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–THE JOURNEYOF A LEGEND
By
DEEPAK SINGH
Publishers :
MODERN PUBLICATIONSF-26, Connaught Place,
Phone:-011-23312329New Delhi - 110 001
HARBHAJAN SINGH
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Deepak SinghEditor, Indian Observer
F-26, Connaught PlaceNew Delhi - 110 001
Phone : 981002573323312329
Publishers Modern Publications
F-26, Connaught PlaceNew Delhi - 110 001
Designed by Yash Choudhary 9971014104and Anju Raj 9871457467
(For Free Distribution)
Printed at Five Star PrintersAjmal Khan RoadKarol Bagh, New Delhi-110 005
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My very sincere thanks to
Smt. Pratibha Patil,
President of India,
for having consented to receive
the First Copy of the Book
Harbhajan Singh
– The Journey of a Legend
I am also thankful to Mrs. Simran Singh,
my wife, who has been a great
source of inspiration in my work.
I thank Mr. S. P. Bansal, formerly of the
Indian Express, who has been working with us
since three generations.
I also thank Mr. Yash Choudhary and Mrs. Anju Raj for
designing and last but not the least lot of labour put
in by Md. Jawed Akhter.
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DEDICATED TOShri Harbhajan Singh Ji,
my late father,
on his 69th Birth Anniversary,who lived and worked for his Principles
“ Dedicate yourself to the Service of Mankind and you will get a place
in the ‘Court of Lord’ (God)”.
From the Day of my Birth till His Last Day I alwaysfound Him bubbling with energy. I still can’t believe
that He is no more.And I see it is an illusion that He is no more.
As if, on meeting me He will askas to what I am thinking.
Any one who went to him for help,he always extended his helping hand with a smile
for he stood like a wall.
Being the youngest in the familyI escaped from all responsibilities
as my Father was thereto take care of everything.
– Deepak Singh
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Prolific Writer at the Desk
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ChapterH arbhajan Singh H is E mergence A s A Journal ist
ORN 21st November 1938 in Rawalpindi to Smt.Sunder Kaur and Sardar Durlab Singh, a doyen among
journalists and a veteran freedom fighter, young
Harbhajan's early years were spent in Lahore beforeshifting to New Delhi in the wake of partition of thecountry in August 1947.
Durlab Singh didn't take much time to make hispresence felt in the capital of India with his bold and fearlessweekly. Indian Observer that proved popular among all
sections of readers and succeeded in creating a niche foritself with a huge circulation crossing one lakh copies.
Right from his School and College days Harbhajan,the eldest among five brothers and a sister, took keeninterest in House Magazines and was a regular contributor.
B
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“ Young Harbhajan's early years
were spent in Lahore before
shifting to
New Delhi.”
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In the Company of Scholar Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan,President of India
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Like Father Like Son ... In The Footsteps Of His Illustrious Father Sardar Durlab Singh
A Doyen Among Journalists And A Veteran Freedom Fighter
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... Interviewing Raj Kapoor The Biggest Showman of Bollywood for his popular Tabloid FILM MIRROR
Soft-spoken, his amiable manners won him instantclose rapport with all the political heavy weightsirrespective of party affiliations and regions the likes ofBabu Jagjivan Ram, Sardar Swaran Singh, Lalit NarayanMishra, Narayan Datt Tiwari, Chander Bhanu Gupta,Pratap Singh Kairon, Mehar Chand Khanna, Devi Lal, BansiLal, Bhajan Lal, Balram Jakhar, Jag Parvesh Chandra,
Saif-ud-din Soz, Vidya Charan Shukla, Chaudhri RandhirSingh, Inder Kumar Gujral, Chandrashekhar, Deve Gowda,Gulzari Lal Nanda, Y. B. Chavan, Vasant Sathe, Mohan LalSukhadia, Ch. Braham Perkash, Arjun Singh and to topthem all Dr. V. V. Giri, Giani Zail Singh, Dr. SarvapalliRadhakrishnan.
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“ Soft-spoken,his amiable
manners won him instant
close rapport with all the
political heavy weights”
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...Interviewing - Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt During the Shooting of Mother India
The Film Mirror that he started led him to his havingstrong connections with U.S.S.R. He was a regular inviteeby the U.S.S.R. Government to the Moscow and TashkentAnnual Film Festivals. He was treated as a Maharaja in theSoviet Union and young boys and gir ls used to queue up for
a group photograph with my Dad.
