the journey of a legend chp-01

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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



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

ii



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



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

7

“ Young Harbhajan's early years

were spent in Lahore before

shifting to

New Delhi.”



In the Company of Scholar Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan,President of India



Like Father Like Son ... In The Footsteps Of His Illustrious Father Sardar Durlab Singh

A Doyen Among Journalists And A Veteran Freedom Fighter

10



... 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”



...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”



...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.

13

“He came to be known as a noted film

journalist of Bollywood

because of his great

personality, style

and fair comments.”



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.”



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.

15

“He was chosen the President of Indo-Russian Journalists

Association.”



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.”



... 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.”



On the Spot Painting of Mr. Harbhajan Singh Through the Brush of a Russian Fan.

18

“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



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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the journey of a legend chp-01

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