Society

Shall Not Look Upon his Like Again

In Remembrance of Rajinder Puri

When a long-standing friend passes away a bit of you also dies. An enriching link with the past is snapped. And that’s what happened when I heard, to my shock, this Monday of the death in sleep of my friend of some three score years.

Rajinder Puri was the youngest of the five children of H R Puri, a meteorologist by profession, Puri was born in Karachi and the family arrived in India when Rajinder was thirteen, in the massive influx of refugees forced to leave their hearth and home at the time of Partition in 1947.

I walked up and down the corridors of memory to recall when did we first meet. Rajinder Puri and I were contemporaries in St. Stephen’s College in early 1950’s. Actually, his elder brother, Rakshit – also a journalist who passed away last year – was my class fellow and Rajinder was junior to me. I had – most undeservedly – acquired a reputation of being an expert in every area other than what I had chosen to qualify in.

Probably because of that false halo, one day he barged into me and said: “Bali – that’s what he called me till the end – I’ve decided to be a cartoonist.”

“Shankar – (then a famous cartoonist then with Hindustan Times) – must be feeling trifle shaky.” I said light-heartedly.

“No, he need not. Shankar is Shankar. I’ll be my own self.”

“So…

“I’m planning to leave for England to study cartooning. Tell me which book I must read to start.”

“Alice in Wonderland,” I said instantly, half in jest and half seriously.

Puri probably opted to accept the latter half as my reply.

That’s how started a friendship between a highly creative artist and a thoroughly prosaic fellow.

He went to England and stayed on after finishing his course. He worked in London for a brief time drawing cartoons for The Guardian, and later The Glasgow Herald.

On his return to India, he joined Hindustan Times. S Mulgaonkar was, I recall, the paper’s editor whose favorite Puri was. It was probably he who sowed the seeds in Puri to become a columnist too. From Hindustan Times Puri shifted to the Statesman. For the last twenty-five years of his life he was a freelance journalist. His columns appeared on regular assignments in several leading dailies and weeklies. He also authored a few books on Indian politics.

He was a featured columnist on Boloji under his column “My Word” for over a decade before he received the call.

After I shifted from Delhi to Calcutta in early 1960’s I lost touch with him. However, wherever I was, I used to look up Delhi newspapers. And whenever I liked some cartoon of his, I dropped him a line of appreciation which he promptly acknowledged. (There were no Emails then. You wrote in long hand.)

After I returned to Delhi in 1995, we resumed our contact and had frequent discussions with him. Puri used to have a group of friends at his reserved table in the Tea Room of India International Centre and the inconclusive discussions went on for hours over tea and sandwiches.

The trauma of Partition never left Rajinder. Until his end he always vigorously wrote to undo the spirit of Partition. He frequently wrote on the desirability of a South Asian Union, including Kashmir too as an autonomous entity. As a hardheaded realist, I never shared his dream.

For some years Puri also dabbled in politics in his bid to change the grim reality of our polity. He was the founding General Secretary of the short-lived Janata Party in 1977 and was in charge of campaign publicity in the 1977 general election that led to the Janata Party’s thumping victory. Later he was founder General Secretary of Lok Dal and also in charge of the Labor Cell of BJP.

PPuri had a grudge against BJP. When the Party thought of starting “Motherland”, a national daily from Delhi, Rajinder was sounded to take over as its editor. All details were sorted out. Then for some reason he refused to divulge, the proposal fizzled out. He never forgave the top leadership for it, especially Malkani – later BJP-appointed Governor of Pondicherry.

Since 1988 he was not attached to any political party. So disillusioned was he with all political parties.

He crusaded all his life against that hydra-headed monster called the system behind the stifling political reality. His cartoons unfailingly had a dig on that reality. The trouble with cartooning is that black and white lines force you to have a laugh, even provoke you, but their impact is ephemeral. A column is more effective. Perhaps that explains his increasing emphasis on writing rather than cartooning despite his commendable skill as a draftsman.

He always gave an evasive reply whenever I asked him why he wasn’t cartooning.

