Narendra Modi’s Foreign Policy – Japan

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           DECEMBER 13, 2015           10.10 P.M.

In the world of obfuscation of national frontiers, in the age of internet and social media reach, no country can remain isolated. It shouldn’t either. Foreign Policy is, thus the most important aspect of modern governance.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath of office, it was widely assumed and believed that due to lack of international exposure, he would rather falter if not fail in Foreign Policy. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised his friends, critics and enemies alike. Today after almost 18 months, foreign policy initiatives have become his strongest achievement and accomplishment.

In my last blog I wrote about 3 epoch-making initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the realm of foreign policy. He initiated 3 forums to support India’s World View. During the U.N. Climate Change Conference 2015 in Paris [ COP 21 ] , he proposed a new forum of 120 nations named INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE [ I.S.A. ]

Thus the above mentioned 4 new forums bearing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s signature are there in the foreign policy domain and they will remain the biggest hallmark of India in the coming days. India’s 1st big initiative, Non-Aligned Movement [ N.A.M. ] , started by 1st Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru is, for all practical purposes, now dead. No other Prime Minister after that could usher anything worthwhile. So it is right to say that in the realm of Foreign Policy Narendra Modi is the 2nd most successful Prime Minister of India. He is 2nd to Jawahar Lal Nehru only technically. In fact he is 2nd to none.

4 most successful initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi till date :

1 – Forum for India-Pacific Islands cooperation [ F.I.P.I.C. ]

2 – Indian Ocean Outreach Programme [ I.O.O.P. ]

3 – India-Africa Forum Summit [ I.A.F.S. ]

4 – International Solar Alliance [ I.S.A. ]

 

Foreign Policy successes, apart from multilateral forums,  is also measured in bilateral terms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi scores in this arena also.

Till date Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made 30 foreign trips. He has made 1 visit each to 26 countries. They are : Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Canada, China, Fiji, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Russia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, UAE, UK & Uzbekistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made 2 visits each to : France, Nepal, Singapore & USA.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in following multilateral meetings also. They are : BRICS [ Fortaleza & Ufa ] / G-20 [ Brisbane & Antalya ] / ASEAN [ Naypyidaw & Kuala Lumpur ] / SCO [ Dushambe & Ufa ] / IBSA [ New Delhi ] / INDIA-AFRICA FORUM [ New Delhi ] / SAARC [ Kathmandu ] .

He has developed unique and intimate relationships with almost all the world leaders. Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe is one of them.

India – Japan Location Map

Shinzo Abe came to India on a 3 day official visit on December 11, 2015. This visit, apart from clinching of several deals and contracts, will always be remembered for GANGA AARTI in Varanasi.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 

But first let us first look at the other major economic and social accomplishments. Following is the 16 major agreements, known as Power of 16.

Nuclear Energy, Bullet Train, Make In India in Defence, Double Taxation Avoidance are some of the major agreements, which were signed.

16 Agreement signed with Japan

 

4th Int’l Control Regime

 

Maritime Challenge in Indo-Pacific Region

 

Maritime Safety , Trade & Commerce

 

ODA Loan

 

Partnering for Make In India

 

UNSC Reform

 

Shinkansen Bullet Train

 

But this visit of Japanese Premier will always be remembered for GANGA AARTI on the banks of eternal GANGA in Varanasi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited his Lok Sabha constituency and performed pooja and Aarti along with the guest.

 

Coming for GANGA AARTI in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 

GANGA AARTI in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 

GANGA AARTI in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 

GANGA AARTI in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 

GANGA AARTI in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 

GANGA AARTI in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 

GANGA AARTI in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 

 

[ Photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is taken from the twitter handle of Shri Narendra Modi & documents have been photo copied from the twitter handle of Shri Vikas Swaroop, Spokesperson Ministry of external Affairs. I express gratitude. ]

VIDUR

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3rd India – Africa Forum Summit 2015

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           OCTOBER 31, 2015           10.30 P.M.

