Jammu Tawi, August 04: : Renowned Dogri poetess, composer and writer Padma Sachdev died at her Mumbai-based residence on Wednesday. She was 81.
The poet and novelist from Jammu, Sachdev breathed her last early Wednesday morning in Mumbai.
Her demise is widely condoled across Jammu and Kashmir among literary, social and political circles. J&K Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha expressed grief over her demise terming is a loss to Jammu Kashmir.
In the preface of her first collection of poems, ‘Meri Kavita Mere Geet’, renowned poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar wrote: “After reading Padma’s poem, I should throw my pen away — for what Padma writes indeed is true poetry.”
Dr. Karan Singh, son of the last Dogra king of J&K, Maharaja Hari Singh and a former union minister also translated one of her poems into English and hailed her commitment to propagating the language.
Born in Jammu’s Purmandal in 1940, Sachdev was the eldest of three children of Sanskrit scholar Jai Dev Badu. Badu died in 1947, at the time of the partition of India.
Academician and former JNU professor Pushpesh Pant, whose association with Padma Sachdev goes back 50 years, recalls her as a generous person who was “full of life”. “Padma Ji was so young for her age … when I first heard the news of her death, I was more surprised than sad. I realised that even people who are so full of life also have to go away one day,” Pant added.
Amitabh Mattoo, a professor at JNU, remembers Sachdev as a front-ranking Dogri poet of her generation, who played an important role in the revival of the language. “I feel a personal sense of loss as she was part of my social circle … She had left a bad marriage behind and remarried, which was a courageous decision,” he told a national portal.
Padma Sachdev was born in 1940 in Purmandal village of Samba district in Jammu region. She was the first modern woman poet of the Dogri language.
She wrote the lyrics of the song ‘Mera chhota sa ghar baar’ from the 1973 Hindi film by Ved Rahi “Prem Parbat” which had music by Jaidev. But her lyrics sung by the Melody Queen Lata Mangeshker – in Dogri are the best collection which every Jammuite is proud for.
”Her literature depicts the joys and sorrows, mood and misfortunes of Indian womanhood. Even though she is conscious of the social injustices heaped upon women, her woman characters maintain their dignity at all times,” the Sahitya Akademi notes in a short profile of the poet on its website.
Her poem ‘Raje Diyan Mandiyan’ is a scathing attack on the feudal system and portrays the plight of an average poor Dogra woman. “Those who beat our shaking hands … those who emptied out our treasured troves, are those hunched horses yours?”, a woman asks the kings in this poem.
Sachdev also composed the tunes of Lata Mangeshkar’s first Dogri music album, which featured famous songs like ‘Bhala Shapaia Dogariya’, ‘Toon Mala Toon’ — songs still hummed today.
This album includes famous songs like Nikde Fangdu te Uchhi Udan ….. ( wordily meaning flying with small wings in a huge sky) lyrics of songs depict the feeling of love-lore beloved while another a famous lullaby ‘Tu Malla Tu lok Panan Thickriyan te Badam Pane Tu (meaning my love you will be breaking almonds and people will break stone) portrays the feeling of a mother and her deep love for her little child.
She also had published several poetry collections, including ‘Meri Kavita Mere Geet’, which won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971. She was also the recipient of the Padma Shri (2001) and the Kabir Samman for poetry for the year 2007-08 presented by the government of Madhya Pradesh. Padma Sachdev had many contributions in the field of literature.
She was gifted with quality voice also and thus she had worked as a Radio announcer with All India Radio, Jammu since 1961 and also worked with All India Radio, Mumbai.
Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha has expressed his condolences on the death of Padma Shri, Padma Sachdev ji. Office of LG J&K @OfficeOfLGJandK tweeted: “Saddened to learn about the passing away of Padma Shri Padma Sachdev Ji, the celebrated writer, poetess, and novelist from J&K.”
“She made rich contributions to Dogri and Hindi Literature. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family members, well-wishers.”
Her demise is widely condoled by literary, social and political organisation and leaders of all shades in Jammu Kashmir and at New Delhi. Senior BJP leader Sh. Chander Mohan Sharma expressing his shock termed her an icon of Jammu’s Dogri Language and culture for young generations. Grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh- Vikramaditya Singh senior leader of Indian National Congress (INC) and an ex-member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council (MLC) also has mourned the sudden demise of Smt. Padma Sachdev Ji.
Vikramaditya Singh @vikramaditya_JK said, “Saddened by the passing away of Smt. Padma Sachdev Ji a luminary for Dogri language and culture #Jammu ”
“My deepest condolences to her family, ” he tweeted further adding, “I recall her close association with my parents and remember her singing beautiful Dogri songs and poetry since my childhood.
