My Respected Father – Prof. VH Kulkarni – Last Part Two

Continued… Last Part Two

Dear Well Wishers,
In 1973, my father was requested by his colleague and poet Prof. Shanta Shelke who was very closefriend of ‘Queen of Melody’ Lata Mangeshkar to teach some formal English. The good reason was, Lata  was performing her first foreign live and historic program at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1974. Actually my father was reluctant to do so due to he had no time. But, Prof. Shanta Shelke’s request, he said yes and with condition that he need ‘to and fro car service’ to go to Lata’s house.Well, for some reason Lata refused the same and my father was very happy. He said immediately, “It was a blessing in disguise…”He used to smoke चारमिनार-Charminar cigarette at home only when he was writing an articles, etc. but not outside of the home. He lived a healthy life…
When my father was retired from college in 1960, his students and staff arranged big sendoff ceremony.They gave him a special gift of British make Garrad Record Changer with many of 78rpm records and other memorable items. So, I developed a love for old songs since then…

1) I am with well known Freedom fighter, Social Worker, Educator, Principal and my fathers’s student, respected Mr. Prakash Mohadikar inaugurating my father’s Blue Plaque ceremony in front of a crowd of local residents, reporters and dignitaries where we used to live in Bombay, in 1995… 2) Blue Plaque of my father: It says “Distinguished Writer & Professor VH Kulkarni Lived Here”..  3) My father Prof. VH Kulkarni… 

My father was also well-known literary figure in Marathi language. He used to publish monthly magazine ‘Jyotsna’ and ‘Pratibha’ was quarterly in 1935-40. He was a publisher as well as editor of the same. His editorial staff was India’s distinguished literary personalities such as VS Khandekar, GT Madkholkar andRaaj Kavi-Poet Yeshwant. They were his childhood friends…