In my previous blog about the foreign policy initiatives and achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I wrote about his 3 unique and epoch-making initiatives. They are :

1 – Forum for India-Pacific Islands cooperation [ FIPIC ]

2 – Indian Ocean Outreach Programme [ IOOP ]

3 – India-Africa Forum Summit [ IAFS ]

In that blog I particularly wrote about his first initiative; FIPIC. But briefly, I also wrote about India Africa Forum Summit, IAFS . I wrote that technically, though India Africa Forum Summit, IAFS was started in 2008 by previous UPA government but in all probability, I consider it to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative. Here are the reasons for my thinking.

First IAFS was held in 2008 from April 4 – 8 in New Delhi. It was attended by only 14 Heads of State / Government.

Second IAFS was attended by 15 Heads of State / Government. One more than the previous one. It was held in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia from 21 – 25 May, 2011.

Third IAFS was held in New Delhi from 26 – 29 October, 2015. It was attended by 51 of the 54 countries. 41 Heads of State / Government participated and 10 remaining countries were represented by high power delegations. Thus the total number of countries attending 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit 2015 comes to 51. Only 3 countries could not attend. Singapore and UAE attended the summit as observers. Thus the total number of countries attending the summit comes to 53.

It is historic. It is momentous and unprecedented. It is epoch-making. 3rd India Africa Forum Summit 2015 is the 2nd largest congregation of Heads of State / Government ever held in India. 2 Kings , 26 Presidents , 6 Vice Presidents and 7 Prime Ministers of 41 African Countries , the President of the African Union, 10 African countries represented by high power delegations along with Singapore and UAE as observers attended this 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit. Total number comes to 53.

Now few facts about the history of summits involving African nations.

1 – JAPAN : Japan was the 1st country to hold regular summits with African nations since 1993. It is once-every-five-years summit and is always held in Japan.

It will now be once-every-three-years summit.

2 – CHINA : China was the second nation to hold summit with African nations since 2000. Like Japan, it is also once-every-three-years summit.

3 – THE EUROPEAN UNION : The European Union started holding summit with African nations since 2004. It is also once-every-three-years summit.

4 – INDIA : We are the 4th country and started our summit in 2008. The India-Africa Forum Summit will be once-in-a-five-years summit as proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

5 – UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : The US is the 5th and last country to hold such summit. She started holding the summit since 2014. It was the biggest till date as leaders of 35 African countries attended the summit.

 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit 2015

 

41 African Heads of State / Government Attending the Summit

 

 

Logo of 3rd India Africa Forum Summit 2015

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted dinner in honour of visiting dignitaries. It was held at Pragati Maidan.

 

Modi Waiting for the Guests

 

All the leaders and first ladies were in attendance in ethnic wear gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

Heads of State / Government in Modi Jacket Attending Dinner Hosted by Modi

 

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria with President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger at the venue

 

President of South Africa Jacob Zuma with The First Lady

 

Plenary Session of the summit was inaugurated next day after the dinner, i.e. on October 29, 2015. Before the plenary session all the visiting dignitaries were ceremonially welcomed at the venue, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.

Ceremonial Welcome

 

Cultural Programme before the Plenary Session

 

Cultural Programme Before the Plenary Session

 

The Plenary Session – Summit Begins

 

Summit Venue

 

Modi Attending the Plenary Session

 

Modi & Mugabe Releasing Commemorative Stamps / Coins

Before and after the Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had one-on-one bilateral meetings with all the 41 visiting Heads of State / Government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met 19 leaders for one-on-one meeting on October 28, 2015. They were : ROBERT MUGABE [ President Zimbabwe ] / JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA [ President Ghana ] / MSWATI III [ King Swaziland ] / BONI YAYI [ President Benin ] / MUHAMMADU BUHARI [ President Nigeria ] / UHURU KENYATA [ President Kenya ] / YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI [ President Uganda ] / BETHUEL PAKALITHA MOSISILI [ Prime Minister Lesotho ] / OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO [ President Equatorial Guinea ] / ISMAIL OMAR GUELLEL [ President Djibouti ] / SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT President South Sudan ] / ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU [ President Niger ] / IDRIS DEBY ITNO [ President Chad ] / JACOB G ZUMA [ President South Africa ] / CARLOS AGOSTINHO DO ROSARIO Prime Minister Mozambique ] / PATRICE EMERY TROVOADA [ Prime Minister Sao Tome & Principe ] / ALI BONGO ONDIMBA [ President Gabon ] / ALFAHA CONDE [ President Guinea ] / MOKGWEETSI ERIC KEABETSWE MASISI [ Vice President Botswana ]

