Conversation with Nasir Aijaz

Born as Nirmala Sapru in Karachi on December 3, 1938, and later known as Renu Khilnani after her marriage to Ashok Khilnani, is settled in USA with her spouse for about six decades. She started her journey of life as a singer, earned fame in Indian film industry at a very young age, and then switched over the teaching profession after migration to USA. Ashok Khilnani is the youngest son of Manohar Das Kauromal Chandanmal Khilnani. The Khilnani is a legendary dynasty of Bhiria city of Sindh province of Pakistan, who gave birth to a number of eminent educationists, scholars, social reformers, businessmen and the philanthropists. Manohar Das Khilnani, son of Rai Bahadur Dewan Kauromal Chandanmal Khilnani, was a scholar like his father and had migrated to India at the time of partition of Indian subcontinent. His son Ashok, born on March 28, 1931, worked as a Professional Engineer in Defense and received an award by NASA. Four years back, Renu and Ashok Khilnani lived in Granada Hills California but later shifted to Delray Beach Florida close to their sons Keith and Mark, as told a couple of days back by their nephew Mr. Vijay Khilnani, son of Naranjan Manohar Das Khilnani, who is settled in New Delhi India.

I had the opportunity to interview Renu Khilnani in August 2019 for a local Sindhi daily.    

It was August 16, 2019 that Mr. Prakash Khilnani, member of same dynasty, also settled in USA, shared the contact number of Madam Renu Khilnani, and very next day I left a detailed message on her WhatsApp number introducing myself.

“Namaskar Madam Renu Khilnani. I am Naseer Aijaz from Bhiria, Sindh the home town of Rai Bahadur Dewan Koromal Chandanmal Khilnani. I am journalist by profession and author of several books including one on history of Sahiti area in general and Bhiria city in particular. Now, I am writing on the Khilnanis of Bhiria. Mr. Prakash gave me your contact number. I am also in touch with Mr. Vijay, son of Naranjan Khilnani. Your husband Ashok had visited Bhiria in 1980s accompanied by my cousin Nisar Hafiz. I want to record your memoirs.”

To my great delight, Madam Renu Khilnani responded instantly despite such an old age and health issues. The conversation continued for some days on daily basis with one or two question answers a day.

Renu Khilnani wrote:

Namaskar Mr. Naseer, I am Renu Khilnani, Ashok’s wife. I was born in Karachi, my father’s name is Issardas Shamdas Sapru, son of a great Mukhi of his community called Bhagnaries. We had all come to Bombay during partition. Before I had left Karachi I was may be 9 years old.

Ashok was born in Sukkur, Sindh on March 28th, 1931 and I was born in Karachi on December 3, 1938.

Where did you live in Karachi before partition?

Renu Khilnani: I think, it was near Saddar. Bhagnarri community lived nearby. They owned many liquor shops around in Karachi. It is basically a very rich community with business attitude and aptitude. Also a very good looking people of community.

What about your education?

Renu Khilnani: Yes! I started school in Convents; my English was quite dominant. Then I went to Sindh Model High School with Dharamdas as my Principal. I used to give my Services at school for background singing for all the Dramas Functions every year.

Can you read and write Sindhi? Perso Arabic alphabet?

Renu Khilnani: I can read, write and sing very well in Sindhi. I can read, write and sing in Hindi. I can read some Urdu, and sing all the Gazals. Gulam Ali is my most favorite. He uses all the available Ragaas in his Gazals.

At what age and where did you start singing?

Renu Khilnani: I sang from Pakistan Radio (they called it). I was 9 years old. After that we came to Bombay. I sang in Bombay for good 13 years. All my training, achievements, popularity came during those years. Then my next phase of life is with Great Ashok in USA. I love it….

Do you remember location of Karachi radio at your time here? This radio station later called Radio Pakistan was established in Karachi Local Board building at Bandar Road. Was it the same building where you had sung the songs?

Renu Khilnani: Mr. Naseer, sorry I do not remember. My dad is not alive, otherwise he could refresh the whole events clearly. You could check both. Thanks.

