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Kavi Pradeep wins Dadasaheb Phalke award

Noted Hindi poet and lyricist Kavi Pradeep alias Ramchandra Narayanji Dwivedi, has been named the recipient of 1997 Dadasaheb Phalke award.

''I am very happy. Let me recover from the shock first,'' he said when contacted.

Mitul Pradeep, daughter of the 83-year-old indisposed poet, said her father was down with cough. She said he had told his family members that he had not expected to be honoured with the award.

Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar's joy knew no bounds when she was informed of the news. She said, ''I am proud of him. He deserves the award''.

The melody queen, at her live concert last year, had publicly acknowledged Kavi Pradeep for his immortal song, Aye mere watan ke logon . She had lamented the fact that the song earned her name and fame but the writer who penned the magic words had been neglected.

Lata had even presented the cash cheque of Rs 100,000 to him as a token of love and respect. Late last year, Prime Mininster Atal Bihari Vajpayee also publicly felicitated him at Malad in north Bombay.

The Bombay film industry also reacted with joy. The Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association, the Film Makers Combine and other bodies associated with the film industry had recommended the name of Kavi Pradeep to the ministry of information and broadcasting.

Star Dev Anand said, ''Super great. I am very happy for him''. Popular film maker Subhash Ghai said Kavi Pradeep was definitely one of the greatest poets of the film industry. "He deserved such high recognition long time back and we are glad that he has been conferred the award," Ghai said

Noted director Hrishikesh Mukherji said that he was happy with the news.

''As a poet and patriot, he has no parallel. He should have got the award a long time ago. Unfortunately, the emphasis has always been on the stars,'' he said.

Actor Shammi Kapoor said it was wonderful that this honour had been bestowed on a fine poet-writer like Kavi Pradeep.

Pradeep, who has penned about 1500 film and non-film songs, poems and bhajans, was born on February 6, 1915 in Badnagar, MP. After graduating from Lucknow University, Pradeep came to Bombay and was hired by Devika Rani and Himanshu Roy of Bombay Talkies.

He made his debut as a lyricist in Kangan and made good progress thereafter.

The matyrdom of Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad left a deep impression on his mind and it inspired him to take to patriotic writing.

It was during the civil disobedience movement in 1930 that Pradeep decided to use his poetry to spread the message of nation-building and social welfare among the youth.

He had to go underground for writing Door hato, ae duniyawalon, Hindustan hamara hai in the film Kismet. It created a flutter among the freedom fighters and they sang this song during the Quit India movement.

Among his other songs with strong patriotic flavour are Chal chal re naujawan, Aao bachchon tumhen dikhaye jhanki Hindustan ki, Hum laye hai toofan se kisti nikal ke, is desh ko rakhna mere bacchon sambhal ke, Dekh tere sansar ki haalat kya ho gai bhagwan, kitna badal gaya insaan, Insaan ka insaan se ho bhaichara, yahi paigam hamara, Aaj ke is insaan ko kya ho gaya, iska purana pyar kahan par kho gaya, Sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamal and Kahni he ek baat hamen is desh ke pahredaron se, sambhal ke rahna apne ghar mein chupe hue gaddaron se. These songs are still sung at various patriotic functions.

Pradeep has been earlier conferred with various awards, including the Sangeet Natak Academy award and the title of Rashtrakavi by then president Rajendra Prasad. The highest recognition for his enormous contribution in spreading the message of patriotism eluded him for a long time. But, he was unperturbed.

''I do not crave for awards. As long as my works have successfully infused patriotism in the minds and souls of Indians, my mission is fulfilled,'' he had said.

Pradeep was also a singer, having lent his voice for Dekh tere sansar ki halat kya ho gayi bhagwan , in Filmistan's Nastik and in Aao bachchon tumhen dikhaye jhanki Hindustan ki from Jagruti. Thirty years ago, HMV also brought out an album of 13 songs written and sung by him.

He donated Aye mere watan ke logon to the nation, the royalty of which goes to the defence ministry. He wrote the song after the Chinese aggression, when the nation was going through bad times. He felt that this song would instill confidence in the hearts of all patriotic Indians. Lata sang the song, the music of which was composed by C Ramchandra, at a function in Delhi where Nehru was also present.

''I was doubtful whether my new composition would be appreciated due to its sad lyrics when all others had presented songs of bravado. Nobody present there, including Pandit Nehru, could hold back their tears."

Many film producers wanted to insert this song in their films but Pradeep flatly refused permission. Pradeep's tribute to the martyrs touched the hearts of the people and later acquired the status of a national song.

And that is the man who has won the Dadasaheb Phalke award today.

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