Today is the 6th
of March.
The 6th of
March was the birthday of my late father-in-law Brigadier Pratap
Dattatraya Joshi who we affectionately called Daddy.
How time
flies!
He passed away in
the early hours of 22nd of September 2008.
Seven and a Half
years have passed since the inimitable Pratap Dattatraya Joshi left for his
heavenly abode.
Lest we forget
him, on this day, which would have been his 84th
birthday, let me sound the “Last Post” once again.
As a token of my
remembrance, here is the obituary LAST POST I wrote for him when he left
us for his heavenly abode on the 22nd of September 2008.
LAST POST
Obituary
Obituary
Brigadier Pratap
Dattatraya Joshi (6.3.1932 - 22.9.2008)
In the early hours
of the 22nd of September 2008, Pratap Dattatraya Joshi,
breathed his last, and departed for his heavenly abode, at the Deenanath
Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune.
Pratap Joshi was an
epitome of simple living and high thinking.
Born on the 6th of
March 1932, he imbibed sterling values from his father, DP Joshi, a Teacher and
Scout, a legend in his lifetime.
A product of the
prestigious First Course of the National Defence Academy (or 1st JSW,
as he liked to call it), Brigadier PD Joshi was certainly not the archetypal
pompous hard-drinking handlebar-moustachioed high-falutin Colonel Blimp type of
Officer.
He was a simple,
down-to-earth, Spartan, unassuming, dedicated, sincere, patriotic, scrupulously
honest, erudite person possessing a golden heart filled with humility and
compassion.
Throughout his
distinguished career spanning 37 years, and even thereafter, he spread
happiness, benevolence and goodwill owing to his cheerful disposition,
kind-hearted nature and inimitable sense of humour.
Forever young at
heart, Pratap Joshi did not suffer from the Auld Lang Syne Complex.
After retirement,
unlike most retired “faujis”, he never lived in the past, languishing and
brooding about the “good old days”, but moved on with exceptional enthusiasm
and childlike zeal to his new loves – music and social work.
Starting from the
scratch, he studied classical music with sheer dedication, resolute grit and
passionate zest for many years till he was bestowed with the prestigious post
graduate degree of Sangeet Alankar.
Then he taught
music to one and all, free of cost, making special efforts to teach the needy
and underprivileged.
Travelling
extensively, and roughing it out in the heart of the mofussil, to rural and
far flung regions, he made a significant social contribution to enhancing
primary education in backward areas, as the Chief Trustee of the Natu
Foundation Educational Trust.
He eagerly
contributed his expertise to Jnana Prabodhini and for improving the efficiency
of Hospitals.
Pratap Joshi loved
animals, especially dogs.
He always had pet
dogs, and showered his unconditional love on them and all the dogs that he came
across in the neighbourhood, pet and stray.
It was distressing
to see Dolly desperately searching for him soon after he had gone away from us
forever.
We shall always
remember the love with which he snuggled and cuddled Sherry, our Doberman girl,
when she was a baby.
He had a genuine
zest for living, and enjoyed every moment of his life, indulging himself in his
favourite foods, movies, travel, music – anything he liked, he did it! He
laughed, and made others laugh.
I first met Pratap
Joshi in March 1982 and he left such a lasting impression on me that I became
his fan ever since.
He was my
father-in-law, more like a loving father who I could count on to stand by me,
advise and inspire me, in happiness and in adversity, and I shall forever
cherish every moment I shared with him.
My son, a seafarer,
was his favourite grandchild, the apple of his eye.
It was a pity he
could not be with his beloved grandfather during his last moments as he is
sailing on the high seas.
Such are the
tragedies and travesties of life, and death.
We will miss you
dearly “Daddy”.
You lived your life
to its fullest and loved all of us from the bottom of your heart.
We are sure you
will shower us with your blessings from your heavenly abode.
You were a noble
and virtuous man who always did good to everyone you met and wherever you
went.
RIP Pratap
Dattatraya Joshi (6.3.1932 - 22.9.2008)
May Your Kindly Soul
Rest in Peace
VIKRAM KARVE
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