According to Wikipedia, the Karachi had no radio station till 1948. If it is correct, it means you lived in Karachi even after creation of Pakistan and used to sing for Radio Pakistan and migrated to Bombay at some later stage. Radio Pakistan website also confirms that there was no radio station in Karachi before partition. According to report published by English Daily Dawn, initially a Sindh government broadcasting station was established from where Jinnah’s oath taking ceremony was aired in August 1947 but this radio station was shut by Pakistan government after ten days as provincial government was not allowed under the law to run a radio station. It was 14th Aug 1948 that Radio Pakistan was launched from Local Board building at Bandar road which is close to Saddar area. If it was called Radio Pakistan, then you must have migrated after partition?

Renu Khilnani: I do remember Bandar Road. I remember lots of stores of dry fruits, Supariwalas dukans (shops). They were all near my home and radio station was nearby. We migrated to Bombay in 1948.

I actually saw the violence from my balcony. Very scary. I also know, we were kept safe in this good looking building with 3/4 floors.

You are right. They may have called it Karachi Radio, after that we migrated to India. Then I sang from All India Radio (Aakashvanni) for 13 years. every month. (She said recalling the old days)

Did you ever visit Karachi or any other part of Sindh after partition?

Renu Khilnani: I did not visit Karachi again after partition.

Something about start of singing in Karachi?

Renu Khilnani: In Karachi, I went to fancy private school. My dad sheltered me a lot. He was always with me. Also, on stages, studios radio station. He played great harmonium with me. He was my Guru.

I sang Noorjahan’s songs from the Pakistan Radio.

Which song of Noor Jahan you used to sing at Radio in Karachi? And also please write some lines from the songs you sung in Bombay?

Renu Khilnani: Noorjahan songs – my favorites that made me famous. Lo chall deay wo hamko tassalie deay bagair; Bachpan ke yaad ghaaro, main tumko dhoondhti hoon, tum bhee mujhe pukaro.

Would you share your life story in Bombay as a singer?

Renu Khilnani: In Bombay I became very popular. My basic training was from my father, who was a musician (Sitar & Harmonium). He also hooked me with some Pandit for classical training. I was singing everywhere in Bombay – also, with Dada Ram Panjwani. I used to sing real gazals, classic Sindhi songs – Heer Ranjha, Moomal Raano (that no one could sing). I was asked to sing with Talat Mahmood in Sindhi movies -like Sassui Punnu. I did two duets with Talat Mahmood.

Also, Lolli Lall (movie Insaaf Kithe Aahe). This was all in 1959. I got contract to sing in Sindhi movies in summer of 1959. Lolli lall was playing on radio all the time. I had also sung on All India Radio Jantar Mantar (children program) for 12 years once a month. My official name on Radio and recording was Nirmala Sapru. In my child years I was known as Baby Nirmala – In Bombay Dada Panjwani adopted this name.

And what happened after that?

Renu Khilnani: I came to USA to get married to Ashok in Feb. 1960. He was an Engineer from VJTI University in Bombay. He came to USA for his further education at the University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I was about 22 years old. Very popular in Bombay, but my destiny card was with Ashok.

At Sindhi Station in Bombay, C.H Atma’s sister used to host a program. She invited me to sing when I visited Bombay in 1988. I sang Rano and Nangra Nimarrida with all the dhohiriyas.

Did you perform as actress in movies?

Renu Khilnani: I did not perform as an actress in any movie. I wanted to learn classical dancing also. I was refused by all the teachers. They all recommended not to as it would affect my Voice.

[During the conversation she also talked about confiscation of their property in Bombay after the demise of her grandfather]

Who confiscated the property of your parents?

Renu Khilnani: I have no memories of confiscation. Recently I heard, some of the wealth was legally taken by Municipality of Bombay, after my Buaa died.

Something about family life? 