Being a Sikh that made him outstand in the crowd inRussia that he was an Indian.
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“ The Film Mirror that he started led him to his
having strong connections with
U.S.S.R”
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...At The Taskent Film Festival
He came to be known as a noted film journalist ofBollywood because of his great personality, style and faircomments which made filmstars like Raj Kapoor, DilipKumar, Dev Anand, Sunil Dutt, Guru Dutt, Dharmendra,Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Rakesh Roshan, Nargis,
Nimmi, Meena Kumari, Waheeda Rehman, Madhubala,Geetabali his personal friends. Whenever the political andFilm Delegations visited India from U.S.S.R. they made it apoint to visit our C-86, Defence Colony Residence.
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“He came to be known as a noted film
journalist of Bollywood
because of his great
personality, style
and fair comments.”
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There were two names synonymous with Russiaone was Raj Kapoor and other Harbhajan Singh. He himselfhad forgotten the count of the number of visits he hadmade to Soviet Union. He was one figure who wasidentified and mobbed by the youngesters and Indianstudents studying in Russia. They used to consider him as a
... Hand-in-Hand with the He-Man Dharmendra the Heart-Throb of the Nation and Star of
Phool Aur Patthar and many a hit Film.
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“ There were two names synonymous
with Russia one was Raj Kapoor
and other Harbhajan
Singh.”
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Historic Photograph of Ramanand Sagar Veteran Producer Director of Aarzoo and many a hit film and Producer of popular T.V. Serial RAMAYANA int roducing Film Mirror Editor Harbhajan
Singh to the newly weds in the family.
Maharaja of India because of his distinctive turban and theflawless white attire, which he always wore.
The members of the Delegation always saidHarbhajan you are the only one who can be called an Indian
the rest are mistaken as Asians.
He was chosen the President of Indo-RussianJournalists Association the position which he held till hisdemise.
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“He was chosen the President of Indo-Russian Journalists
Association.”
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Veteran Producer, Director Shri Raj Kapoor going through the pages of Film Mirror at his R.K.Studios in Mumbai. Sitting alongside is
Editor Harbhajan Singh
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Exchange of visits by polit ical leaders made JawaharLal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Com Khrushchev and ComBulganin popular in Soviet Union and India Films fromBollywood Raj Kapoor's Awara and Pardesi - an Indo -Soviet joint production starring Nargis opposite RussianCine actor and Balraj Sahni made Indian Film stars PopularHouse - hold names.
Moscow and Tashkant Film Fests worked wondersand the well known Editor & Film Critic Harbhajan Singhcame to earn and occupy the same status and popularity asthat of Raj Kapoor's. In his own right he was a star attractionand commanded a big fan following. At Film Festivals he
“Moscow and Tashkant Film Fests worked
wonders and the well known
Editor & Film Critic Harbhajan
Singh came to earn and occupy the same status and popularity as that of Raj
Kapoor's.”
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... with the Amitabh Bachachan
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was lovingly mobbed by autograph hunters and he used tooblige them all with a broad smile. Dressed in spotlesswhite and crisp kurta -pyjama, Nehru Jacket with Turban ashead gear he was considered a Maharaja of India and theylovingly called him "Adrebaijan Singh".
Russian Cultural, Films and Journalists delegations toIndia made it a point to include a visit to Defence ColonyResidence of Sardar Harbhajan Singh a must. As goodHosts Singhs also loved throwing Parties, Lunch andDinner on such occasions as well on annual festivals like
“At Film Festivals he was lovingly mobbed
by autograph hunters and he used to oblige them all with a broad smile.”
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On the Spot Painting of Mr. Harbhajan Singh Through the Brush of a Russian Fan.
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“At t imes the guests entered
the kitchen to see for
themselves as to how a
'chapati' was made - this
being something
new for them.”
Lohri, Diwali and Holi to let them have a feel and taste ofthe Indian culture and tradition. D-253 Residencereverberated often with all the warmth of the hosts andvalued presence of the guests. At times the guests enteredthe kitchen to see for themselves as to how a 'chapati' wasmade - this being something new for them.
... with the Members of the Delegation as President of Indo-Soviet Journalists Association
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Shri Harbhajan Singh,President,
Indo-Russian Journalists Association receiving from the Ambassador of
the Russian Federation the Certificate of
High Appreciation for his meritorious services towards the cause of promoting friendship
and cultural relations between the peoples and
governments of the Russian Federation and the
Republic of India.
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