R D Burman speaks about Kishore kumar

Today is the birthday of my friend Jeetu who happens to be a wonderful singer himself (one of my favorites). This post is dedicated to him. This is about my favorite singer and composer. Jeetu will definitely become a successful, reputed, famous singer soon.

Kishore and R.D.Burman (Pancham)

First Encounter
in R.D.'s own words...
"One day, sitting on a wall of the same studio, I saw a man wearing a muffler and cap and holding a black stick. He was imitating everyone who passed, just like a monkey. When we went into the studio the man jumped off the wall and came into the recording room. Jo jo gana gatey the unka satyanash karte hue woh khud gana gane lage. When I asked him why he was doing it he said: 'I am an orphan. Nobody looks after me. Please give me a chance'."

Amused at the recollection, R.D. gave a hearty laugh. The man on the wall was Kishore Kumar who, according to R.D., is the best male singer we have. "He is flexible. He can sing a classical song better than any of the others. I know because I've worked with all of them. He can sing a funny song or a sad song, nobody can beat him in versatility. He has never learnt any music but his ability to grasp is the secret of his success. He observes the music director and mimics.

Give him the tape
It was Pancham who generally carried S.D.Burman's (Pancham's father) spool-tape of the tune to Kishore's home. Pancham himself adopted the same technique in drawing the very best out of Kishore. S D Burman's technique was to send the spool-tape of the song to Kishore well in advance.

"There's no singer like Kishore," says Pancham, "if you send the tape of the song to him even two days before the recording. Kishore wants this tape in advance, because he doesn't just sing a song; he feels it; savours it; experiences it; before entering the music room to record it." "My best songs for Kishore," went on Pancham, "have been done this way."
"So strikingly different, in fact, was the result when I managed to send the tape to Kishore, two days in advance, that I could, here, offhand reel off the songs done this way, for me, by this my pet performer."
"I sent the tape of the tune beforehand to Kishore and he came up with O maanjhee re (in Khushboo); Zindagee ke safar mein (in Aap Ki Kasam); Raat kalee ek khwab mein aayee (in Budha Mil Gaya); Musafir hoon yaaron (in Parichay); Diye jalte hain (in Namak Haraam); and Meree bheegee bheegee see (in Anamika)."
"Plus, in my breakthrough film, Hare Rama Hare Krishna -- as a composer with a style all my own -- Kishore came up, so notably, with Dekho o deewanon."
"This without mentioning Kishore's artistry in my other two breakthrough films: Amar Prem and Kati Patang," added Pancham.
"In fact, it was with these two films that I truly discerned how much sending the tape, in advance, to Kishore meant -- as he gave matchless results in such songs of mine as Yeh kya hua and Kuchch to log kahege; Yeh jo mohabbat hai and Pyaar deewana hota hai, not forgetting Yeh shaam mastanee."

PS This is from an interview by Mr Vijay Akela, taken in Filmfare.

1 = 0.99999...............

This is very interesting. Many of us know it.
1=0.9999...........
Don't worry. Everything is right about it.

For example 1/3 = 0.333333...........
ie 3 * 0.333333...... = 1 (if x/y = z, then yz = x)
ie 0.99999........ = 1 (since 3*0.3333..... = 0.9999........)

The proof goes like this
let x= 0.9999........
hence 10x = 9.9999........ (multiplying both sides by 10)
subtracting the two equations we get,
10x - x = 9.9999........ - 0.9999.........
ie 9x = 9
ie x = 1
ie 0.9999....... = 1 ( as x = 0.9999.... & x = 1)
Hence proved

PS Dont try to find any mistake in the proof because there isn't any.
Please let me know if you are interested in such posts.

Education

What have we taken from education?

I am not writing the obvious things which we have got from education. The problem is I happen to see a lot of people who are termed as educated in the society but are no more than literates. The difference between literates and educated to my mind is awareness. Getting a degree ensures that you are literate. However when that literate becomes socially responsible and aware you become educated.

According to me, a graduate who litters is literate and not educated. I have seen people doing many non sense things like the one mentioned and are termed as educated by the society.

Education has given unnecessary tolerance and ignorance. How?
In a particular year there are 8 subjects and I like 3 subjects but still i need to learn the other 5 as well to clear the exam and unless you clear the exam you are assumed not to be competent in the three subjects which I like. What am I doing? I am tolerating the five subjects. When you tolerate and continue doing it a stage comes when you ignore it. In real life also we tolerate so many things and claim that we have actually accepted. This is again ignoring the difference between tolerance and acceptance. Take the example of powercuts.