He met 10 another leaders for bilateral meetings on October 29, 2015. They were : MOHAMMED VI [ King Morocco ] / HAGE G GEINGOB [ President Namibia ] / ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISI [ President Egypt ] / IBRAHIM KEITA [ Prime Minister Mali ] / HAILEMARIAM DESSALEGN [ Prime Minister Ethiopia ] / MANNUEL DOMINGOS [ Vice President Angola ] / MOHAMED BILAL [ Vice President Tanzania ] / SHEIKH MOHAOUD [ President Somalia ] / IKILILOU DHOININE [ President Comoros ] / MAURITANIA

10 Bilateral Meetings

After the end of the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met remaining 12 African leaders on October 30, 2015. They were : OMAR EL BASHIR [ President Sudan ] / ERNEST BAI KOROME [ President Sierra Leone ] / HERY RAJAONARIMAMPIANIA [ President Madagascar ] / ANEROOD JUGNAUTH [ Prime Minister Mauritius ] / INONGE WINAAT [ Vice President Zambia ] / ANANSTASE MUREKEZI [ Prime Minister Rwanda ] / SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT [ President South Sudan ] / MACKY SALL [ President Senagal ] / JOSE MARIO VAZ [ President Guinea Bissau ] / AJALSATON NJIE SAIDY [ Vice President Gambia ] / GASTON SINLIMWO [ Vice President Burundi ] / ELLEN SIRLEAF [ President Liberia ]

Apart from above mentioned African leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also met NKOOAZANA DLAMINI ZUMA, Chairperson African Union.

On 29th, after the plenary session, the President of India invited all the visiting dignitaries for dinner party at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Rashtrapati Bhawan was decorated and illuminated for the grand memorable occasion.

Rashtrapati Bhawan Illuminated for the African Heads of State / Government

 

Rashtrapati Bhawan Illuminated for the African Heads of State / Government

 

Rashtrapati Bhawan Illuminated for the African Heads of State / Government

 

It is sad and deplorable that a foreign policy initiative of such magnitude and gigantic proportions was largely neglected by national media, print and electronic both. [ Hindustan Times is perhaps the only exception. ] It is the 2nd biggest and largest diplomatic event ever hosted by India. Let me tell about 2 other such big events held during Indira Gandhi’s regime.

1 – NON ALIGNED MOVEMENT [ NAM ] :

The 7th NAM Summit was held from 7 – 12 March, 1983 in New Delhi. Participating countries 140.

2 – COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT [ CHOGM ] :

The 7th CHOGM Summit was held from 23 – 29 November, 1983 in New Delhi. Participating countries 42.

Thus 32 years after hugely successful 7th NAM Summit 1983 , the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit 2015 is the 2nd largest congregation of Heads of State / Government ever held in India. I repeat : 2 Kings , 26 Presidents , 6 Vice Presidents and 7 Prime Ministers of 41 African Countries , the President of the African Union, 10 African countries represented by high power delegations along with Singapore and UAE as observers attended this 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit. Total number comes to 53.

But it was ignored by the media and the cause is animosity towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is a sad state of affair in our country. When it comes to Modi, even the pretension of balance is dropped and discarded. The bias is obvious and open, the daggers are drawn and the bellicose media is waiting for the kill. Alas!!

But history will not be cruel. It will be kind and judge this event in a proper light and will apply unbiased yardsticks. Years after 2015, when Narendra Modi will not be around, when the dust will settle down and the bias will evaporate and the historian will sit down to chronicle the Narendra Modi era of India, the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit 2015  will be seen and will be mentioned in a different way.

So over to the future with no regrets.

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

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An Internet Bloomer : 2011

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           January 07 , 2012            01.50 A.M.

My last year’s article about my forays into internet was an impromptu effort . Since the activities are escalating by each passing year , I decided to give it a proper shape and post an account of my internet activities every year in the first week of January .

