A. B. Shah

A. B. Shah is best known and remembered as the founder-president of the Indian Secular Society. The organization had its head quarter in Pune in Shah’s life time but has now shifted to Mumbai. Until his death, A. B. Shah was the editor of The Secularist, a journal published by the Indian Secular Society (ISS). He also the edited the New Quest published by the Indian Association for Cultural Freedom. Shah took much interest in the problems of Indian Muslims. Shah's writings include What Ails our Muslims? and Religion and Society in India. Shah also edited Jayaprakash Narayan's Prison Diary, written by the prominent Indian leader in jail during the Emergency of 1975.

A. B. Shah was born in 1920 in a Jain family in Gujarat. As a result, he was an atheist even in his childhood. However, till the age of seventeen he was to some extent a practising Jain. Ernst Haeckel's The Riddle of the Universe and Hyman Levy's The Universe of Science convinced Shah that not only God but even soul did not exist. Jainism believes in the existence of soul. Shah was also influenced by M. N. Roy. Hamid Dalwai, the author of Muslim Politics in India was a friend of A. B. Shah. Shah started taking interest in Islam only after meeting Dalwai. Dalwai co-operated with Shah in founding Indian Secular Society and Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal. Shah was the Director of the Institute for the Study on Indian Traditions in Pune, Maharashtra at the time of his death in 1981.

The Indian Secular Society is a non-political organisation, which works for promoting secular human values in Indian Society. Shah has paid much attention to Islam and to the problems of Indian Muslims in his works. Hamid Dalwai played an important role in the formation of the organization. The foundation-conference of ISS was presided by Prof. G.D. Parikh, who was an associate of M. N. Roy, a prominent Indian humanist of Twentieth Century. As elaborated by A.B. Shah himself, the Indian Secular Society works mainly at the level of ideas and communication. It has tried to document and discuss secularist and obscurantist trends in Indian society. Shah was also opposed to Hindu communalism. The ISS stands for the spirit of the Indian Constitution and the United Nations Charter of Human Rights. The organisation has published several books and booklets in English including those written by Shah himself.

In 1970, Hamid Dalwai and A.B. Shah, founded Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal in co-operation with the Indian Secular Society. This organisation provided a forum for secular Muslims for reforming and modernising Muslims in India. Dalwai was opposed to the notion that religion could help in encouraging modernisation and secularism. He considered "religious reformation" as an anachronistic concept. He wanted religion to be confined to its "proper sphere", that is, the personal relationship between the individual and his God. According to Dalwai, trying to justify social reform in the name of religion was counterproductive and would only strengthen those who were in a position to claim traditional authority to interpret the scriptures. Hence, Dalwai was in favour of making a clear distinction between religious revivalism camouflaged as a reform movement, and a renaissance based on reason and knowledge. Both Shah and Dalwai faced threats from conservative Hindus and Muslims for the reform-work they were doing.

Books by A. B. Shah
Religion and Society in India
What Ails Our Muslims?
Scientific Method (Bombay: Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd.,1964)
Religion and Society in India (Pune: Indian Secular Society, 1981)
What Ails our Muslims? (Pune: Indian Secular Society, 1981)
Challenges to Secularism Planning for Democracy and Other Essays

K. Lal

"If you examined his blood, you would find nothing but magic in it." the late Raj Kapoor a true visionary once said about K.Lal.

Magic is the essence of K. Lal's life. Starting from the tender age of 7 and 70 years hence, he still strives to dedicate his life to this great scientific and technical art. He brings honour to his country by spreading the glory of Indian Magic in every corner of the world.

K.Lal whose full name is Kantilal Vora was born in Bagasra, a tiny village near Rajkot, in Gujarat. K.Lal's grandfather being the Nager Seth (village chief) of Bagasra, the family was extremely influential. Due to which the rural entertainers (singers,magicians, jugglers etc.) took their halt at their residence, while performing at Bagasra.Although his parents disapproved, Lal had his first lessons in magic from his guests.

In the early thirties Lal's family's migration to Calcutta for trading in cloth, gave him the golden opportunity to experiment in "the land of magicians" - Calcutta.

