Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Remembering “Daddy” – Brigadier Pratap Dattatraya Joshi (06.3.1932 - 22.9.2008)

Remembrance  Brigadier Pratap Dattatraya Joshi (06.3.1932 - 22.9.2008) 


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 to his heavenly abode in the early hours of 22nd of September 2008.

Ten and a Half years have passed since the inimitable Pratap Dattatraya Joshi left for his heavenly abode. 

Lest we forget him  on this day  the 6th of March 2019 – which would have been his 87th birthday – let me sound the “Last Post” once again.

As a token of my remembrance  here is the obituary LAST POST that I wrote for him when he left us for his heavenly abode on the 22nd of September 2008. 

LAST POST

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 he 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.

Brigadier PD Joshi was a product of the prestigious First Course of the National Defence Academy (NDA)  or 1st JSW  as he liked to call it  then located in Dehradun.

Brigadier PD Joshi was certainly not the archetypal pompous hard-drinking handlebar-moustachioed high-falutin Colonel Blimp type of Army Officer.

He was not an elitist snob  but a simple honest patriotic professional – who believed in grassroot soldiering. 

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 he 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 his pet dog 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 pet dog  a Doberman-X girl  when she was a baby.

(Sadly – Sherry also passed away to her heavenly abode in December 2014)

Pratap Joshi had a genuine zest for living  and he enjoyed every moment of his life  indulging himself in his favourite foods, movies, travel, music etc

If he liked to do something – he did it – anything he liked – without caring for what others would think.

He laughed  and he 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  a Master Mariner  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 in September 2008 – as he was 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. 

Pratap Dattatraya Joshi  (06.3.1932 - 22.9.2008)  RIP.

May His Soul Rest in Peace.

VIKRAM KARVE

This Obituary First Posted on 22 September 2008 in this Blog at url link: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2008/09/pratap-joshi-rip-remembrance.html

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