Renu Khilnani: We have two sons. Older one lives in Miami FL. He is a teacher & his wife is a Psychologist (They have two kids, boy & girl). Our younger one is in Atlanta, GA. He is an Emergency Physician with his wife as a PA. (They have two kids, boy & a girl). I perused my Education in USA University. I have two Masters Degrees in Education, and Four Teaching Credentials. I taught as a lead teacher in Los Angeles for 30 years. I have retired now and live peacefully seeking Inner Peace with Ashok. We both believe in Pure Happiness & Inner Peace.

The glorious history is behind me now. I am only seeking higher levels of thinking. I am writing a Book. Purpose of Life.

[During our conversation I also shared PDF copy of my book on history of Bhiria that contained detailed chapters on Khilnani dynasty and the photos including that of Ashok Khilnani]  

Renu Khilnani: Ashok & I viewed the PDF. Your whole Book, looks great. Anytime, you visit USA, please come to L.A. & stay with us. Love to have you.

When I told her that during the search on YouTube I found her two songs – duet with Talat Mahmood, Renu Khilnani said: Wow!!! You are truly a workaholic. You are a legend in your community. Please visit USA.

Later after a few days, I also shared the copy of the interview published in a Sindhi daily.

Renu Khilnani: Mr. Naseer Aiiaz, I have viewed the article and I have also shared it with few of my close friends. They are quite pleased to know that my Fan Club continues to grow. I am very humbled by this extra attention. I have come to a point in life that Real Happiness is achieved by Inner Peace. I thank you for your efforts & applied Interest.

I thanked Madam Renu for appreciation and informed her that I had also shared this article with Vijay Khilnani in Delhi and several other Sindhis of Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Baroda.

Postscript

I delayed for a few days the release of the English version of conversation with Madam Renu and waited for a response to my two messages regarding her book, but perhaps because of the age factor she couldn’t reply. Madam Renu is now 85 and Sir Ashok Khilnani is 92. Sir Ashok had some hearing impairment even in 2019.I pray for their health.

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Nasir Aijaz is a Karachi-based senior journalist and author of nine books on literature, language and history besides scores of articles on various topics. He can be reached at nasir.akhund1954@gmail.com

Mr. Vijay Khilnani from New Delhi was kind enough to provide photos of Madam Renu Khilnani. Photos of her two sons were taken from Facebook 

The post Renu Khilnani – A legendary lady’s journey from a singer to an educationist first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Sindh Courier

Vadodara, Gujarat, India

Like several other organizations of Sindhi community, the North Baroda Sindhi Organization also arranged a program to celebrate Cheti Chand, the birthday of Lord Jhulelal and the New Sindhi Year on March 23, 2023.

The celebration started at 7pm and lasted for over four hours during which the children performed on Sindhi songs. A number of families of Sindhi community were invited.

Mr. and Mrs. Prakash Khilnani also attended the event, who had come from the USA after many years to visit their dear ones. Mr. Prakash belongs to legendry Khilnani family of Rai Bahadur Dewan Kauromal Chandanmal Khilnani of Bhiria city of Sahiti area of Sindh. Dewan Kauromal was a great educationist, social reformer and author of over fifty books, and is remembered with great respect and love as ‘Father of Sindhi Literature’.

Before moving to USA, Mr. Prakash was settled in Vadodara (Baroda) where he had come in January last after a long time. Mr. Prakash is the lifetime member of North Baroda Sindhi Organization.

Mr. Prakash made a very heart touching speech at the event and recited a few lines of Sindhi poem showing his longing for Sindh and Sindhis. Although Mr. Prakash was not born in Sindh but he has immense love for the motherland Sindh, from where his ancestors had migrated. At the time of partition, his father use to do a job with a private company in India and couldn’t go back. The grandparents of Mr. Prakash had to migrate to India with some belongings which he has preserved even in USA. Those belongings include some brass-made utensils and a gramophone of 1920.

At the end of the event, Mr. and Mrs. Prakash Khilnani distributed gifts among the children who participated in singing and dancing program. he program was followed by dinner.

