BHOPAL: Governor Lalji Tandon greeted and congratulated renowned poet Padmashri Bashir Badr at his residence on his 85 birthday.
When Bashir’s wife Rahat Badr told him that Lalji Tandon from Lucknow has come to Bhopal as Governor and has come to greet you on his birthday, Bashir ji said with a naive smile 'hamare paas ayen hai to hamare hain’ (if he has come to us he is ours).
Rahat Badar told the Governor that former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a great fan of Bashir Saheb and used to call him Bhadra Saheb. She recalled Bashir ji’s shayari, ease, simplicity and his coonect with Atal ji at a Mushaira in Lucknow.
Governor said that when he came to Bhopal, he was very eager to meet Bashir Saheb.
“It is a coincidence that I got this opportunity on his birthday. Bashir Saheb cut the cake in the presence of the Governor, his family and close ones,” he added.
Eternal sunshine of spotless mind
Suffering from dementia, not much remain in the memories of Bashir Badr but when his wife recalled two or three of his famous ‘sher’, he smiled. Poet Bashir, despite the condition of his memory, however, does not forget to kiss the hand of anyone who comes to meet him. This is the love in his subconscious mind.