Education has made us selfish. How?
In the schools we are told by teachers help others. When I actually help a student sitting next to me , he scores more than me and our system gives more importance to the progress cards than values.When I look at the progress card I say "hang on I don't get any rewards by helping others." There is no benefit in helping others and this feeling is more intense as you move higher in education ladder. One can be good by doing hard work but to be better one has to pull others down. This is what is learnt during education career and it is continued when that person goes for a job. In early 1900's people used to get educated for knowledge. Today most of the people take education to do a job. In other words the primary purpose of education is to earn and learning is ancillary.

Earn a lot !!!

Earn large sums of money ethically and become socially responsible citizen. I guess people will be very interested in this post as this connects with most people. They can take pride in earning money as they are doing a job of saving the world from terrorists. People will wonder how.

If everyone starts earning more than what they are earning at this point of time, the total amount of wealth in the planet remaining fairly constant (inelastic as we call in economics), more wealth with good people means less money at the disposal of the terrorists. So the terrorists get less amount to fund their projects. Eventually the terrorists activities will reduce. Any business runs with the help of finance and terrorism is no exception.

So next time people call you materialistic be happy that you are making a contribution towards the society.

Happy birthday Kishore da

Today is the 79th birth anniversary of one of the most prolific singers India has ever produced. Kishore kumar was born on 4th august 1929 as Abhas kumar Ganguly in khandwa (Madhya pradesh)

Kishore kumar was introduced in the film industry by his elder brother Ashok kumar (dada muni). Ashok kumar was already an established actor in bollywood and wanted kishore kumar who was younger to him by 19 years to follow his foot steps and become an actor. However Kishore kumar was never interested in acting. If it wouldn't have been for Ashok kumar, Kishore da wouldn't have become an actor at all. Kishore Kumar always wanted to be a singer. His singing talents were first recognised by S D Burman and he got his first break from Khemchand Prakash. Kishore da used to act in films because that was an era when actors used to sing their own songs. He purposely used to act in an insane manner so that the producer will not sign him for the next film and he will only have to sing in films. Little did he know at that time he will become the first comic hero of bollywood. Kishore kumar went on to act in 98 hindi films and 5 bengali films.

Kishore da was a multi faceted personality. He had four wives. He got married to Ruma Devi from whom he has a son (Amit Kumar). O P Nayar saab gave Amit Kumar the biggest compliment he could have ever heard. O P said ''No doubt your father is a great singer but he doesnt have the gamak(Grace) that you have". After divorcing his first wife he married Madhubala in spite of knowing that she has health problems. He got converted into a Muslim to marry Madhubala. After the death of Madhubala he married Yogita Bali, who also got separated. Yogita Bali went on to marry Mithun Chakravarty. Kishore kumar stopped playing back for Mithun da.Then he married Leena Chandavarkar from whom he has a son( Sumit Kumar) who has sung in films like Deewangee( Ajay Devgan got the filmfare for the best actor in a villainous role), Naach( Abhishek Bachchan, Antra Mali, Riteish Deshmukh starrer)and Bachna aye haseeno. Kishore Kumar called his wives Bandariya as they all lived in Bandra. Kishore used to talk to plants in his free time.

Kishore Kumar never sat for rehearsals with any music directors. He agreed to rehearse with Ravindra Jain as he was moved by his compositions. Only non Rabindra Jain song for which he agreed to rehearse is ghungroo ki tarah bajta hi raha hoon main. Rafi saab used to say "No matter how much I practise this tiger Kishore will beat me". This shows the greatness of Rafi saab. Kishore da practised the song main shayar badnaam only 3 times before he actually recorded it in 1 take.

Kishore had a great base voice and could sing any song with same class and grace. The emotions of the song were understood by him to perfection. His voice perfectly suited Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand and Amitabh Bachchan among other actors.He was about to leave Hindi film industry and go back to Khandwa in 1968 just before Aradhana was about to be made. R D said wait for this film to release S D Burman is working on some great compositions. S D Burman composed the songs and then due to health problems couldn't continue with Music arrangements. R D Burman arranged the songs. Only the song Kora Kagaz tha ye mann mera was recorded by Kishore da and all other songs were recorded in Rafi saab's voice. R D Burman re recorded Roop Tera Mastana and Mere sapnon ki rani in Kishore da's voice and he got the first of his 8 FilmFare awards for Roop Tera Mastana. Had he left Bollywood that time we would have lost some of the beautiful songs like Chingari Koi Bhadke which is a Bhairavi Raga based song only Kishore da can sing with such emotions. Yaadon ki Baraat, Tum Agaye ho, Tere Bina Zindagi, Is mod se jaate hain, Humein tumse pyar, sagar kinare & many more.

