With orders in hand I left for Pune, reported the Station Director, who
asked his office superintendent to take my joining report!
I joined All India Radio, Pune office on the same day. It was 15th
January 1965. With this another new chapter opened in my life folding the
previous one!
The Station Director asked me to work in music section. One Mr.
Madhusudan Kanetkar, a senior Programme Executive was the in-charge of music
section.
One Mr. Nandkumar Karkhanis who said was my assistant, took me around
the office. He introduced me to all the office staff members. Then he showed me
all the studios. He informed that there were various types of programmes like
music, drama, talks, announcers and other smaller ones. According to the type
of the programmes and categories, studios were constructed.
When I was being taken in each
studio some programmes were being recorded. Some music programmes were being
broadcast. A lady who I was told an announcer was giving details of the
programme that would go on air. Although I would not understand much about the
Radio terminology, but the whole atmosphere attracted me instantly.
All studios were located on the
ground floor, which were fully air-conditioned. Office rooms were on the first
floor. It was an old building with only one floor i.e. ground plus one. It was
very congested and crammed.
All India Radio was surrounded by office building of Maharashtra Board
of Secondary Education, Meteorological Department, Pune Bus Stand and
Shivajinagar Railway Station. I observed the staff was highly educated,
polished, cultured and cooperative.
The entire environment made me
feel that this was my field and I would unlikely to be drifted to some other
department or job!
Being alone I stayed in a nearby lodging and boarding guesthouse on Ferguson College Road. When I reached to the lodge in the evening I
found that this one-day of All India Radio gave me full mental satisfaction and
solace!
Within 2-3 days I understood the pattern of staff. There were two wings,
Programming Wing and Engineering Wing. As the names indicated their respective
jobs were distinct and well defined. Administrative branch was a supportive
staff to look after all other office matters.
Then in Programme Wing there were
two categories namely Programme Executives, having gazetted status and
Producers being on contract basis but more or less permanent.
Engineering Department was headed by Superintending Engineer. Although
Programming Department was headed by Station Director, he was also head of the
office as well.
Our Station Director was Mr. K. D. Dixit, a connoisseur of music and a
writer. There was galaxy of respected names in the Programme Wing. V. D.
Madgulkar – a well-known Marathi short story writer, play writer whose books
were translated in several foreign languages, Mrs. Jyotsna Deodhar – a
novelist, Gajendra Gadkar – a well-known flute player, Pathak and Golwalkar –
renowned music composer, Dr. Vimal Chorghade – an authority on folk music,
Gopinath Talwalkar – a widely known writer for children literature, Mr.
Madhusudan Kanetkar – our music section in-charge and a classical music
vocalist, Mr. P. Y. Joshi – known throughout Maharashtra as drama artist. And besides
these persons there were number of instrumentalists, drama voices and
announcers! Their contribution to AIR, Pune was outstanding. To work in Radio I
observed – was considered highly respectable and prestigious in the public.
People working in All India Radio were always shrouded in mystery. But wrongly
or rightly, again I found – it was totally dominated by so called high caste
persons! smell of my caste was already spread in the office!
Except myself practically there
was no Scheduled Caste Programme Executive (Officer) in the office. There was
one more but he was on adhock basis, meant subject to reversion any time! (Who
too was demoted) In those days employee belonging to scheduled caste was
considered and privately called “Government’s son-in-law”!
I left Maharashtra in my 9th standard; worked in military
where lingo Franca i.e. language of conversation was Hindi. I passed all
military educational examinations with Hindi medium; taught recruits in Hindi. Myself
graduated in Hindi and more importantly I read extensively only Hindi
literature. Afterwards I prepared for all civil services and other competitive
examinations with English language. Then I was totally cut off and delinked
from Marathi language, Marathi literature and Marathi environment, and AIR,
Pune was basically and essentially Marathi language programme production
station!
