Have you ever unexpectedly hated the villain a lot more than you could ever love the protagonist? If you’ve felt the full spectrum of emotions that a well-written and a well-acted villain could entice, then you’ve definitely heard of the legend that is Prem Chopra. I shouldn’t be hasty and generalise him as a stereotypical villain, he is so much more than that. In an era, where we find people compromising their craft for fame, he is one of those few who found this notorious balance and never let his love for performing fade away.

In a career spanning a vast six-decades and many unforgettable dialogues, he made sure that his name is never forgotten. (Prem naam hai mera, Prem Chopra). Like many people wanting to pursue this challenging field, he too faced opposition from his family but persevered nonetheless. After finding his footing in the city of dreams, Mumbai, he had found his breakthrough into cinematic glory. He carved himself an inimitable niche as a villain. He was frequently paired with a lot of other well known actors including Rajesh Khanna and Bindoo. Adding different textures and deeper layers to a negative role was an art that he had mastered. It must be said that the more hated the antagonist is, the more brilliant is the actor.

‘Shaheed’, ‘Upkar’, ‘Do Raaste’, ‘Kati Patang’, ‘Do Anjane’ are some of his most lauded works. As an actor, he remains committed to the thrill of performing and displaying a sense of poetry in all his character; no matter how nefarious they are. In over 350 films, he has given more of himself to this art form than anyone.

A teacher is like a gardener who sows the seed of knowledge and nourishes it with his gentle supervision, watering it with the emotional succour, save the plants from weeds and facilitates the growth of that plant into a tree with full glory.

A guru teaches more than a subject, he supplements us with more than academic knowledge and teaches us about the abstract essence of life and along with it prepares us for what lies outside the premises of the educational building.

For everyone there is a teacher who changed our lives, inspired us in the days of despondency and without whom the nostalgia of our school would but just be a mere delusion. For me, back in the days of neck tie and identity card, the teacher who inspired me the most is Mr. Sudhanshu Sutar, my art teacher. And there’s no better way than to express my gratitude towards him and to all the teachers on this Teacher’s day.

One of the earliest memories I have of art is that of sitting in Sudhanshu sir’s class. His dedicated perspective towards art would reflect in his eyes while he taught us the basics of drawing. From covering the entire sheet with colours to practicing sketching straight lines with a free hand, he ensured that our basics were strong.

Today, when I look at his artworks making their existence speak, I simultaneously think of his struggles from Orissa to Delhi to an art exhibition in Japan and to painting billboards at Pragati Maidan and I experience a gust of pride rush through my veins, for I can say I’ve been his student.

Today, while wishing him a happy teacher’s day, I fondly remember him for being one of the most amazing teachers in our school and I’d want to thank him for his insightful teachings.

Some of his amazing creations are!

We are taught to grow up in this world not a moment later than when we are born. There are infinite possibilities and limitations to our existence. With so many things to learn and even more to be taught, it is safe to wonder: Who is a teacher? Imagine a traveller whose lifelong dream is to find an invaluable gem, someday they find it but instead of rightfully keeping it for themselves, they want to make sure they leave behind a safe trail for all. They make sure that nobody misses out on the thrill of discovery. That is a teacher. Today, we honor some of these incredible teachers and their significant impact on Indian art and culture.

1. Rabindranath Tagore

India has been blessed with a fathomless sea of such selfless masters. Champions who excelled so much at their craft that they took the greatest pleasure in sharing it. Surely there must be little who wouldn’t have encountered the name of Rabindranath Tagore (born Robindronath Thakur) in their lives. Also called the Bard of Bengal, he grew up highly introverted and full of overflowing literary fervour. He maximised the mere length of human life and became a scholar, painter, philosopher, playwright, novelist and a revolutionary. However, in his own words the only thing he could see himself as was a poet. It was perhaps his serenity and poetry that led him to establish one of India’s most peaceful education institutes; Shantiniketan. Having dropped out of school himself on grounds
of claustrophobia, he set out to create an open world where all the formalities of western education were married with the cultural wisdom of the east. An unyielding energy source, his impact on our nation lives within us all.

2. Pandit Birju Maharaj

Years later, another exponent was born into a similarly well known family. Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj of the Kalka-Bindadin Gharana of Lucknow is credited to have brought in a new wave of interest in the elegant dance form of Kathak. A divine dedication is demanded from those who wish to raise their limits, this exudes effervescently in his precise footwork and fluidity. He started teaching from his adolescence and has inspired leagues and leagues of Kathak aficionados to achieve greatness.