HHe felt that to change the political reality, he needed to be within the political system at least to some extent. Having opposed the Emergency vehemently he was very actively involved with the Janata Party. But later, he became disillusioned and realized that he did not fit in in the world of politics,

Now that he’s gone, all I’ve are memories of the man, most especially his IIC Tea Room sessions in the tradition of the Latin Quarter cafes of Paris in which revolutionary proposal are discussed and discarded day after day. The most endearing attribute of my friend was his incorruptibility which now is getting very scarce in the profession he enriched. Though disappointed with politicians he never became a cynic. Whenever in life I’ll think of him I’ll recall the Bard in Hamlet:

He was a man, take him for all in all.
I shall not look upon his like again.

19-Feb-2015

More by :  H.N. Bali

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Views: 3425      Comments: 10



Comment We felt so close to his words and himself. Mr. Rajinder Puri words and his wish would live forever. Youngesters would defiitely make a difference in Indian political system.
May his soul inspireus for betterment of our nation.

Urmil
01-Mar-2015 10:16 AM

Comment I have been a regular reader of Mr. Puri's writings for a long time, concurred with some of his ideas, disagreed with some but was always impressed with his analysis and his ability to see beyond the projected reality. For some time now I had been missing his column and was concerned about his well being and today found out this sad news. While death is a reality and sooner or later we all have to go, sharp analytic minds who can call a spade a spade are rare and even rarer are the people who could turn their back even after tasting the alluring cup of political power. Mr. Bali was one of them. I salute him, wish for his peace where ever he is and share my condolences with his immediate and extended family i.e all of you , his readers, friends and admirers. RIP!!!

SLaroia
24-Feb-2015 16:21 PM

Comment Mr. Puri was indeed a thinker, philosopher, writer and a patriot who cared so much for his country. He had an un-yielding passionate commitment to see India grow and prosper as was evident from all his articles. All of us at Boloji have lost a great man and a good friend.

drgopalsingh
24-Feb-2015 08:58 AM

Comment Mr. Puri had become much more active recently, I think in two years there was almost an article a day in the section "My Word".

But suddenly, there was a pause, no post came for a couple of days and I guessed there might be some temporary issue such as health problem, search on web about his news - nothing could be found.

And then this article appeared !
Sad day...

Since last couple of years, my comments can be seen in at least half of his articles, I agreed on some, learned from those article and even challenged some of them.

Mr. Puri added me in his Facebook account as friend - truly honored, as I was among 6 of those friends on FB.

I wish, I could meet him whenever I visit Delhi.
Mr. Puri, as you were passionate to writing, I was passionate to read your articles, I salute your for his dedicated and in-depth articles.

Dinesh Kumar Bohre
23-Feb-2015 11:27 AM

Comment We were missing him here for few weeks. It is very sad that an experienced person of substance has gone. May his soul rest in peace.

jeti
23-Feb-2015 00:12 AM

Comment I read many of his writings in Boloji and really admired him a whole lot. He was a great journo. May God grant him love and his family peace.!

A great Indian he was .

,

KAMAL JOSHI
22-Feb-2015 21:54 PM

Comment Mr Puri's writings were incisive yet never crossed the "Lakshman Rekha". Such personalities make democracy stronger in a nation. I personally drew inspiration from his writings to start penning my thoughts.

ncmishra
22-Feb-2015 20:25 PM

Comment It had become a habit with us at boloji to listen to his 'words' - now it has become silent. It is extremely painful indeed! But as a dear friend you will miss him most.

kumud biswas
21-Feb-2015 04:08 AM

Comment Death can only be meaningful as a transition from the ephemeral to the absolute signified in the form of a photo that even we while alive appreciate as representative in that dimension of stillness of who we sustainably are. Yet, in the loss of a loved one condolences are in order because flesh and blood, in the words of another poet, cannot bear too much reality. Kind sympathy to you and members of his family and friends of whom I may thus count myself one.

rdashby
20-Feb-2015 17:46 PM

Comment This is unbelievable to see that Mr. Rajinder Puri has passed away! His writings quite satirical on the political scenario of India coming on boloji.com every Wednesday cannot be forgotten. His wish of Sour Asian Union in line with my dream of the creation of One World is still alive in my mind and our wish will come true one day in the future soon...! His dreams will not go waste! Let his soul rest in peace!

taramesh
19-Feb-2015 23:44 PM




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