The Birthday Boys: A Tribute to the Legends of All Time

A span of two hundred years of colonial rule in the country. The talk on Imperialism and its torment reached far and wide. Freedom from the alien clutches was a distant story. But the fighters never gave up. Countless arrived and left the battle field, but the battle never came to a halt. One such fighter was Chittoranjan Das. Popularly known as “Desh Bandhu”( friend of the nation). A lawyer and a political activist by profession. A true human being who was well acquainted with the different phases of freedom struggle and their respective outcomes! Das was even an integral part of the Brahmo Samaj and various such organisations known for imparting lessons on the ways and means of enhancing the mental power and rise above all the banalities of life to combat the “unfailing” British force. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that he was the only individual who saved the life of Sri Aurobindo, after he was being accused of the Alipore Bomb case. The “gallows” were prepared and awaited him. But Das’ legal statement “born on high seas” gave a longish life to Sri Aurobindo. Married to Basanti Devi, Das instilled the spirit of patriotism in her. She too participated in the freedom struggle and invited the blows of imperialism. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was very close of Das and took all the lessons of life and freedom. Basanti Devi was summoned ‘ma’ by Subhash.

Gradually time flew away and more legends from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds appeared on the screen. Among them the names of Virat Koholi and Karan Thapar top the list. Virat, the spunky, chubby guy with gelled hair shot to name and fame quickly. A right handed batsman has created miracles in the history of Indian cricket. Be it test or one day, the way he performed and guided his team towards the destination of triumph is really laudable in every possible sense! He is a perfect successor to Ganguly and Dhoni. His art of captaincy is beyond all questions and in this long journey he has proved his mettle before the country men. Numerous honours and awards are in his kitty. Yet a humble soul! And here lies the greatness of Virat. After tieing the wedding knot with Anushka Sharma, his life has changed for betterment. But they never interfere in each other’s profession. The couple has been able to amass a whopping sum of twelve hundred crores! Luck, love and career- all have been gifted to him by the Lord above. However, Karan Thapar’s story is a bit different. An anchor and a journalist of repute has come a long way to prove himself in the world of news and reality. A product of Doon School, Thapar’s interest in creativity never took a back seat. Later he graduated in Economics and Philosophy followed by a PhD from abroad! The shows have always been hit the screen and earned accolades from far and wide! Infact “Face to Face” still tops the list.Thapar has been awarded quite a few times for his immense contribution to the Indian Journalism. An open speaker, a sensitive soul and a sharp witted person he is. Carrying all the essential qualities of a good journalist, Thapar managed to reach the dizzy height of success and taste the fruit of victory in every venture he undertook! Indeed ‘this’ world would have remained incomplete without his golden touch!

Today is their birthday. One had left for the final abode long ago and the rest are on this earth of poor mortals. One’s birthday might have been celebrated in the Paradise and the other two on this globe with their kith and kin. One is remembered through the observation of silence and the other two are deluged with the wishes pouring in from the four quarters of the earth. The three men. The three different souls. The three different identities. Yet tied with a single thread of pure humanism. People loved them, love them and will love them till their last breathe. It is not a confession nor an assurance, but a truth whose colour is witnessed by every particle of the cosmos!!

“A WARM HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU”

– Kunal Roy