Noted poet recollects old days

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, February 12

Noted poet, author and former IPS officer, Keki N Daruwalla, visited his alma mater, SCD Government College, Ludhiana.

He interacted with students of MA English course. The interaction forms part of the centenary celebrations of the college.

Daruwalla was accorded welcome by principal Dr Dharam Singh Sandhu, the college council, teachers and students of the post-graduate department of English.

The head of the department, Dr Tanvir Likhari, introduced the chief guest to the gathering of students and teachers as a grand man of letters. She said Daruwalla had 11 volumes of poetry to his credit.

Till date he has written three novels. He belongs to the first generation of writers who brought modernism to Indian poetry in English, which holds that content is as important as the form.

His writing style has subtle imagery and he writes on a grand epic canvas with minutest details.

Dr Dharam Singh Sandhu was delighted to welcome Keki N Daruwalla. He dedicated to him a gazal of Sahir Ludhianvi that Sahir had written for the college.

One of the leading figures of poetry in the country, Keki N Daruwalla rose to glorious heights in his chosen profession — Indian Police Service.

He has been bestowed with numerous awards and honours for his service and literary accomplishments. He went on to give a brief history of the college.

Keki called to mind his college days and recounted an interesting anecdote concerning principal Harvey, the third principal of the college.

He recalled that in 1952, the teachers came in formal black gowns.

There were many tennis lawns in the college. For six years he stayed here. He was surprised and amazed to learn that Government College, Ludhiana, was a gift from the British government for the services and sacrifices of the soldiers who fought for the British in the two World Wars.

He, thereafter, read excerpts from his poems, one of which was of prayer on Gandhiji’s death — January 30.

“Let not the harsh winds of our times blow ... devour us along with our appetites... Let water remain water and not turn to blood.”

He rued the fact that today, violence was taking many forms. It has to be defeated.

He emphasised that poetry has to be memorised otherwise it would not stay with them. “It will not become a part of us. Only when we memorise can we enjoy it,” he added. He recited some couplets of Urdu poetry of Faiz.

A writer reading aloud from his work brings alive the tone, the inflection that the writer intended and it conjures up the atmosphere in the novel, he said.

He explained the difference between history and historical fiction. Thereafter, he was honoured by the alumni association of the college, which presented a framed picture of the college heritage building.

A copy of the college magazine, Satluj, in which his poems and articles were published when he was a student here, was also presented to him.

Daruwalla then signed in the visitors’ book and a vote of thanks was proposed by Simranjeet Kaur of MA-II.

Modernism in english poetry

• Till date, he has written three novels. He belongs to the first generation of writers who brought modernism to Indian poetry in English, which holds that content is as important as the form. 
• His writing style has subtle imagery and he writes on a grand epic canvas with minutest details.
• He has been bestowed with numerous awards and honours for his service and literary accomplishments.