for six years, Dr. Virk decided to pursue his dream as an Orthodontist. He completed his advanced postdoctoral training at Boston University, where he received his Orthodontic Degree and a Master of Science in Dentistry. He returned to Washington State in 2006 and started his orthodontic career.

With the cosmetic and general dentistry background Dr. Virk has a unique prospective of addressing the orthodontic needs of his patients. He works very closely with general and cosmetic dentists, as well as other dental specialists, in order to provide personalized orthodontic care for both children and adults. Dr. Virk`s passion is to change peoples` lives by giving them beautiful smiles! He also has special interest in TMJ dysfunctions and sleep apnea.

Dr. Virk is very active regarding orthodontic research and strives to keep updated with the latest advances in orthodontics. Together Drs. Skountrianos and Virk accumulate over 200 hours of continuing education hours per year. Dr. Virk is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists, the World Federation of Orthodontists, the American Dental Association, the Washington State Dental Society and the King County Dental Society.

Source : http://www.smilewithbraces.com/about.asp

Preet Bharara

2012-07-10T10:46:00.001-07:00

Preetinder Singh "Preet" Bharara (born 1968) an Indian American, is the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In 2012 Bharara was named by Time Magazine as "One of The 100 Most Influential People in the World."

Early life and education

Bharara was born in 1968 in Firozpur, Punjab, India, to a Sikh father and Hindu mother. He grew up in suburban Monmouth County, New Jersey and attended Ranney School in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, where he graduated as valedictorian in 1986. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1990 and Columbia Law School in 1993, where he was a member of the Columbia Law Review.

Career

Bharara previously served as the chief counsel to Senator Chuck Schumer and played a leading role in the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary investigation into the firings of United States attorneys. He was assistant United States Attorney in Manhattan for five years, bringing criminal cases against the bosses of the Gambino and Colombo crime families and Asian gangs in New York City.

U.S. Attorney

Bharara was nominated to become U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York by President Barack Obama on May 15, 2009 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He was sworn in to the position on August 13, 2009.

Under Bharara, in May 2011, the office convicted hedge fund billionaire, Raj Rajaratnam at trial on all 14 counts with which he was charged. Bharara "reaffirmed his office’s leading role in pursuing corporate crime with this landmark insider trading case, which relied on aggressive prosecutorial methods and unprecedented tactics."

Bharara has said the office’s top priority is protecting Americans from the threat of terrorism, whether homegrown or foreign-based. During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, the office has prosecuted several international terrorists, and secured life sentences for Faisal Shazad, the Times Square Bomber, and Ahmed Ghailani, an Al Qaeda associate who was responsible for the mass murder of innocents at the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Bharara’s office convicted Affia Siddiqui for attempting to kill American servicemen in Afghanistan as well as four men for plotting to blow up a synagogue in Riverdale. In February 2011, the first pirate in modern times, Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to more than 33 years in prison, following prosecution by the office. Bharara’s office is also prosecuting alleged associates of al-Shabaab, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and Hizballah. According to Bharara, after 9/11 “as crime has gone global and national security threats are global, in my view the long arm of the law has to get even longer. We can’t wait until bombs are going off.”

Bharara’s office worked together with the trustee overseeing the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC to secure a $7.2 billion settlement with the estate of Jeffrey Picower – the largest forfeiture in U.S. history. The money will be used to compensate victims of Madoff’s fraud. His office is also handling the criminal prosecutions of several employees at Madoff’s firm and their associates. The investigation remains ongoing.

Bharara has said that “there is no prosecutor’s office in the state that takes more seriously the responsibility to root out public corruption in Albany and anywhere else that we might find it, and I think our record speaks for itself.” During his tenure, Bharara has charged several current and former elected officials in public corruption cases, including Senator Vincent Leibell, Senator Hiram Monserrate, NYC Councilman Larry Seabrook, and Yonkers City Councilwoman Sandy Annabi. Bharara’s office uncovered an alleged corruption ring involving New York State Senator Carl Kruger. In April 2012, Kruger was sentenced to seven years in prison. In February 2011, Bharara announced the indictment of five consultants working on New York City’s electronic payroll and timekeeping project, CityTime, for misappropriating more than $80 million from the project. The investigation has expanded with five additional defendants being charged, including a consultant who allegedly received more than $5 million illegal kickbacks on the projects.

