Ahmed Patel’s death is a colossal loss to Sonia Gandhi, who gives her confidence and mind to few. She trusted Ahmed Patel.
Jawaharlal Nehru was a great and good man. I hesitate to say so, but as External Affairs Minister he had many failings. From time to time he made amazing announcements. Here is an example. In a speech on “India’s Foreign Policy” in the Constituent Assembly, on 4 December 1947, he actually made this astounding observation: “The first thing that an ambassador of ours has to learn is to shut his mouth and give up public or even private speaking… Yet this habit has to be developed and in private one has to be silent lest what one says injures the cause of the nation, creates international ill will.” Even as a Nehruite I must use one of his favourite phrases to wholly disapprove. This is “fantastic non-sense”.
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The Indian Trust of Rural Heritage and Development deserves to be better known. It was founded by the indefatigable S.K. Mishra nine years ago. The Trust does splendid work, mostly in remote parts of the country, repairing dilapidated and forgotten historical monuments. Also revival of rural culture and village handicrafts and to exhibit them.
In the words of Chairman, S.K. Mishra, “One of the objectives of the Trust is to promote and preserve living heritage and we have projects underway with both music and craft traditions. One of our earliest and still most important projects, involves a ‘Creative Cluster’ of three extraordinary villages in U.P’s Azamgarh District. Hariharpur is a village of classical musicians, Nizamabad has an unusual tradition of black pottery and Mubarkpur has a several hundred year old heritage of fine silk handloom weaving.”
The Trust discovered them and helped revive their original glory. Much more exemplary creative and constructive work is being done in various parts of the country. The Trust brings out excellent publications. The latest is on “Traditional Healing Systems of India”.
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Two deaths of eminent Congressmen darkened the lives of many members, including the Gandhis.
I knew Tarun Gogoi well for many years. He was a Central Minister, three-time Chief Minister of Assam. We were colleagues in Rajiv Gandhi’s government from 1984 to 1989. He was not keeping well for some time.
I have been to Assam twice. On one of these visits he was my host. He put on no airs. He had a flair for politics and was held in high esteem by the people. His development of the state will keep his memory alive.
We last met by chance in the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi. We embraced and promised to meet again. This was not to be.
His son is a member of the Lok Sabha and will, no doubt continue the good work of his father and keep his memory alive.
Tarun Gogoi was 84 years of age when he left us.
The untimely death of Ahmed Patel at the age of 71 is a colossal loss to the Congress party and more so to Sonia Gandhi, who gives her confidence and mind to few. She trusted Ahmed Patel. He was politically balanced, calm, decent, never loud, not gossipy or a trivializer. A heavy weight who did not throw his weight about. He was both astute and shrewd, endowed with an engaging persona. I don’t claim intimacy, but I knew him for nearly 40 years. My field was foreign affairs in which he had no interest. He was a top drawer politician.
His death could not have come at a worse time for a debilitated Congress party. Ahmed, confident and sure footed was among the very few who provided hope. With him gone, that hope too has gone.
My sincere condolences to his family.
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I never met Diego Maradona nor saw him play except on TV. I vividly remember his scoring “God’s Goal” in the 1986 Football World Cup. He changed the game of football by his genius and made it even more popular than it was. In any match he played the stadium had only standing room.
Drink, drugs and overweight took their toll. His death has evoked worldwide grief. He visited India twice. Boria Majumdar, who spent much time with him in Calcutta, has some hilarious Maradona stories to tell.