Baburao Patel of Film India/ Mother India

Quite an alliteration this, He was born on 0404(19)04 and also died on 04 Sept. He was a man who was known to be capable of creating or crushing anyone's career in films, by just a stroke of his pen. He was Late Dr. Baburao Patel, the publisher and editor of 'Filmindia' and its later incarnate ' Mother India'. My late father was not only his Delhi correspondent, but also a God son. So visits to 'Girnar'- Dr. Patel's sprawling bungalow at Pali hill. Bandra, Bombay- are etched in infant hood, childhood and adolescent memories of all of us three siblings (Madhu,Romi & myself (in order of appearance on planet earth).
In my last meeting, a few months before his death, after learning that I carried some romantic tendencies towards letters,words and books, he instructed me two cardinals necessary for fearless and honest work of writing;
1. Always check your facts and have them right.
2. Never shiver or fear none, in stating the truth.Having stated them, stand by them with all armaments in your quiver, in defence.
And I have followed those religiously!

The first Picture shows Dr. Patel with the cartoonist of his magazine Bal Thackeray( Even Sadat Hasan Manto worked for him). .

Second picture is that of Sidharth Bhatia's book.






















 The third picture shows the cover of 'Golden Jublee Issue' of Mother India.



















The foruth picture is the Editorial detail of the same issue, reading my late father's name