Result was for a few days I was
confused, bewildered and remained aloof and alone to myself. The greatest
barrier I faced and realized was speaking in Marathi language. I thought that
the colleagues were neglecting me deliberately, probably because of my caste
and faulty Marathi. But fortunately my strong will power, confidence and
determination to achieve anything I wished Coupled with the knowledge and experience
I had gained by studying various subjects for civil services and other
examinations enabled me within a few days to overcome my frustration and a sort
of inferiority complex that had started germinating in my mind. Contrary to my
presumptions mentioned above all my colleagues really helped me in so far
Marathi language was concerned. Like a crazy person I literally read out almost
all Marathi writers’ creations ranging from novels, plays, poetry, dramatic
features, critical analysis including history of Marathi. I could modestly
explain critically on any branch of Marathi literature! So far pronunciations
of words was concerned I was immensely helped by my able assistants Mr.
Nandkumar Karkhanis and Miss Sunanda Patankar, the later being on casual contracts.
Habit of reading cultivated in me by my elder brother Gunaji continued
which afterwards became almost my addiction in MRC, Saugar of which library and
recreation room became my second work place. My friend Y. S. Ranshringare who
was the library in-charge used to provide me all the books, .
So far time was concerned it was so little I could scarcely avail it!
At Pune AIR station, my both
colleagues provided all books and information that required enriching my knowledge and equipping me with
such things, which were necessary to become a Radio Programme Officer!
Now I was faced with problem of self-respect and with full understanding
about the people’s assessment of S/C caste employees, that if an S/C employee
found to be bad or inefficient, the whole S/C community was branded as bad or
inefficient. On the contrary if a high caste employee was found bad or
inefficient. only that particular employee was branded bad or inefficient and
not the entire high caste community.
So like a hungry man I speedily embarked on learning and gathering every
bit of professional knowledge – related to Marathi Programme production!
None, except the Station Director, had any idea about my background; and
as such in the eyes of staff members I was being considered as “Government’s
son-in-law”, which for them meant a person favoured by the Government because
of his caste as S/C without any merit and therefore a person non grata. With
the backdrop this incident took place.
Through the competitive examinations I was directly selected as
Programme Executive by UPSC, which was a Gazetted post. Because of my direct
appointment two Programme Executives who were on Ad hock basis got reverted to
the lower posts known as Transmission Executives. One of them belonged to
Brahmin community. It did create a heart burning in a particular section.
Within a month of my joining, I was allotted a Officer’s quarter III/3 in
Government Colony known as Mukundnagar. In fact this quarter was to be allotted
to other Programme Executive who belonged to so called high caste, but as he
was demoted to lower post, I became senior to him and that quarter which
otherwise was to be given to him, I got it! This poured fuel on the already
burning feelings. When I received order of allotment, I also received a message
from Bombay informing that we were blessed with our first child – a daughter.
In All India Radio as we come to
the office. morning meetings are held daily. These meetings are called Programme meetings, which are attended
by all Programme Officers, Technical Staff and the Transmission Executives who
functioned as Duty Offices. In the meeting programmes broadcast on previous day
and night are thoroughly analyzed; faults noticed by the Programme monitoring
Duty
Officer in the programme productions and transmission are discussed in
detail. Programme details as provided in Cue Sheet to be broadcast the next day
are also read out by the Duty Officer. The Transmission Executive or Duty
Officer who monitored the production already broadcast would analyse them and
would give his remarks as A, A+, B, B+ and C to each programme according to the
overall quality of the production.
The meeting is presided over and
conducted generally by the Senior Programme Executive. Normally the Programme
Officers whose programmes are broadcast on previous day and night must
invariably attend the meeting to know the remarks given to his production and
also hear the assessment and reaction of other Programme Officers, very often
listeners would phone to the Duty Officer conveying his her reaction about the
programme and listener’s reaction thus received not only are recorded but also
taken seriously. The glory of the meeting was that those Programme Officers
whose productions were rated as A or A+ the members attending the meeting would
demand for a small treat like tea or sweet from the concerned Programme Officer
for his good production.
Sometimes the meeting members would ask such entertainments on a few
joyful occasions. And concerned programme officer was glad to give it also.
Most likely series of good events taken place one after another in my
just one or two month’s service span, prompted members to demand sweets and tea
from me. “Sawdekar, tea or sweet would not suffice; you have to host us a lunch
or dinner”. As a new comer possessed with good news, keeping in mind the
meeting’s normal tradition, I gladly agreed to offer tea and sweets. But
hearing some sarcastic tone and remarks from some staff members in the meeting,
I felt it insulting and offending. Keeping an eye on that person I asked, ‘”Can
you tell me why should I host a dinner to you?” (I emphasized my tone on
“you”).
