V K Wattal
The long journey from Habba
Kadal on the banks of Jehlum to London on the banks of Thames and from being a Ghat Munshi in Srinagar to eminent broadcaster in U.K., it has come to an end for Mahender Nath Kaul, OBE, The sad demise of Sh. Mahendra Nath Kaul has shocked the community.
RADIO KASHMIR SRINAGAR:-
The long journey of broadcasting started from July, 1948 , when Radio Kashmir Srinagar was set up to counter the false propaganda started by Pakistan by setting up of a Radio Station at Tral Khad in Muzzaffaraabad. The Station had been set up , but the million dollar question was who will be the people who will manage the station. Radio conception was totally new and nobody had any idea to run the station on day to day basis and on all the 365 days of the year. It was like finding the jewels in the deep sea. The people who were entrusted with the job of starting the station were eminent writers, poets, journalists, people with good voice and vocal unquestioningly they were the trail blazers of broadcasting in the state. Some of the names which this writer has come to know from Late, Sh. N L Wattal, the veteran journalist and Sh. Shyam Kaul, eminent journalist are :-
Sh. Prem nath Sadhu "Pardesi" (Customs Officer), Mir. Ghulam Rasool Nazki (School Teacher), Abdul Ahad Burq, Sh. Mahender Nath Kaul (Now Sir Mahender Nath Kaul, British National ), from Food Control Department, Sh. Bashir Bhat, Sh. Pran Kishore, Smt. Shanta Kaul, Sh. Arjun Dev Rashik, Mirpuri, Sh. Mohan Lal Aima, Sh. N L Wattal, Journalist ( Not a staffer, for writing comments and current affairs), Sh. J N wali (patwari ).
Mahendra Nath Kaul shot into fame when he and Bashir Bhat participated in a programme called "JAWABI HAMLA", a programme to counter the false propaganda unleashed from POK. Both of them ----- very handsome and fair looking, had high and baritone voice . Based on his voice quality and presentation Kaul was transferred to All India Radio, Delhi. meeting Rajini Kaul.
During his stint in Delhi he happened to meet Rajini who was also working with A.I.R. She was the daughter of the famous family of Delhi who were/are running GAYLORD RESTAURANT in Cannaught Place New Delhi. A very handsome, fair looking, tall, with a "HE" man personality, any lady worth her salt would have fallen for him, Rajini was no exception. The romance ended by tying knot with each other.
During his stay in Delhi , he attracted the attention of Voice Of America, who selected him as a News Reader for the Asian desk. It appears, he was for a short duration USA. He got a call from BBC London , to join them which he accepted and stayed with them till last.
Initially he was given the job of a News Reader, but with the passage of time BBC realised that he was capable of doing something more. He was entrusted to start a series of programmes highlighting the problems faced by South Asian immigrants, particularly Indians, Pakistanis when they come to UK. The programme called "APNA HI GHAR SAMAJYE" (Make yourself at home) ran for nearly 2 decades, advising immigrants how to join the British society.
The other popular programme he started was "NAYE ZINDGI NAYA JEEVAN" in which eminent poets and authors were invited. Both the programmes became such a hit that it was customary for all the British Prime Ministers to join the programme, besides bollywood actors and eminent personalities from India which included Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Dr. Bushan Bhan and Usha, who have been living in U.K. for the last 5 decades, say that they would eagerly look forward for these programmes.
Mahendra Nath Kaul was decorated with "ORDER OF THE BRISH EMPIRE" (OBE) By British queen in 1975.
Besides being a broadcaster Sh. Kaul got himself busy with the business. He opened "GAYLORD, LONDON" a restaurant serving Indian dishes (this writer is not aware whether it was joint venture with gaylord Delhi or individually started by Kaul himself). After retirement he served as director of some business organisation. |