A visit to Ganapati's magic show in Calcutta with his uncle, became the turning point in Lal's life. Backstage K.Lal's explanation to Ganapati, as to how the "human skeleton dance" was performed, left the magician impressed beyond words. He not only prophesised K.Lal's world fame as a magician, but also offered to teach him magic.

After putting his parents doubts of "black magic" at rest, K.Lal went on to pursue his career as a magician at the young age of 15. From here on there was no looking back for him. Academic pursuits took a back seat to his dedication to magic.

Riots in Calcutta in the early forties, forced the family to go back to Gujarat. Much to the anger of his family, Lal gave his first public performance here. Some people even misconstrued his talent as black magic and supernatural powers. Only after his convincing them that magic is "sleight of hand" and nothing else, did people stop avoiding him, and start appreciating his talent.

Visit to Japan

K.Lal and Jr.K.Lal performed their first show in Japan in 1969. Following it's success they visited Japan 18 times, covering 61 cities. Their shows which were televised gained them popularity with the Japanese.

On returning to Calcutta, K.Lal discovered much to his sorrow the sad demise of his Guru, Ganapati Chakraborty. But fortunately for him, another Calcutta based magician, Geeta Kumar became his new guru.

From here on it was a climb to fame. His first professional show was at Roxy Theatre in Calcutta, in 1951. His performance in Bombay was no less impressive, and went on for a hundred days.

He began holding shows all over India, collected a troupe, invested in props , sets and a wide variety of costumes, and decided to call his show as 'Mayajal' (The web of illusion).

Over the years, he and his troupe covered various countries. To date Lal is said to have performed 16,800 shows, (up to Dec. 1996). In 1968, in the USA, the International bureau of magicians awarded him the title of the worlds fastest and greatest magician.

Lal changed the concept of magic from a dark, gloomy and scary show, to one that is bright, cheerful, and entertaining, comparable to anything in the tinsel world. This boy, who rose to become the president of the society, through his iron will and determination,

also became an unofficial cultural ambassador to India.

Honoured by Mrs. Indira Gandhi

Our Late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi learnt about K.Lals talents only during her visit to Japan, from the then Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Bhagaya Tak. Lal being busy with his commitments, only met Mrs. Indira Gandhi when she invited him during her visit to Bombay. At the end of the performance a part of her saree caught fire. Security guards came rushing pointing their guns at K.Lal. But nothing happened either to the saree, or to Mrs. Gandhi. It was only an illusion. With a hearty laugh she bid farewell to Lal.

With a collective troupe of 45 members working in front and back stage, K.Lal works 18 hours a day, practicing and innovating. To K.Lal, magic is nothing but a conditioning of the mind. Audience perceives only what he wants them to. "I am so obsessed with my show that even when I sleep I'm not free of it. Many of my ideas come to me in my dreams." -says K.Lal. "Through our item, ' Water of India' we spread the message of national integration that although we differ with language and religion, yet we are all one-Indians."

-says Jr.K.Lal.

Courtasy: http://www.gkindia.com/

Asha Parekh

Asha Parekh (2 October 1942) is a Bollywood actress, director, and producer. She was one of the top stars in Hindi films from 1959 to 1973 and is said to have starred in more hit films than any other actress.

Asha Parekh was born into a middle-class Gujarati household on 2 October 1942 in Maharashtra, India to a Jain father, who was from Paldi near Pirana, Ahmedabad, Gujarat and Muslim mother, and her religious upbringing involved worshiping Sai Baba. Her mother enrolled her in Indian classical dance classes at an early age.

Career

Parekh started her career as a child artiste under the screen name Baby Asha Parekh in the film Aasmaan (1952). Famed film director Bimal Roy saw her dance at a stage function and cast her at the tender age of twelve in Baap Beti (1954). The film's failure disappointed her and even though she did a couple more child roles, she quit to resume her schooling. At sixteen she decided to try acting again and make her debut as a heroine, but she was rejected from Vijay Bhatt's Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959) in favor of actress Ameeta, because the filmmaker claimed she was not star material. The very next day, film producer Subodh Mukherjee and writer-director Nasir Hussain cast her as the heroine in Dil Deke Dekho (1959) opposite Shammi Kapoor which made her a huge star.