One of them commented if food were served to the Brahmins the host would
go to heaven. Probably it might have sounded in a lighter vein.But prevailing attitude of the high castes towards S/C employees and my
childhood background, I being the S/C category officer I took the explanation
hurting and instantly I retorted that if dinner was served to the Brahmins, I
would go to hell and certainly I would not let it happen to me!
My remarks provoked a bitter
exchange of words between me and the other members in the meeting. It made me
excited and forced me to say that it was the Brahmin community who denied us
the education, kept us illiterate, imposed poverty on us and forced us to do
dirty jobs making us their social slaves; and therefore Brahmins were solely
responsible for our today’s deplorable conditions!
The atmosphere in the meeting heated up so much that the presiding
officer angrily threw the files on the floor and walked out of the hall. Pin
drop silence cast in the hall and all other members got up one by one and left
the meeting! As if woken up from a dream I noticed empty hall and files
scattered on the ground. I too went up in my room. Needless to say except myself,
all members in the meeting were Brahmins!
I knew that news must have
reached to the Station Director, Mr. K. D. Dixit, himself a Pune Brahmin. I was
eagerly and restlessly waiting for a call from his chamber. But the day passed
off. Next day also nothing happened in the morning meeting but I could feel
tense atmosphere as nobody spoke to me about anything. Every member behaved as
if nothing abnormal took place but sending mute anti reservation feelings.
I thought a warning memo must be under process seeking my explanation.
Gradually high tide of my anxiety
receded. After three days it suddenly rose when Mr. Gaikwad, the Station
Director’s peon stepped in my room saying that Station Director wanted me to
see him! The warning bell rang. Programme Officers’ rooms were adjoining to
each other in a row with only one small passage to go. MR. Gaikwad’s
approaching to my room created apprehensive reactions visible on the faces of
other officers who too were anxiously expecting for some strong action against me.
“Station Director is our man and he would not leave Sawdekar without any
punishment”, sometimes I heard murmuring.
Anyway, I had already entered in Brahmin tiger’s den and stood before the Station Director looking at him who was signing some papers. Mr.
Dixit raised his head from the files and holding one paper in hand calmly said,
“I came to know in detail about other day’s morning programme meeting. You may
be right, but could have avoided it. Situations like this one will occur in
your life, but do not loose your temper'. Then he stretched his hand indicating
to take the paper from his hand and then said, “Now you may go”. I was stunned! For a moment I
forgot that I was asked to go! No harsh words; no verbal warning! Automatically
I took the paper and moved off his room! Mr. Dixit burried his head in the
files. I slammed in my chair and did not open the pager for some time. When
cooled down I thought the paper must be a memo! When I opened it I found it was
the complaint about me! Mr. Dixit had put remark on it “Seen – File it”. – No
action!
With the passage of time, I found Mr. Dixit a well-read, well-mannered,
good writer and connoisseur of fine arts especially of music. Surprisingly my
colleagues also forgot the incident and behaved with me as if nothing
unpleasant had happened!
With committed determination I got acquainted with and tried to achieve
as much knowledge about Marathi language and felt really satisfied that I had
attained required status for Pune Radio Programming in particular and Radio in
general. I received immense help from my colleagues like Karkhanis, Sunanda and
my close friends and Senior Producer Mr. P. Y. Joshi,
In February 1965, I shifted in III/3 CDWD quarter allotted to me.
Nirmala too joined me with our daughter. Immediately in March – April I called
Ramesh – my elder brother – Gunaji’s son and Shrirang – son of my sister,
Bhagirathi whom we had promised to look after her sons at the time of her
death. We could not save her infant in our old days due to our poverty. I
admitted Ramesh and Srirang in the school and now I felt reasonably settled.
Within a short period I identified myself with Radio. I found and
discovered my life and destination there. There existed every facet of life.
Eminent persons came for recording their thoughts on various subjects. Talk
studio was always occupied by such personalities. I heard freedom fighters like D. N. Shikhare, Rao Saheb Patwardhan, T. R.
