Famous Personalities - Protima Bedi

Protima Bedi

Born On: October 12, 1948
Born In: Delhi
Died On: August 18, 1998
Career: Classical Dancer and Model
Nationality: Indian

Protima Bedi, best remembered as a classical Indian dancer, was equally popular as a ramp model of the 1970s fashion diasporas in India. In fact she was one of the most popular celebrity faces in the world of fashion and dance in the country. However it was negative criticism that Protima Bedi had to face for the choices she made both in her career and her personal life. Much of the controversy surrounding her acts resulted from her being a part of an Indian society which had not yet progressed as much as its Western counterpart. Her modeling, her dance or her marriage to actor Kabir Bedi were enumerated in bold headlines in tabloids during that age. However glamour was not the predominant factor in this outstanding dancer's life. It was rather a hidden pain that drove her to acts of desperation. It was only after her tragic death that India 

truly understood the value of a dancer like Protima Bedi.

Childhood

Protima Bedi was born on October 12, 1948 in a family of four children. She was the second child and had two sisters and one brother as siblings. Though Protima Bedi was born in Delhi, the Bedi family soon shifted base to Goa when Protima was only 5 years of age. Her father Laxmichand Gupta was a trader who had married out of his own caste. Therefore, he had to constantly flee from one place to another in fear of criticism. It was after four years of stay in Goa that the Bedi family landed in Bombay. However, Protima Bedi did not get to enjoy her stay in the financial capital as she was sent off to stay with her aunt in Karnal. It was in the Karnal district that Protima Bedi attended her initial years of school, consequently shifting to Panchgani, where she spent much of her schooling years at a girls boarding school named Kimmins High School. Protima Bedi returned to Bombay to attend St Xavier's College for her graduation degree.

Career

It was right after she completed college that Protima Bedi started out as a model in Bombay. With her kind of looks, it was not difficult for Protima Bedi to win the attention of the media. Hair colored in golden streaks, halter neck dresses and body-hugging trousers was what people normally got to see Protima Bedi in during her modeling years. It was by the early 1970s that the girl from Delhi had firmly made a place for herself among the top models of that era, regardless of the fact that she was already married to Kabir Bedi during this time. But it was probably her advertising campaign for the Cineblitz magazine that Protima Bedi will best be remembered for. Her streaking (running nude in a public area) act in Juhu Beach in Bombay for the launch of the Cineblitz magazine in the year 1974 raised many an eyebrow, only 

helping to open the doors of controversy in her life.

However, in the following year, 26 years old then, Protima Bedi seemed to have sobered down a bit, with dance becoming the most important part of her life then. It was an Odissi dance recital which Protima Bedi witnessed accidentally, during this time that inspired her to take up the dance form as a career and changed the course of her life completely. Protima Bedi soon enrolled as a student of eminent Odissi dancer Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra dedicating more than half of her day in learning the nuances of Odissi dance. She got rid of her modern image and started participating in regular Odissi stage performances, later also opening her own dance school.

Dance Schools

Classical dance was one of the most important parts of Protima Bedi's life. Ever since she came into contact with the Odissi dance form in 1975, Protima Bedi had dedicated her life to it. To perfect her dance further, she started studying abhinaya from Guru Kalanidhi Narayan of Madras. Thereafter, there was no looking back for this ace dancer. Protima started giving performances all over the country. Soon after mastering the art, Protima Bedi set up a dance school of her own inside the premises of the Prithvi Theatre in Bombay, which later became the Odissi Dance Centre. But her most important contribution to the field of classical Indian dance was with the establishment of 'Nrityagram', a dance institute, 

designed on the lines of a gurukul, near Bangalore.

Nrityagram was India's first dance village where students could learn the classical forms of Indian dance for free. Apart from the seven classical dance forms, the school also taught two martial arts forms, Chhau and Kalaripayattu. Nrityagram soon acquired national and international recognition and it was after some years that Protima Bedi decided to build a tourist resort at the spot to ensure the flow of funds within Nrityagram. Protima Bedi even erected a temple in honor of her guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, her first inspiration to take up Odissi dance as a career. The temple stands erect even today at the site near Bangalore and just like before thousands of people from all over the world assemble in 

Nrityagram to celebrate the Vasanta Habba dance festival held since 1994.