The film also led to a long and fruitful association with Hussain. He went on to cast her as the heroine in six more of his films: Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Teesri Manzil (1966), Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), and Caravan (1971). She also did a cameo role for his film Manzil Manzil (1984). He also got her involved in distribution of films for 21 years, starting with Baharon Ke Sapne (1967). She was primarily known as a glamour girl/excellent dancer/tomboy in most of her films, until director Raj Khosla gave her a serious image by casting her in tragedienne roles in three of her favorite films: Do Badan (1966), Chirag (1969), and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978). Director Shakti Samanta gave her more dramatic roles in her other favorite films, Pagla Kahin Ka (1970), and Kati Patang (1970), the latter earned her the Filmfare Best Actress Award. Many important directors repeated her several times in their films, such as Vijay Anand, Mohan Segal and J.P. Dutta.


Asha acted in her mother tongue Gujarati by starring in three films at the height of her fame in Hindi films, the first film being Akhand Saubhagyavati (1963), which became a huge hit. She also acted in some Punjabi films and a Kannada film.

After her days as a leading lady ended, she took on supporting roles as bhabhi (sister-in-law) and mother, but she called this the "awkward phase" of her career. So she stopped acting in films, and her friends recommended that she become a television director. She took their advice and became a television director in the early 1990s with a Gujarati serial Jyoti. She formed a production company Akruti and produced serials like Palash ke Phool, Baaje Payal, Kora Kagaz and a comedy Dal Mein Kaala. She was the president of the Cine Artistes' Association from 1994 to 2000. Asha was the first female chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board) of India. She held the post from 1998 to 2001 for which she received no salary but plenty of controversy for censoring films and for not giving clearance to Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth. Later, she became the treasurer of the Cine and Television Artists Association (CINTAA) and also was later elected to be one of its officebearers.

Asha stopped acting in 1995 to pursue directing and producing television serials, but her acting accomplishments were not forgotten as she received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. And she has continued to receive other Lifetime Achievement Awards: Kalakar Award in 2004; International Indian Film Academy Awards in 2006; Pune International Film Festival Award (2007); Ninth Annual Bollywood Award (2007) in Long Island, New York. She received the Living Legend Award from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry(FICCI).

In 2008, she was a judge on a reality show Tyohaar Dhamaaka on the Indian entertainment channel 9X.

Personal life

Asha has remained unmarried, claiming that her reputation of being unapproachable made people hesitate in asking for her hand in marriage. There were rumors that she was romantically involved with her married director Nasir Hussain. In her later years, Asha said that she had a longtime boyfriend but declined to elaborate on the relationship, only stating that "it was nice while it lasted." She said she hadn't seen Nasir Hussain the last year of his life, as he became reclusive because of his wife's death, but she did speak to him on the phone the day before he died in 2002.

Today, she concentrates on her dance academy Kara Bhavan. The Asha Parekh Hospital in Santa Cruz, Mumbai is named after her because of her many contributions.

Filmography


Asha Parekh has acted in over 50 films.

• Aasmaan (1952) (as Baby Asha Parekh)

• Dhobi Doctor (1954)

• Baap Beti (1954)

• Ayodhyapati (1956)

• Ustad (1957) .... Child Artiste

• Aasha (1957) (uncredited)

• Dil Deke Dekho (1959) .... Neeta Narayan

• Hum Hindustani (1960) .... Sudha

• Ghunghat (1960) ....Laxmi

• Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961) .... Nisha R. Singh

• Gharana (1961) ....Usha Gupta

• Chhaya (1961) .... Sarita J. Choudhary

• Apna Banake Dekho (1962)

• Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963) .... Mona

• Meri Surat Teri Ankhen (1963) .... Kavita

• Bin Badal Barsaat (1963) .... Sandhya Gupta

• Bharosa (1963) ....Gomti

• Akhand Saubhagyavati (1963) .... Usha

• Ziddi (1964 film) (1964) .... Asha Singh

• Mere Sanam (1965) .... Neena Mehra

• Teesri Manzil (1966) .... Sunita

• Love in Tokyo (1966) .... Asha

• Do Badan (1966) .... Asha

• Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966) .... Kanchan

• Upkar (1967) .... Kavita

• Baharon Ke Sapne (1967) .... Geeta

• Shikar (1968) .... Kiran

• Kahin Aur Chal (1968)