In January 2011, Bharara’s office participated in a multi-state organized crime takedown, charging 26 members of the Gambino crime family with racketeering, murder, narcotics, and firearms charges. This action was part of a coordinated effort with U.S. Attorney Offices in Brooklyn, New York, Newark, New Jersey and Providence, Rhode Island. Bharara has also overseen the largest criminal sweep of gangs in Newburgh, New York, working with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and local law enforcement agencies to bring charges against members of the Latin Kings and Bloods gangs, amongst others.

Since entering office, Bharara renewed focus on sophisticated, large-scale frauds, creating a Complex Frauds Unit in the Criminal Division and a partner Civil Frauds Unit in the Civil Division to focus on these types of crimes. The Complex Frauds Unit has uncovered and prosecuted cases involving frauds of all kinds, including a massive fraud involving disability benefits at the Long Island Rail Road, an immigration fraud mill that operated through a Manhattan-based law firm, and a $57.3 million fraud on the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, which administers programs established to aid the survivors of Nazi persecution. The Complex Frauds Unit is also uniquely situated to address the emerging threat of cybercrime. In November 2011, the Office charged seven defendants with operating an internet fraud scheme that infected more than four million computers worldwide and manipulated internet advertising business. The Civil Frauds Unit has investigated and brought cases against Deutsche Bank and a subsidiary, Mortgage IT, as well as Allied Home Mortgage, for reckless and fraudulent lending practices. In February 2012, the office filed and simultaneously settled a civil fraud lawsuit against CitiMortgage. As part of the settlement, the bank admitted and accepted responsibility for failing to comply with certain HUD-related loan requirements and other conduct and agreed to pay the U.S. $158.3 million.

Bharara has also been very active in prosecutions related to online poker. In 2010, he "threatened an Australian payment processor with up to 75 years in prison for helping online poker companies do business with their U.S. customers." In April 2011, Bharara charged 11 founding members of internet gambling companies and their associates involved with pay processing with bank fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). The case is United States v. Scheinberg. "Bharara does not claim online poker directly violates federal law, which prohibits the use of 'a wire communication facility' to accept bets 'on any sporting event or contest' but is silent on the legality of other online wagers. Instead he piggybacks on a New York statute that makes promoting 'unlawful gambling activity' a Class A misdemeanor. Bharara's indictment also mentions 'the laws of other states,' a few of which do explicitly ban online poker." He has been accused of seeking the "most expedient" cases to pursue, rather than the most serious, such as online poker and insider trading, and of taking "an alleged New York misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and turning it into multiple federal felonies".

Bharara's signature is also found at the indictment against suspected hackers of the LulzSec group.

Personal

Bharara is a naturalized United States citizen. He is married with three children. His brother, Vinit Bharara, is a successful entrepreneur having started various consumer businesses including diapers.com.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preet_Bharara

Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon

2012-07-10T01:37:00.004-07:00

Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was an officer of the Indian Air Force and the posthumous recipient of the only Param Vir Chakra awarded to an Indian Air Force Personnel. Fg. Off Sekhon's award was in recognition of his lone and fatal defence of Srinagar Air Base during an air raid during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Fg Offr Sekhon was born on July 17, 1943 at Rurka Isewal village in Ludhiana District, Punjab. He was the son of Warrant Officer Hon. Flight Lieutenant Tarlochan Singh Sekhon. He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 4, 1967 as a Flying Officer.

Gallantry Award

He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest military award in India, for exemplary courage and heroism in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. During the war he was with the No. 18 Squadron, "The Flying Bullets" flying the Folland Gnat fighter aircrafts based at Srinagar.

He remains the only air force pilot to be awarded the Param Vir Chakra.

Millitary Action

On 14 December 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by a wave of six PAF F-86 jets. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at that time. Soon the enemy aircraft started hovering over the airfield. Straffing of various targets on the ground followed. Attempting to take-off with enemy aircraft overhead and the runway under attack was suicidal. However, Flying Officer Sekhon, unmindful of his safety, flew his Folland Gnat to engage the two attacking Sabres. In the air battle that ensued, he secured a direct hit on one Sabre and set another ablaze. The latter was seen heading away towards Rajauri, trailing smoke and flame.