Personal Life

Protima Bedi's personal life was nothing less than colorful. It is true that she was out of the ordinary and her personal choices only helped to prove that fact. Protima Bedi was flamboyant by nature and never felt shy of flaunting her relationships. Reports claim that she dated a number of men ranging from Pandit Jasraj to Vijaypath Singhania, Vasant Sathe to Jacques Lebel, Mario Kropf, Rajni Patel and Rom Whitaker, before finally tying the knot to internationally acclaimed actor Kabir Bedi. Her relationship with Kabir Bedi, which started soon after her college years, was a matter of gossip in various circles. Reports claim that Protima Bedi was introduced to Kabir Bedi by mutual friend Nina Gupta. She found Kabir Bedi so "fabulous" that Protima Bedi decided to move out with him within months after they met at Nina Gupta's party. She was in a live-in relationship with Kabir Bedi before marriage, an act that was considered taboo in the 1960s Bombay society. Protima Bedi and Kabir Bedi got married in 1969, when she was at the peak of her modeling career. The couple had two children, Pooja Bedi and Siddharth Bedi.

Last Days & Death

The last years of Protima Bedi's life were difficult, troublesome and pathetic. Her separation from Kabir Bedi in 1978 had already taken away the flamboyance that Protima Bedi was characterized with. Another turning point in Protima's life came when her son, Siddharth Bedi, who was struck with schizophrenia, committed suicide. The suicide of her son came as a blow to her and in the early 1998; Protima retired from public life and changed her name from Protima Bedi to Protima Gauri. She started traveling in the Himalayan region and stated that she had given up herself to the Himalayas. The same year, in August, Protima Gauri set off on her pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar and it was there that she disappeared after the Malpa landslide. Her remains and belongings were later recovered in Malpa, a village along the Indo-Tibet border. Her autobiography, Timepass, based on her journals and letters, collated and published by her daughter, Pooja Bedi in 2000, recounts how Protima Bedi had developed a distaste towards life after the death of her son Siddharth.

Timeline

 
1948: Protima Bedi was born on October 12 in Delhi.
1957: Started her schooling in Panchgani.
1965: Came to Bombay for college at St Xavier's.
1968: Started modeling.
1969: Married Kabir Bedi.
1974: Infamous streaking for Cineblitz.
1975: Her introduction to Odissi dance.
1978: Separated from Kabir Bedi.
1990: Established Nrityagram on May 11.
1997: Her son Siddharth died, after which she eventually retired from public life.
1998: Was found dead in Pithoragarh on August 18.

Famous Personalities - Alka Yagnik

Alka Yagnik

Alka Yagnik is one of the most talented singers of Bollywood. She was born to a Gujarati family on the 20th of March in Calcutta (now Kolkata). She comes from a music background. Both her parents were actively involved in classical music. Since the late 1980s, she has been one of the most leading playback singers of the Indian music industry.

Life History

Alka has always been fond of singing. Since young age, music has been her first love. Initially, she thought it to be nothing more than a hobby, but later she realized that if pursued seriously, it can be taken as a profession. When she was six years old, she began singing Bhajans for the Calcutta Radio. From then onwards, she started singing at a professional level.

For establishing her foothold in the field of music, she went to Mumbai. She got her first break, when she was given the assignment for singing a song for the film Payal Ki Jhankaar in 1979. Then, she sang the song "Mere Angene Mein" for the film Laawaris (1981). Her biggest hit was the song Ek Do Teen from the film Tezaab that was released in 1988. The song broke all the records and made her star overnight.

Her voice has been mainly used for the young generation stars. She has done playback singing for many famous actresses like Rakhee, Hema Malini, Farida Jalal, Rekha, Kajol and Preity Zinta. Besides Hindi songs, she has also sung in other languages such as Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Punjabi.

Awards Won

Filmfare Awards (1988, 1993, 1997,1999,2000,2001 and 2004)
National Film Awards (1994 and 1999)
Zee Cine Awards (1999, 2001 and 2007)
Star Screen Awards (1995 and 2000)
International Indian Film Academy (2000 and 2001)
MC Music Awards
BBC: World Music 2003 Awards
MTV Asia Viewers Choice Award

Notable Works of Playback Singing

Umrao Jaan - Salaam, Pooch Rahe Hain
Babul - Gaa Re Mann
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Tumhi Dekho Na
Swades - Saanwariya Saanwariya
Hum Tum - Hum Tum
Mujhse Shaadi Karogi - Laal Dupatta
Kal Ho Naa Ho - Kuch to Hua Hai
Tere Naam - Oodhni
Chalte Chalte - Tauba
Raaz - Aapke Pyaar Mein
Mujhse Dosti Karoge! - Jaane Dil Se
Kasoor - Kitni Bechain Hoke
Dil Chahta Hai - Jaana Kyon
Lajja - Badi Mushkil
Dhadkan - Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Dil Se
Zubeidaa - Mehndi Hai Rachnewali, Hai Na
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai - Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam - Chand Chupa
Taal - Taal Se
Duplicate - Mere Mehboob Mera Sanam
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai- Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Famous Personalities - Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

Born: 1945

Achievement: Noted sarod player; Recipient of Padmashree and Padma Bhushan.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is a noted sarod player and one of the foremost classical musicians.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan was born at Gwalior Madhya Pradesh in 1945. He belongs to the illustrious Bangash lineage rooted in the Senia Bangash School of music and is the sixth generation sarod player in his family. Amjad Ali Khan learnt Sarod under his father Haafiz Ali Khan's tutelage, who was a musician to the royal family of Gwalior.