• Sajan (1969 film) (1969) .... Rajni

• Pyar Ka Mausam (1969) .... Seema Kumar

• Mahal (1969) ....Roopa Devi

• Kanyadaan (film) (1969) .... Rekha

• Chirag (1969) .... Asha Chibber

• Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969) .... Aarti

• Pagla Kahin Ka (1970) ....Dr. Shalini ("Shalu")

• Naya Raasta (1970) .... Shallo

• Kati Patang (1970) .... Madhavi ("Madhu")

• Kankan De Ole (1970)

• Bhai-Bhai (1970) .... Taaj

• Aan Milo Sajna (1970) .... Varsha/Deepali

• Nadaan (1971) .... Seema

• Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971) .... Anju

• Jwala (1971) (as Ashaparekh)....Ranjana

• Jawan Mohabbat (1971) .... Komal Mathur

• Caravan (1971) .... Sunita/Soni

• Samadhi (1972) .... Champa

• Rakhi Aur Hathkadi (1972) .... Janki/Kiran

• Heera (film) (1973) .... Asha

• Anjaan Raahen (1974) .... Geeta

• Rani Aur Lalpari (1975) .... Kamla

• Zakhmee (1975) .... Asha

• Udhar Ka Sindur (1976) .... Shanta

• Kulvadhu (1977) .... Chandan

• Adha Din Adhi Raat (1977)

• Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) .... Tulsi Chouhan

• Prem Vivah (1979)

• Bin Phere Hum Tere (1979) .... Jamuna

• Sau Din Saas Ke (1980) .... Sheela

• Bulundi (1980)

• Khel Muqaddar Ka (1981)

• Kaalia (1981) .... Shanti

• Pakhandi (1984)

• Dharam Aur Kanoon (1984)

• Manzil Manzil (1984) .... Vijay's mom

• Lava (film) (1985) .... Amar's mom

• Car Thief (film) (1986) .... Mrs. Mehera

• Sagar Sangam (1988)

• Main Tere Liye (1988) .... Priti

• Hamara Khandaan (1988) .... Sharda Singh (Vishal's mom)

• Hum To Chale Pardes (1988)

• Hathyar (1989 film) (1989) .... Avinash's mother

• Batwara (1989) .... Bade Thakur's wife

• Professor Ki Padosan (1993) .... Shobha (Prof's Wife)

• Bhagyawan (1994) .... Savitri

• Ghar Ki Izzat (1994) .... Seeta

• Andolan (1995)

• Sar Aankhon Par (1999)....Herself

Awards and nominations


1. Filmfare Award Nomination as Best Actress for Chirag(1969)

2. Filmfare Best Actress Award for Kati Patang(1970)

3. Filmfare Award Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for Udhar Ka Sindoor(1976)

4. Filmfare Award Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978)

5. Padma Shri awarded in the Arts (1992)

6. Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2002)

7. Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association(IMPPA) felicitated Asha for her outstanding contribution to the Indian film industry (2003)

8. Kalakar Award--Lifetime Achievement Award (2004)

9. International Indian Film Academy Awards for outstanding achievement in Indian cinema (2006)

10. Saptarang Ke Saptashee Award (2006)

11. Gujarati Association of North America (GANA)'s First International Gujarati Convention-Lifetime Achievement Award (2006)[29]

12. Pune International Film Festival—Lifetime Achievement Award (2007)

13. Bollywood Award—Lifetime Achievement Award (2007)

14. Living Legend Award from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry(FICCI).[17]

15. Film Federation of India honored Asha at its Golden Jubilee celebration ceremony-(2008)[30]

16. Sahyadri Navratna Award given to Asha for being a "woman of substance" (2008)[31]

17. Solitaire for Life Award from the ABN Amro Solitaire Design Awards show (2008)[32]

18. Nashik International Film Festival-Lifetime Achievement Award (2009)[33]

19. 'Lachchu Mahraj Puraskar' Award for Asha's contribution to dance and acting (2009)[2]

20. 40th International Film Festival of India felicitated Asha for completing 50 years in Hindi cinema (2009)[34]

21. 'Legends Live Forever Award' from the Immortal Memories Event (2009)[35]

22. Golden Laurel Award—Ninth Gr8 Women Achievers Awards (2010)[36]

23. Prakarti Ratan Award (2010)[37]