FACEBOOK : www.facebook.com / Vidur Chaturvedi

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As I have stated last year , Facebook was my first foray into internet  . In 2010 , I had 517 friends , which jumped to 1468 friends in 2011 . In one year 951 new friends joined me in my journey . In 2010 ,  I had created 16 albums and up – loaded 1163 photos .  In 2011 ,  it jumped to 24 albums and 2078 photos . In one year , a jump of , 6 more albums and 915 new photos .

I started posting THOUGHT of the DAY every night post 12.00 A.M. from August 2010 . Tonight when I posted my thought , I was surprised to notice that its number is 510 . Uninterrupted run of 510 days is quite a long journey indeed .

BLOG : www.mevidur.wordpress.com

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I started blogging in March 2009 . My first blog was posted on March 30 , 2009 . I created my account on WordPress on that day and started blogging .

Till the end of 2010 , I had posted 150 blogs . At the end of 2011 , its number is 227 . This blog will be 228th in the series . A leap of 78 blogs in one year .

Till the end of 2010 , I used to write in 28 categories . At the end of 2011 , I am using all the 32 categories . In 2010 I had 566 tags and in 2011 they have jumped to 1,963 . It is a big leap of 1,397 tags .

In 2010 , September 27 was the busiest day . I got 108 hits in a single day . It seems to be norm now in 2011 . 124 hits on April 14 ; 114 on September 07 ; 142 on September 20 ; 105 on December 28 , 124 on December 29 and 113 on January 06 , 2012 . April 18 , 2011 was the busiest day for my blog space . I got 219 hits . In 2011 , on 06 occasions , I got more than 90 hits per day . Total number of hits in 2010 were 8,107 . 2011 took a gigantic leap . Total number of hits are 25,549 . 17,442 hits in one year . It comes to 1453 hits per month and almost 50 hits per day . It is a far cry from 4 / 5 hits per day in the beginning of blogging .

In 2011 ,  I added flag counter to my blog space . To my amazement , I found that people of 84 countries have visited my blog space . In 2010 Flag Counter was not there . So comparative data is not available . But I am ecstatic .  Apart from India , name of other nations , whose nationals visited my blog space , are ; U.S.A. ; UNITED KINGDOM ; TAIWAN ; PAKISTAN ; NETHERLANDS ; CANADA ; U.A.E. ; SAUDI ARABIA ; BELGIUM ; BANGLADESH ; FRANCE ; AUSTRALIA ; GERMANY ; MALAYSIA ; QATAR ; ITALY ; NEPAL ; SINGAPORE ; BAHRAIN ; HONG KONG ; OMAN ; SERBIA ; SWEDEN ; SWITZERLAND ; SRI LANKA ; THAILAND ; POLAND ; INDONESIA ; SOUTH AFRICA ; MALDIVES ; PORTUGAL ; SOUTH KOREA ; BRAZIL ; JAPAN ; UKRAINE ; NEW ZEALAND ; GREECE ; RUSSIA ; TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ; TUNISIA ; ROMANIA ; MONTENEGRO ; MAURITIUS ; ISRAEL ; FINLAND ; ECUADOR ; ALGERIA ; PHILIPPINES ; ICELAND ; HUNGARY ; MEXICO ; URUGUAY ; BULGARI ; AUSTRIA ; MOROCCO ; AZERBAIJAN ; MOLDOVA ; LEBANON ; KUWAIT ; MOZAMBIQUE ; TURKEY ; BELARUS ; BHUTAN ; ALBANIA ; GHANA ; KENYA ; VENEZUELA ; SLOVAKIA ; CZECH REPUBLIC ; COLOMBIA ; VIETNAM ; HONDURAS ; EGYPT ; NORWAY ; LUXEMBOUR ; GLATVIA ; BOLIVIA ; DENMARK ; CROATIA  and  IRELAND . Apart from above mentioned 84 countries , there were 19 other visits from unknown destinations . It makes the number of visiting country 103 . It is very encouraging for a non – entity like me .

List of my most – read blogs are also increasing . In 2010 , only 10 blogs had got more than 100 visits . In 2011 Home Page had got 7,016 hits . One blog post got more than 1,081 hits . Another one got 6,21 ; one got more than 430 ; 4 blog posts got more than 3,00 ; 2 got more than 2,00 and 19 posts got more than 100 hits .

I am in real ecstasy . I am numb . I am humbled .