Deogirikar, N. G. Gore, S. M. Joshi, Acharya S. G. Bhagwat, men of literature
like Shrinivas Joshi, P. L. Deshpande, G. N. Dandekar. I had witnessed the
recording of Tabla maestro like Samata Prasad, Ahmed Jan Thirkwa, folk lawani
of famous Sulochana Chavan. Poet Laurate of famous Geet Ramayan G. D.
Madgudkar, vocalists Jagannath Buwa Patwardhan, Sarswati Rane, musician Ram
Kadam, Golwalkar, Marathi Drama songs by Jyotsna Bhole, master Krishna Rao,
many balad singers, Pirajirao Sarnaik and number of prominent artists. To
listen to recording of sonnets, devotional songs and light music was like
getting in trance.
I always put on my radio set in the morning and listened serene
signature tune of All India Radio followed by National Anthem and then Shahnai
recital by maestro Bismilla Khan! And then devotional music, which prepared
listener’s mind for day’s work with dedicated devotion and sublimity!
Scheduling of Raga was a very ticklish and responsible job. Only
classical musician was right person to place it in the programme schedule for
broadcasting. If by mistake a morning Raga went on the air in the evening or
night or vice versa, it attracted hell of criticism in the morning programme
meeting from the Programme Officers, besides to provide explanation to extract
from the Transmission Report about broadcast of a wrong 'Raga!' Even a minor
blank between broadcasting of two programmes was taken seriously. Therefore the
concerned announcer always kept standby tapes containing musical pieces with
him or her in the announcer’s booth!
Schedule of each programme like talks, drama, music, rural,
agricultural, women, children, youth etc. were prepared on quarterly basis and
after thorough scrutiny and approval by the Station Director, copies for
information were forwarded to the AIR Directorate at Delhi. Schedule must
contain all details such as names of participants, artists, fees, duration,
time of broadcasting etc. Deviation from the schedule, without intimation and
Station Director’s approval was not permitted. Payment to the artists was to be
made promptly after broadcast in the Duty Room itself. In short, whole working
and process was smooth, straight and transparent! Therefore besides
professional satisfaction and emotional fulfilment, we in Radio enjoyed peaceful and clean life
and respect from public at large.
The Station Director assigned me “programme for Youth” which was
introduced on Radio by Mr. I. K. Gujral, the then Information and Broadcasting
Minister. I entitled it in Marathi as “Asha Udyachya” meant “Hopes of
Tomorrow”. The new programme received tremendous response from the youth
community in general and the students’ community in particular. “My Ideas”, “If
I were a Prime Minister”, “Why I liked this song” – programmes like these
attracted immense response and my room became a place for new ideas and was
always crowded with young boys and girls.
In order to reach the newly found talents I arranged a grand live
audience programme in a newly constructed auditorium “Bal Gandharva Ranga Mandir”named after the
legendary famous woman’s role player and pioneer of Marathi musical drama songs singer “Bal Gandharva”.
First programme was on "reciprocal understandings and
misunderstandings of boys about girls and vice versa." The second
programme was on "generation gap" – old and new. And third programme
was a “Light Music”! I selected – needless to say with the help of my two able
assistants – Karkhanis and Sunanda, all the participants. for programmes.
In 'Generation Gap' debate
participants were eminent personalities like Mr. A.G. Pawar, Vice
Chancellor of Kolhapur University, Acharya S. G. Bhagwat – well known freedom
fighter and scholar, Mrs. Shakuntala Paranjape – the top most leading advocate
of “Birth Control” – unheard, unacceptable concept of those days who was also
the daughter of reputed Wrangler Paranjape and Maha Moh Padhyay Datto Waman
Poddar – a well known historian and known for his scholarship but also
eccentric and ascetic living.I selected youth who were found talented against
these stalwarts.
He was living alone as a bachelor in a big old house. I went to request
him to participate in the debate. Right from the main road just up to the very
door of his big house arrow marking was painted indicating “M. M. D. W. Poddar”
here. He was busy writing something on the wooden plank. All rooms were packed
with books. I saluted and explained him the programme.
He gladly accepted my request. It was a known fact that he did not
entertain visitors and least the government officials. But I won him and felt
extremely glad. While rising from the floor, I just – out of curiosity –
touched a book and suddenly heard a roaring voice from behind. It was Mr.