At this juncture four more Pakistani Sabres came on the scene and surrounded his aircraft. He chose to give a fight again. In the dog fight that ensued at tree-top level, he held on against the numerically superior enemy for some time. Eventually, his aircraft was hit and he was killed. But Flying Officer Sekhon had achieved his objective. The Pakistani aircraft fled from the scene of the battle, without pressing home, the intended attack on Srinagar airfield and its surrounding areas. The bravery, flying skill and determination displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon, earned him the highest wartime gallantry medal, Param Vir Chakra. His skill was later praised in an article by Salim Baig Mirza, the pilot who shot him down.

Citation

The citation for the Param Vir Chakra awarded to him reads:

Fg Offr Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon 18 Squadron 10877 F(P)

Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was a pilot of a Folland Gnat detachment based at Srinagar for the air defence of the valley against Pakistani air attacks. In accordance with the international agreement dating back to 1948, no air defence aircraft were based at Sirinagar, until the outbreak of hosti- lities with Pakistan. Flying Officer Sekhon was, therefore, unfamiliar with the terrain and was not acclimatised to the altitude of Srinagar, especially with the bitter cold and biting winds of the Kashmir winter. Nevertheless, from the outset of the war, he and his colleagues fought successive waves of intruding Pakistani aircraft with valour and determination, maintaining the high reputation of the Folland Gnat aircraft. On 14th December 1971, Srinagar Airfield was attached by a wave of six enemy Sabre aircraft. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at the time. However, he could not take off at once because of the clouds of dust raised by another aircraft which had just taken off. By the time the runway was fit for take-off, no fewer than six enemy aircraft were overhead, and strafing of the airfield was in progress. Nevertheless, in spite of the mortal danger of attempting to take off during an attack, and in spite of the odds against him. Flying Officer Sekhon took off and immediately engaged a pair of the attacking Sabres. In the fight that followed, at tree top height, he all but held his own, but was eventually overcome by sheer weight of numbers. His aircraft crashed and he was killed. In thus, sacrificing himself for the defence of Srinagar, Flying Officer Sekhon achieved his object, for the enemy aircraft fled from the scene of the battle without pressing home their attack against the town and the airfield. The sublime heroism, supreme gallantry, flying skill and determination, above and beyond th call of duty, displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon in the face of certain death, set new heights to Air Force traditions.

In the News

‘Nirmal did us all proud’ by Kanchan Vasdev of Tribune News Service January 31, 2003,

He is the proud father of a son who laid down his life fighting for the honour of the country. Even 31 years after Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon sacrificed his life, a void remains unfilled in the life of his father, Mr Tarlochan Singh Sekhon, who is spending his twilight years in this village.

Although hard of hearing, this 79-year-old man, who lost his vision after a paralytic attack a few years ago, is proud that he has given a son to this land who fought for it and preferred death to defeat.

While the brother of Nirmaljit Singh says that his father is quite happy at the honours bestowed on him due to the sacrifice of his son, but an itch always remains that the administration never bothered about him, although he had been living in the village for the past many years.

Mr Sukhminder Singh Sekhon, Nirmal’s younger brother, says the Air Force officials from Halwara kept on visiting his ailing father all these years and even arranged for a full-time servant for him. Even the doctors from the Halwara Air Force Hospital visited him every fortnight or month and collected blood samples and prescribed him medicines.

‘‘But nobody from the civil administration has ever visited to see the man who gave away his son to the country whose brave acts were acknowledged by the Government of India and he was even decorated with the highest gallantry honour of the forces — the Paramvir Chakra,’’ he adds.

Recalling the days when the 1971 war was underway, Mr Sukhminder Singh says it was a moment of grief for the family when it received the news of Nirmal’s attaining martyrdom. ‘‘We received a telegram on December 15, 1971, at around 3 pm stating that he had laid down his life while fighting the enemy. My parents, especially my mother, were very upset at his death. But when we received the details of his attaining martyrdom, we felt proud that Nirmal was related to us. He had set an example of supreme valour. Then we received his ashes after some days,’’ he says.

Then on January 12, 1972, it was declared that he would be awarded Paramvir Chakra posthumously and on January 26, 1972, his parents were given the award at the Red Fort, New Delhi. ‘‘Today we are proud of him. Even the residents of this village have never forgotten him and they make sure to commemorate his martyrdom day every year,’’ he says.

The government has extended various grants from time to time for the development of the village, which was to be developed as an ‘adarsh’ village.

Source: http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Nirmal_Jit_Singh_Sekhon