AVTAR MOTA
As announcer , he had a golden voice that Exhaled the fragrance of Urdu language. He was a contemporary of Anzar Ahmed , Mariam Kazmi, Jamshed Jahaan, Zubair Rizvi and many others who were once topnotch announcers of AIR’s Urdu service. As its station director, he did what many others could not do to Radio kashmir Srinagar.Prior to joining Radio kashmiri , he worked as Assitant Station Director Doordarshan Srinagar . He is an Alumni of Government college Hoshiarpur Punjab .
His program “ MEHFIL “for AIR Srinagar touched heights of popularity. His another program “GHARANON KE LIYE “ became a favourite with radio listeners in Kashmir valley.
Always leading from the front,He gave a new life to the Station. His interviews were a real treat that opened all the hidden facets of the personalities that he interviewed. I specifically remember his interview of Amitabh Bachan and Malika e Tarranum Noor Jahaan . His interview of Firaq Gorakhpuri for Lucknow Doordarshan touched heights of popularity. And for recording Noor Jahhaan , He went all the way to Lahore.
Even with not so good health , he remains busy as Patron of an organization known as MEDIA NEST ( Media for children ) that works for children .
He has many stories to tell you about many personalities that he met during the course of his official duties . One such story relates to Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru . He adds:
“ Pandit ji was a Great Personality . I met Nehru ji not once but twice at public rallies. The second time I got closer for taking his autograph. But that moment , i had no paper or notepad so i simply extended a ten rupee note towards Paditji. Panditji looked up, took the note and put it in the donation box. He then asked me for another note, signed and returned to me with a smile.”
Adds Abdul Rashid Dullo from Kashmir :
“I can not forget him interviewing Late Sikander Bakht, the then Union Industries Minister alongwith Zuber Rizvi. It was through this interview I came to know about the class and caliber of Sikander Bakht and it was in this interview that even K K Nayar was impressed by Bakht’s understanding of urdu and its evolution.”
Adds Shri Bhushan Kaul from Jammu :
“ He was with charming personality and sweet language. He looked very handsome with his stylish grey hair. I was shooting in Indore a few sequences of our Documentary “ Decade of Achievement “ for National telecast. Mr Nayyar was station Director of Indore Radio Station. He made us very comfortable at his own official residence. I still remember that he had accident and had plaster to his one arm. On our leaving day he prepared breakfast for us with his one arm plastered. I will never forget that day and his way of hospitality.”
This is what Padamshri Pran Kishore Kaul writes about K K Nayyar in his book ‘Radio Kashmir And My Days in Broadcasting” :-
“K.K.Nayyar, himself a popular broadcaster with a refined voice, who had a large fan following amongst Urdu- speaking listeners in India and Pakistan, held the fort as Station Director ,Radio Kashmir , Srinagar from 1976 to 1981. He introduced many innovative programmes like Mehfil and theme based musical concerts .Categorised as outstanding Drama Voice -graded outstanding along with Melville de Mellow, Bhadro Banerji from Bengal , Vinod Sharma from Mumbai, your writer, and eight broadcasters of the country, K K Nayyar was promoted was Deputy Director General and had to move to Delhi .”
None to match this legendary broadcaster who retired as DDG AIR. Kashmir still remains close to his heart even if people forgot him.As a demonstration of this love , he named his Lucknow House as CHINAR ( A popular , tall and graceful Tree in kashmir).
Gubaar e Raah Chalaa saathh Yeh Bhi Kyaa kam Hai
Safar mein aur koyee Humsafar mile na mile ..
Avtar Mota is a noted writer and columnist