3. Master Dhanraj

One realizes that great teachers are not only those who achieved greatness in their own careers, but more often than not, they are those who, with their methods of instruction and impactful personalities harbour some of the greatest students. When one thinks of western classical music, one imagines Austrian-born Mozart or German-born Bach, however, it was one man in Chennai, Tamil Nadu who brought to the city the great orchestrations of the west. That man is Master Dhanraj. A prolific piano, violin and guitar player, his students include A.R Rahman, Ilaayiraja, Vidyasagar and Sham. One cannot imagine how dull the musicscape of our country would have been had it not been for him.

4. Ebrahim Alkazi

A place where poetry, music and dance combine is the stage. Amongst the many tragic victims of this year, we also lost the pioneer Ebrahim Alkazi. As director of the National School of Drama, Delhi (NSD), he left no stone unturned in executing his vision of Indian theatre. As a colossal young success, he revolutionised theatre as not just a means of entertainment but a discipline of study. A stickler of rules and connoisseur of art, his many facets conjoined to give us some of the most acclaimed actors, like Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher and Om Puri. He was a teacher who purely led by example.

5. Raghu Rai

One cannot understate the relevance of photographs in our lives, it definitely is the most cheaply available means of time travel. Few have achieved the level of excellence as Raghunath Rai in the field. He has served as the jury of a plethora of prestigious competitions and created world-class
exhibitions. His work gives us a very succinct glimpse of Indian life. Turning the mundanity of life into a spectacle is a skill that he has mastered. His impact his seen almost everywhere in Social Media, his passion inspires us all to pick up a camera and preserve a slice of this everchanging world.

Let us all take this day to pause and remember all those who have made our lives better! Happy teacher’s day!

Sometimes, I’ll casually happen upon my grandmother watching movies from her time, and just a glance at those expressive faces was enough to let me know that it was a special era of film-making. It is but near impossible to portray the tenderness and charm that Sadhana Shivdasani exuded in every frame. Born to a Hindu family in Karachi in 1941, her younger days were marked with some of the saddest days in our country’s history, as she and her family fled to Mumbai during the partition.

Her breakthrough was in the film ‘Love in Simla’(1960) which proved to be a tantalising success in the Box Office. She garnered the name ‘mystery girl’ by the press owing to the plot-driven thriller films that she used to do. Today, some of the films she is remembered for include Hum Dono, Woh Kaun Thi, Saaya, Anita and Asli-Naqli. No amount of adjectives will ever be enough to describe her acute instincts and brilliant screen presence.
Simple microexpressions like a hint of a smile, glint of the eye and raise of an eyebrow were enough to emote more than pages and dialogue.

There were so many facets to this infallible actress. Her instincts in fashion trends were just as good as her acting ones. Be it her signature fringe cut (named Sadhana cut after her) or sporting beautiful kurta-churidars, she was a lady lightyears ahead of her time.

Unfortunately on 25th December 2015, she passed away and left behind an unforgettable ideal of beauty, skill and performance. Unabashedly graceful, strikingly bold and hauntingly beautiful, she was truly one-of-a-kind. I can assure you, anytime you see her on-screen, your heart will only say, “Abhi na jao chodd kar, ki dil abhi bhara nahi”.

Pranab Mukherjee was the 13th President of India, a political staunch, a man known for his quick wit and an honourable receiver of the Bharat Ratna. The sudden demise of yet another important figure leaves the nation in shock and despondency. His legacy will be preserved with us in the history of Indian politics. Our prime minister, Narendra Modi while expressing his grief and showing his respect and adulation towards him tweeted, “A scholar par excellence, a towering statesman, he was admired across the political spectrum and by all sections of society”.

The disharmony is witnessed throughout the nation by the death of an ingenious political leader and a great person whose heart resided in the people of the country. Owing to the critical health condition since 10th of August, he had been struggling on the hospital bed.

He was reported to have developed a blood clot and was also tested positive for COVID-19. Later today his son Abhijeet Mukherjee tweeted to convey the sad and unfortunate news of his death at the age of 84. We with all the honour express our condolences and pray for the peace of his soul. We also express our sincere support in the grief of his bereaved family.