TWITTER : www.twitter.com/VidurChaturvedi

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I started twitter account on June 17 , 2009 . Till the end of 2010 , I had posted 2,740 tweets and had got 142 followers . Till the end of 2011 , I had posted 4,977 tweets and had got 392 followers . A jump of 2,237 tweets and 250 followers .

LINKED IN : http://www.linkedin.com/in/mevidur

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Till the end of 2010 , I had just 11 Linked In connections . It jumped to 48 connections in 2011 .

Apart from above mentioned activities , I have Wikipedia Profile , YouTube Channel , Google Account and few others . All these accounts , for convenience , are assembled in Gravator Profile .

It is now 32 month – old passion . I would like to call it A Dream of Passion on Internet .

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

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Aah Shammi Kapoor ……….” Tum Sa Nahi Dekha ” !!

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA          NOVEMBER 16 , 2011          08.15 P.M.

When I got the news of Shammi Kapoor‘s sad demise on August 14 , 2011 at the age of 79 , flood of memories engulfed me and inundated me completely . Though , initially , I was not a huge fan of Shammi Kapoor , but later on , as I watched his films and understood his importance in Hindi films , I succumbed to his charm completely.

That golden era  of Hindi films belonged to film industry’s towering triumvirate ; Dilip Kumar , Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor . Like other youngsters of my age , I was very much enamoured by the trio . So naturally for me , Shammi Kapoor was nowhere in the picture . While in school and college , I was intrigued by the fact that whenever any new film of Shammi Kapoor used to hit the cinema halls, class – rooms wore deserted look and seeing the empty class , our irritated teachers used to say few nasty words for Shammi Kapoor because majority of the boys had no quam in bunking the class for the first day , first show of a Shammi Kapoor film . I got intrigued and decided to uncover the persona and unravel the mystique of Shammi Kapoor , the dancing star , the rebel star . I started watching his films and to my amazement , realized that Hindi Cinema doesn’t belong to the above mentioned triumvirate alone but it consists of the quartet ; Dilip Kumar , Dev Anand , Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor . Without these four one cannot even think of Hindi cinema .

Dilip Kumar

With Dev Anand in His Office

In those days of my asinine childhood and carefree adolescence , Dilip Kumar symbolized romance and pain of the Nehru era , while Raj Kapoor was the face of Nehruvian socialism . Dev Anand represented urbane and educated youth of this nascent nation . Shammi Kapoor was unique because he gave face and voice to the aspirations of the emerging middle class youth . His first hit ” Tum Sa Nahin Dekha “ came in 1957 . It was the year of second general election also . First general election was held in 1952 .  So after testing democracy for five years , youth of India were bubbling with enthusiasm and ” I don’t give a damn ” kind of attitude . Their aspirations , their liking for good clothes and better life – style was palpable and Shammi Kapoor Saheb represented these feelings to the fullest . And naturally he became icon of the liberated youth of the nascent , new and emerging democratic India .It is not for nothing that he is called Rebel Star and Dancing Star of Hindi films .

So obviously , when I heard the news of his demise , an era ended for me . One more chapter of my growing years was lost completely .  I wanted to write the obituary  immediately but I thought that best moment to pay my last respect would be on the occasion of the release of his last film ” Rockstar “ . Ranbir Kapoor starrer ” Rockstar “ got released on November 11 , 2011 and it created history . It became legendary Shammi Kapoor‘s last film. It signals the end of one of the most glorious chapters of Hindi Cinema . It brings curtain down on the memories of legendary Shammi Kapoor . One more icon of my childhood left the world finally and ” Rockstar “  is the cruel reminder of that fact . The journey , which started with ” Jeevan Jyoti ” [ 1953] , ended with ” Rockstar ” [ 2011 ] . It is 58 years long , gigantic and glorious reel journey .

Shammi Kapoor in Teesri Manzil

Shamsher Raj Kapoor , better known as Shammi Kapoor started his career with ” Jeeva Jyoti ”  [ 1953 ] , a film directed by Mahesh Kaul , who incidentally , years later gave break to Hema Malini in ” Sapno Ka Saudagar ”  , who incidentally was his last romantic lead in ” Andaz ” [ 1971 ]. Chand Usmani was Shammi Kapoor’s first heroine in ” Jeevan Jyoti ” .