Amjad Ali Khan gave his first solo recital at the age of 12 in 1958. He has developed a unique style of playing the sarod. The key innovations in his style are compositions based on vocal music, the technical ability to play highly complex phrases (ekhara taans) on the sarod spanning three octaves and the emphasis on simple and elegant compositions. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has simplified the instrument by removing some strings (his sarod has only two jod and chikari strings and 11 tarab stings) and has also removed the resonant gourd (tumba) which is in use by other sarod schools.

In 1977, Amjad Ali Khan founded the Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan Memorial Society which organises concerts and bestows an annual Hafiz Ali Khan award on outstanding classical musicians in India and aboard.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has performed in different parts of the world. He has performed at the WOMAD Festival in Adelaide and New Plymouth, Taranaki in New Zealand, WOMAD Rivermead Festival in UK, Edinburgh Music Festival, World Beat Festival in Brisbane, Summer Arts Festival in Seattle, BBC Proms, International Poets Festival in Rome, Shiraz Festival, UNESCO, and Hong Kong Arts Festival.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is the recipient of many awards and honours. These include: Padmashree (1975), Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1989), the Tansen Award (1989) the Padma Bhushan (1991) and the International Music Forum Award, UNESCO in 1970.

Famous Personalities - Aruna Asaf Ali

Aruna Asaf Ali

Born: July 16, 1908

Died: July 29, 1996

Achievements: Aruna Asaf Ali played a leading role during Quit India Movement; elected as Delhi’s first Mayor; awarded the Lenin Prize for peace in 1975 and the Jawahar Lal Nehru award for International understanding for 1991; honored with Bharat Ratna in 1998.

Aruna Asaf Ali was a legendary heroine of India's freedom struggle. Her moment of reckoning came in 1942 during Quit India Movement and she rose to the occasion. She unfurled the national flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan to signify the commencement of the Quit India Movement and became a legend for thousands of youth that rose to emulate her.

Aruna Asaf Ali was born as Aruna Ganguly on July 16 1908 at Kalka (Haryana) in an orthodox Hindu Bengali family. She was educated at Sacred Heart Convent in Lahore, and then in Nainital. After graduating from school, she taught at the Gokhale Memorial School in Calcutta. In Allahabad, she met her future husband, Asaf Ali,a prominent Congressman who was 23 years older than her. They were married in 1928 against parental opposition on the grounds of both religion and age.

As Asaf Ali was deeply involved with freedom struggle, after marriage Aruna Asaf Ali too plunged into it. Her first major political action was during the Salt Satyagraha in 1930 when she addressed public meetings and led processions. British Government charged her for being a “vagrant” and sentenced her to one year’s imprisonment. When political prisoners were released in the aftermath of Gandhi-Irwin pact, Aruna was not released. But a public agitation in favour of her release forced British government to release her.

She was arrested again in 1932 and put in Tihar Jail. In Tihar Jail she went on a hunger strike against the treatment meted out to political prisoners. Her protest caused an improvement in conditions, but she herself was moved to solitary confinement in Ambala. After her release, she dropped out of the national movement for 10 years.

In 1942 she attended the Bombay Congress Session with her husband, where the historic Quit India resolution was passed on 8th August. When the Congress leaders were arrested on the day after this resolution was passed, Aruna presided over the flag-hoisting ceremony at Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay. She provided the spark that ignited the movement. She became a full-time activist in the Quit India movement and went underground to evade arrest. Her property was seized by the Government and sold. The Government also announced Rs. 5000 reward for her capture. Meanwhile, she fell ill and on hearing this Gandhiji advised her to surrender. However, Aruna Asaf Ali surrendered herself only when the warrants against her were cancelled on 26th January 1946.

At the time of independence Aruna Asaf Ali was a member of the Congress Socialist Party, which until then had been part of the Congress framework. In 1948, however, the socialists, including Aruna, formed a socialist party of their own. In 1955 this group merged with Communist Party of India and she became a member of its Central committee and a Vice President of the All India Trade Union Congress. In 1958 she left the Communist Party of India and was elected Delhi's first Mayor. she rejoined the Congress party in 1964 but ceased to play any active part in politics. She was awarded the Lenin Prize for peace in 1975 and the Jawahar Lal Nehru award for International understanding for 1991. Aruna Asaf Ali died on died July 29 1996. She was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, and was honoured with a stamp issued by the Indian Postal Service in 1998.