A lot can happen over a cup of Tea.....

After Sahara Shree , another unassuming person whom I share a special bond is Ameen Sayani.... The Golden Voice of Radio.

The other day he was in my office at All India Radio to finalise broadcast of his radio programmes. I told him, he could have called me at his work place instead of taking the trouble to come all the way. But being a gentleman (as he is) he politely put his hand on my shoulder as if to say lets not talk about it. He was looking forward for a cup of Special Tea which is my trade mark.

I am lucky to have had the opportunity to have offered the tea to a great many celebrities , film personalities & political figures while I was heading Doordarshan Mumbai .

In fact once Malvika Sanghvi suddenly came to meet me in my office at Doordarshan . I was having my special tea . I got up from my chair went to my ante room, in a jiffy I was back with a fresh cup of tea for her . I could see she was surprised and her journalistic mind was a bit confused to understand that how can a Govt Babu do this. She did not comment much ,finished her work and left.

Next day the Times Of India carried an article about Malvika Sangghvi's

visit to Doordarshan Kendra Mumbai.

She wrote "............The times they really are changing .What a pleasant surprise to walk in to the Doordarshan headquarters in Mumbai and encounter a director who is so unlike the average government babu. Mukesh Sharma director DDK Mumbai wears spiffy suits. Offers guests personally brewed exotic tea, picks up the phone himself and keeps appointment to the dot.........." .

Coming back to Ameen Bhai, he enjoyed my cup of tea. We went down the memory lane. His association with All India Radio, Binaca Geetmala Days etc. etc.

As Ameen Bhai was leaving, I was wondering what life would have been without his golden voice for our generation when there were no TV channels , no multiplexes, no internet and no mobile phones to entertain us. I salute you SIR for being with us right from our school days till today. May your Golden voice continue to inspire todays DJS, & RJs of our times...The J is Jockeys and not Jokers, unless you are reading between the lines.