Poddar. “Why the hell you touched my book? How could you dare to disturb my
book? Did you ask my permission? Now just get lost. I do not want to see your
face a second. I say get out at once”. My pleading, apology all fell on his
deaf ears! Frightened I left with my colleague! Terribly upset, knowing not
what to do? Problem was not to get a participant but to get a participant of
equal stature, status and learning as compared with the other participants!
Next day after meeting I went to my room where I saw a person waiting
for me. My assistants were mischievously smiling. “Sir, he has come from Podar
Saheb”, Sunanda informed! “Now what is the matter?” I murmured. The man said,
“I have come from Poddar sir. He has asked me to convey his consent to
participate in the programme and told you to see him today any time convenient
to you as he wanted to know more in detail!” and he left! I was relieved! And
now I understood the reason of Sunanda’s mischievous smile!
While preparing young participants for debate against the stalwarts, my
experience of debate competitions of military helped me immensely. I had to
presume what the senior and learned veterans would argue and accordingly I had
to make young participants to counter argue effectively.
The Bal Gandharv Rang Mandir was
over flooded with audience. First time probably in AIR Pune, I invited parents
of all young participants and also got the list of persons from participants
they wished to invite. My intention was to cater all strata of the invitees. I
thought the subject of the debate being age old would stir minds of younger and
old generation like the other issues between opposite genders would cater their
assumptions, presumptions about each other and the light music would entertain
the majority!
And I succeeded beyond expectation. Intermittent roaring applause from
audience convinced me that it went very well.
Surprisingly there were some young student followers of RSS who once
wanted to beat me for my critical comments about Hindu religion, the same
students paid me and my wife – Nirmala – respect by touching our feet in the
presence of other invitees .saying that they mistook in understanding me|
The programme was inaugurated by Mr. B. B. Bhosale, then Station Director,
Pune AIR. He believed in astrology. While delivering the inaugural speech in a
lighter vein he made some references to Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first
Prime Minister of India. It was so casual and certainly not amounting to belittling in any way.
After 10–15 days, Station
Director received a big complaint from I&B Ministry made by a local Muslim
Association saying that Mr. Bhosle made caricature of our beloved world over
known Prime Minister in his opening talk! Mr. Bhosle quite perturbed showed me
the complaint. It being my programme I asked the Station Director whether he
would like me to prepare a reply. Mr. Bhosle always kept me at a distance, as I
openly doubted his astrology, although otherwise he was nice to me.
Coincidently I had a book entitled something like this “Islam in
transition in India”. As my hobby I had several books on various subjects in my
store! This book contained several passages after passages citing examples as
to how certain group of Muslims had criticized Nehru. As my purpose was only to
defend Mr. Bhosle from such silly and biased complaint I based my detail reply
on the material. Mr. Bhosle half-heartedly satisfied sent it to Ministry.
Gladly enough months after months passed and there was no rejoinder from the
Ministry. Mr. Bhosle seemed relieved and I felt happy that an innocent man’s
innocent comments were viewed judiciously.
My another programme “Learning Hindi” in lighter vein of which lessons
were prepared by well known Hindi writers and whose writing was aptly
contributed by me to some extent – myself being a Hindi language knowing person
– had become extremely popular! These lessons were broadcast in dialogues and
humorously! Mr. Hari Narayan Vyas .a reputed Hindi poet and my AIR colleague produced the programme.
I must mention that it was my colleague Mr. W. R. Saraf and I. who first time introduced live commentary for “Kho-Kho” and “Kabbadi” – the
popular Indian sports. Our first commentator was Mr. S. G. Nadkarni – Professor
of Wadiya College, Pune. It instantly caught the minds of sports lovers and
public! Earlier till then commentary was inserted in studio while editing and
dubbing.
So far office work was concerned,
I was satisfied in the sense that fear as to how I would be able to cope up
with Marathi programme productions and whether I would be able to acquire
required knowledge about Marathi literature and Marathi environment in its
totality – these complexes were over in short period but my inborn tendency to do something for the society was not allowing me to sit
idle! It was making me mentally restless. So simultaneously I was on look out to
find out avenues and like-minded people from our communities so that I could start some social activities to get involved in.
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