” Rail Ka Dibba ” [ 1953 ] , ” Laila Majnu ” [ 1953 ] , ” Shama Parwana ” [ 1954 ]  ,  ” Chor Bazar ” [ 1954 ] , ” Miss Coca Cola ” [ 1955 ] , ” Daku ” [ 1955 ] , ” Mem Sahib ” [ 1956 ] , ” Rangeen Ratein ” [ 1956 ] , ” Mirza Sahiban ” [ 1957 ] , ” Mujrim ” [ 1958 ]  and ” Char Dil Char Rahen ” [ 1959 ]  “ came in quick succession and most of them bombed miserably .

Shammi Kapoor in Teesri Manzil

Very few hits and 18 flops later, Shammi Kapoor became a major star with ” Tumsa Nahi Dekha ” [ 1957 ] , ” Dil Deka Dekho ” [ 1958 ] and ” Ujala ” [ 1959 ] . After this there were blitzkrieg of hugely successful films like ; “College Girl ” [1960 ] , ” Singapore ” [ 1960 ] , ” Boyfriend ” [ 1960 ] , ” Junglee ” [ 1961 ] , ” Dil Tera Diwana ” [ 1962 ] , ” Professor ” [ 1962 ] , ” China Town ” [ 1962 ] , ” Bluff Master ” [ 1963 ] , ” Rajkumar ” [ 1963 ] , ” Kashmir Ki Kali ” [ 1964 ] , ” Janwar ” [ 1965 ] , ” Teesri Manzil ” [ 1966 ] , ” Budtameez ” [ 1966 ] , ” An Evening In Paris ” [ 1967 ] , ” Laat Saheb ” [ 1967 ] , ” Brahmchari ” [ 1968 ] , ” Prince ” [ 1968 ]  , ” Tum Se Accha Kaun Hai ” [ 1969 ] , ” Sachchai ” [ 1969 ] , ” Pagla Kahin Ka ” [ 1970 ] , ” Andaz ” [ 1971 ] , ” Jawan Mohabbat ” [ 1971 ] , and ” Jaane Anjane ” [ 1971 ] . After last mentioned film , he stopped playing romantic lead .

Shammi Kapoor in Kashmir Ki Kaali

There after he started playing character roles and created some major milestones as well , ” Zameer ” [ 1974 ] , ” Manoranjan ” [ 1974 ] , ” Bundal Baaz ” [ 1976 ] , ” Parvarish ” [ 1977 ] , ” Shalimar “[ 1978 ] , ” Meera “[ 1989 ] , ” Rocky “[ 1981 ] , “Naseeb “[ 1981 ] , “Prem Rog “[ 1981 ] , ” Vishaata “[ 1982 ] , “Desh Premi “[ 1982 ] , “Hero “[ 1982 ] , ” Betab “[ 1983 ] and finally ” Rockstar “[ 2011 ] .

Among the above mentioned films ; ” Manoranjan ” [ 1974 ] and ” Bundal Baaz ” [ 1976 ] were his directorial ventures .

I consider myself fortunate that of the quartet of Dilip Kumar , Dev Anand , Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor , I Could meet all the three barring Raj Kapoor . In early 90s I had written a serial ” Mitti Ke Diye “ and along with my director , went to Shammi Kapoor Saheb‘s Malabar Hills apartment to narrate the story to him . We reached his Blue Heaven apartment in the morning and were ushered into his room . He was working on his computer . He greeted us warmly , told us to sit down and ordered tea for us .I narrated the story in trembling voice and to my utter shock and dismay he liked the story and agreed to work in the serial immediately .

The serial was not made because of my bad luck . But I still remember his towering personality , his booming voice and benign smile . He made me feel important , though he had achieved gigantic successes and I was a struggling nonentity . After some years I again bumped into him at the marriage reception of grand – daughter of legendary singer Mukesh . After that I could not meet or see him . I followed him on twitter , though . And then came the news of his illness and the death .

I feel blessed to meet you sir . I imbibed your spirit , your love and zest for life . I got your blessings and I know that it will guide me in the slippery world of film industry . Farewell sir ! I will definitely meet you in heaven to learn cinema from you . Till then , rest in peace sir !

There shall never , ever be another Shammi Kapoor .

VIDUR

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