The best part of Kishore da songs is Madhuban mein Radhika is a typical Rafi saab + Naushad saab song
Mera saaya is a typical Lata ji + Madan Mohan ji song
Deewana hua baadal is a typical Rafi saab + O P Nayar song
All songs of Kishore da are Kishore Kumar songs. Listen to Aa chal ke tujhe you will understand what a great lyricist he was! We admire a lot of harkats in singing that we forget the fact that straight notes are not easy but they are effective in communicating to the listeners. Ask any of the upcoming singers who understand music how difficult are the straight notes of Om Shanti Om from Karz. Many people feel that Kishore da could not sing Pure Classical songs, I suggest them to listen to Mere Naina Saawan bhado ( a semi classical number), Payalwali dekhna(composition by Chiragupt ji), Amar deep nibhano raat( a Bengali classical number). Hearing to Amar deep seems to be hearing to a classical singer like Manna da. Listen to the falseto to the normal voice modulation in the song Na koi dil mein samay from Aa gale lag jaa. Especially the Antra of the song is mind blowing. The Bengali version of the song is sung by R D Burman from which Kishore da learnt. This proves the mettle of Kishore da as a versatile singer.

Kishore da has been an inspiration to many singers like Kumar sanu, Abhijeet, Shaan and many more. This is a small tribute from one of his million fans to the one and only Kishore da on his brithday.

Kishore da will always be alive among us through his voice.

Inspirational

Naga Naresh Karutura has just passed out of IIT Madras in Computer Science and has joined Google in Bangalore.
You may ask, what's so special about this 21-year-old when there are hundreds of students passing out from various IITs and joining big companies like Google?
Naresh is special. His parents are illiterate. He has no legs and moves around in his powered wheel chair. (In fact, when I could not locate his lab, he told me over the mobile phone, 'I will come and pick you up'. And in no time, he was there to guide me)
Ever smiling, optimistic and full of spirit; that is Naresh. He says, "God has always been planning things for me. That is why I feel I am lucky."
Read why Naresh feels he is lucky.
Childhood in a village
I spent the first seven years of my life in Teeparru, a small village in Andhra Pradesh, on the banks of the river Godavari. My father Prasad was a lorry driver and my mother Kumari, a house wife. Though they were illiterate, my parents instilled in me and my elder sister (Sirisha) the importance of studying.
Looking back, one thing that surprises me now is the way my father taught me when I was in the 1st and 2nd standards. My father would ask me questions from the text book, and I would answer them. At that time, I didn't know he could not read or write but to make me happy, he helped me in my studies!
Another memory that doesn't go away is the floods in the village and how I was carried on top of a buffalo by my uncle. I also remember plucking fruits from a tree that was full of thorns.
I used to be very naughty, running around and playing all the time with my friends. I used to get a lot of scolding for disturbing the elders who slept in the afternoon. The moment they started scolding, I would run away to the fields!
I also remember finishing my school work fast in class and sleeping on the teacher's lap!
January 11, 1993, the fateful day
On the January 11, 1993 when we had the sankranti holidays, my mother took my sister and me to a nearby village for a family function. From there we were to go with our grandmother to our native place. But my grandmother did not come there. As there were no buses that day, my mother took a lift in my father's friend's lorry. As there were many people in the lorry, he made me sit next to him, close to the door.
It was my fault; I fiddled with the door latch and it opened wide throwing me out. As I fell, my legs got cut by the iron rods protruding from the lorry. Nothing happened to me except scratches on my legs.
The accident had happened just in front of a big private hospital but they refused to treat me saying it was an accident case. Then a police constable who was passing by took us to a government hospital.
First I underwent an operation as my small intestine got twisted. The doctors also bandaged my legs. I was there for a week. When the doctors found that gangrene had developed and it had reached up to my knees, they asked my father to take me to a district hospital. There, the doctors scolded my parents a lot for neglecting the wounds and allowing the gangrene to develop. But what could my ignorant parents do?
In no time, both my legs were amputated up to the hips.
I remember waking up and asking my mother, where are my legs? I also remember that my mother cried when I asked the question. I was in the hospital for three months.
Life without legs
I don't think my life changed dramatically after I lost both my legs. Because all at home were doting on me, I was enjoying all the attention rather than pitying myself. I was happy that I got a lot of fruits and biscuits. The day I reached my village, my house was flooded with curious people; all of them wanted to know how a boy without legs looked. But I was not bothered; I was happy to see so many of them coming to see me, especially my friends!
All my friends saw to it that I was part of all the games they played; they carried me everywhere.
God's hand
I believe in God. I believe in destiny. I feel he plans everything for you. If not for the accident, we would not have moved from the village to Tanuku, a town. There I joined a missionary school, and my father built a house next to the school. Till the tenth standard, I studied in that school.
If I had continued in Teeparu, I may not have studied after the 10th. I may have started working as a farmer or someone like that after my studies. I am sure God had other plans for me.
My sister, my friend
When the school was about to reopen, my parents moved from Teeparu to Tanuku, a town, and admitted both of us in a Missionary school. They decided to put my sister also in the same class though she is two years older. They thought she could take care of me if both of us were in the same class. My sister never complained.
She would be there for everything. Many of my friends used to tell me, you are so lucky to have such a loving sister. There are many who do not care for their siblings.
She carried me in the school for a few years and after a while, my friends took over the task. When I got the tricycle, my sister used to push me around in the school.
My life, I would say, was normal, as everyone treated me like a normal kid. I never wallowed in self-pity. I was a happy boy and competed with others to be on top and the others also looked at me as a competitor.
Inspiration
I was inspired by two people when in school; my Maths teacher Pramod Lal who encouraged me to participate in various local talent tests, and a brilliant boy called Chowdhary, who was my senior.
When I came to know that he had joined Gowtham Junior College to prepare for IIT-JEE, it became my dream too. I was school first in 10th scoring 542/600.
Because I topped in the state exams, Gowtham Junior College waived the fee for me. Pramod Sir's recommendation also helped. The fee was around Rs 50,000 per year, which my parents could never afford.
Moving to a residential school
Living in a residential school was a big change for me because till then my life centred around home and school and I had my parents and sister to take care of all my needs. It was the first time that I was interacting with society. It took one year for me to adjust to the new life.
There, my inspiration was a boy called K K S Bhaskar who was in the top 10 in IIT-JEE exams. He used to come to our school to encourage us. Though my parents didn't know anything about Gowtham Junior School or IIT, they always saw to it that I was encouraged in whatever I wanted to do. If the results were good, they would praise me to the skies and if bad, they would try to see something good in that. They did not want me to feel bad.
They are such wonderful supportive parents.
Life at IIT- Madras
Though my overall rank in the IIT-JEE was not that great (992), I was 4th in the physically handicapped category. So, I joined IIT, Madras to study Computer Science.
Here, my role model was Karthik who was also my senior in school. I looked up to him during my years at IIT- Madras.
He had asked for attached bathrooms for those with special needs before I came here itself. So, when I came here, the room had attached bath. He used to help me and guide me a lot when I was here.
I evolved as a person in these four years, both academically and personally. It has been a great experience studying here. The people I was interacting with were so brilliant that I felt privileged to sit along with them in the class. Just by speaking to my lab mates, I gained a lot.

Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to Prof Pandurangan and all my lab mates; all were simply great. I was sent to Boston along with four others for our internship by Prof Pandurangan. It was a great experience. Joining Google R&D I did not want to pursue PhD as I wanted my parents to take rest now. Morgan Stanley selected me first but I preferred Google because I wanted to work in pure computer science, algorithms and game theory. I am lucky Do you know why I say I am lucky? I get help from total strangers without me asking for it. Once after my second year at IIT, I with some of my friends was travelling in a train for a conference. We met a kind gentleman called Sundar in the train, and he has been taking care of my hostel fees from then on. I have to mention about Jaipur foot. I had Jaipur foot when I was in 3rd standard. After two years, I stopped using them. As I had almost no stems on my legs, it was very tough to tie them to the body. I found walking with Jaipur foot very, very slow. Sitting also was a problem. I found my tricycle faster because I am one guy who wants to do things faster. One great thing about the hospital is, they don't think their role ends by just fixing the Jaipur foot; they arrange for livelihood for all. They asked me what help I needed from them. I told them at that time, if I got into an IIT, I needed financial help from them. So, from the day I joined IIT, Madras, my fees were taken care of by them. So, my education at the IIT was never a burden on my parents and they could take care of my sister's Nursing studies. Surprise awaited me at IIT After my first year, when I went home, two things happened here at the Institute without my knowledge. I got a letter from my department that they had arranged a lift and ramps at the department for me. It also said that if I came a bit early and checked whether it met with my requirements, it would be good. Second surprise was, the Dean, Prof Idichandy and the Students General Secretary, Prasad had located a place that sold powered wheel chairs. The cost was Rs 55,000. What they did was, they did not buy the wheel chair; they gave me the money so that the wheel chair belonged to me and not the institute. My life changed after that. I felt free and independent. That's why I say I am lucky. God has planned things for me and takes care of me at every step. The world is full of good people I also feel if you are motivated and show some initiative, people around you will always help you. I also feel there are more good people in society than bad ones. I want all those who read this to feel that if Naresh can achieve something in life, you can too.

PS I am thankful to Jyothi for her contribution. Its acctually her post under my name

why 108?

We chant a lot of mantras 108 times. What is the significance of this number?

There are nine planets ( traditionally) and these nine planets move around 12 constellations. Hence each count for each planetary movement.Thus each time the mantra is chanted the bad effects( if any ) of that planetary movement is nullified and good effects are multiplied.

The logic is 12 into 9 = 108!!!

Please don't ask me why 1008? I don't know.