Just as I was reading on social media about it being N D Tiwari’s birthday, I suddenly got to know about his demise that happened on the day of his 93rd birthday. And what came to my mind was that he would have loved to know that he proved unique in this too-by passing away from the world on the very day on which he had arrived in it.
Having worked as a journalist during Tiwari ji’s tenure as the Chief Minister of a very young Uttarakhand (March 2002 to March 2007)–in fact a fledgling State-I observed him at many a political function as well as cultural event. He would always be smiling and would greet each one of us individually at any public gathering with his hands folded. He was extremely sociable and interacted with media persons as well as all others present on various occasions. He was, no doubt, a popular leader.
Tiwari ji’s interest in and knowledge of the world history would ensure that in most of his speeches, he would take the audience back into time and refer to great examples from history. He also had great interest in Hindi and Urdu poetry. With his interest in poetry is connected the fact that he, as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, released my first book titled Jashn-e-Tanhai (a collection of Urdu verse) on February 25, 2004, at Hotel Madhuban in Dehra Dun. He turned quite emotional on the occasion as he recalled his days in prison as a freedom fighter. He said in his speech on the book launch event that he would, along with his co-prisoners, sing many a melody that would keep motivating them to be strong in their struggle for freedom. In fact, he sang a few lines of those songs at the book release function. That day stands out well in my memories.
A remark that he made while addressing the audience was something I recall to this day. And many of my journalist friends who were present that day also remember it often. He said that he had noticed that I was extremely punctual and would always be the first one to turn up for a press conference. He said that he now understood that I was quite happy to be sitting alone and celebrating my solitude! “I did not know then that she is a poet and likes to be lost in her musings!,” said the then Chief Minister .
For three more years were we in contact with him as we all wrote about the various development schemes he was working on. There was a lot of hope and optimism around in those early years after the creation of the new hill State. Something or the other kept happening to keep the interest of the media alive and conscious of the development of the State.
Another thing that I now remember is that N D Tiwari had an amazing memory. Anyone who he would perhaps be meeting after quite a gap, he would recognise at once and give him or her many small details about their previous meetings, naming their parents or some other city where he had met them. This was something that used to always make me wonder. He must have met thousands of people in his career as a politician and yet he could identify all of them! This quality contributed to his popularity as a leader. Something that comes to mind suddenly at this moment is that when he was made the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, someone had written that it was like “putting a shark in a well!” What an apt image! However, he never made anyone feel that this State was too small a field for him. There was definitely a sense of stability in the State during his tenure as the Chief Minister. A vision was in place and a lot of co-ordination among various departments was evident.
People of this hill State will always remember the years when Tiwari ji was the Chief Minister. He was a versatile and experienced leader who had a vast perspective of politics and development. Uttarakhand benefitted greatly from this in its nascent years.