During their stay in Baroda, Mr. and Mrs. Prakash Khilnani also visited the office of a Sindhi magazine ‘Chingoon’ where the magazine editor Mr. Mahesh Punjabi and others warmly welcomed them. T

The Khilnani couple also visited Bangalore and other cities.

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The post North Baroda Sindhi Organization celebrates Cheti Chand first appeared on Sindh Courier.

He took all these antiques while moving from India to USA some eight years back.

Nasir Aijaz

Prakash Khilnani is settled in the USA and was scheduled to leave for India after about four years to meet relatives and old friends. We have never met, but a bond or I must say bonds do exist that brought us closer, erasing all the barriers of artificial frontiers created at the time of partition of subcontinent in 1947. One bond, in the words of my Italian poet friend Stefania Miola, is that ‘we all humans live under one sky’, and the other one, much more stronger, is that Prakash is Sindhi and descendent of a family that lived before so-called 1947 partition, in Bhiria – my hometown in Naushehro Feroze district of Sindh, known as Sahiti Pargana.

Although, Prakash Khilnani was born after the partition in India and has never visited his ancestral hometown, he had longed for it since childhood after listening to the stories of Bhiria from his father who was in a private job in India when the partition was announced. And, since he had been unable to visit his ancestors’ motherland, the only thing he has to satisfy nostalgic feelings is a ‘treasure’ brought by his grandparents, which he has preserved for all these decades. The ‘treasure’ includes a gramophone and some utensils.

“My father and uncle, both were in a private job in India when the partition took place. My grandparents and a few other family members were there in Bhiria, who migrated taking some things – and those include a few utensils made of brass and a gramophone,” Prakash told.

“I was born in 1955 and didn’t see my grandfather who passed away in 1954, but my father used to share memoirs of ancestors and homeland. I grew up listening to those memoirs that always reminded me of our roots”, he proudly says.

“All these things, which I have preserved, are sacred for us,” Prakash said and added, “On the occasion of Diyari (Diwali) and other religious festivals, we put all the utensils in front of us for rituals.”

Sharing further, Prakash said his father used to tell him that their family was the first one to buy the gramophone in Bhiria in 1920. “We had dozens of gramophone records which included some rare songs of Sindhi singers of that time but unfortunately, most of them couldn’t be preserved.”

“Ours was the first family to have a gramophone in Bhiria,” he said.

Prakash Khilnani said that besides gramophone and utensils, he also has some weights and measures, and a pair of scales or Tarazi/Sahmi, as called in Sindhi language. “It is made of pure silver and is kept in a wooden box.”

My parents had settled in Vadodara (Baroda) city of Gujarat in India after the partition. “All these antiques were there at our home, but I took all these things along when I moved to America,” he told.

Prakash Khilnani, who shared the photos of his parents as well as of gramophone and utensils, said that the names of his grandparents are engraved on the utensils. The utensils have been maintained in a way they look as if purchased recently.

“One of these bowls belongs to my father’s uncle Motiram Aaildas Khilnani. On this bowl, his name Motiram is written in Hindi.”

“Motiram was real uncle of my father Sadhuram,” he said and added, “The bowl is made of ‘Kut’, as called in Sindhi language, and is some 85 years old.”

“The tiffin belongs to my gransfather Atmaram Aildas Khilnani. It’s made of pittal (brass) and may be more than 100 years old. We changed it in steel color in 2003 spending a few hundred rupees,” he said. “The other thing my grandfather left is a lotto (ewer or vase-shaped jug), also as old as the tiffin.”

Another over 100 years old utensil made of German silver belonged to his grandmother Smt. Jasoda Atmaram Khilnani and her name is also engraved on it. “It’s made of pure silver.”

“As I told before, my grandparents also had Tarazi/Sahmi. It was kept in a triangular wooden box along with weights of half tola, one tola and two tola, and must be 85 years old,” Prakash said.

Another antique, which Prakash proudly mentioned is the gramophone, which his grandfather had purchased in 1920. “I have kept it functional even today and used to play and listen to old songs, which take me back to my ancestors’ era and our motherland. They include old Sindhi and Hindi songs.”

Prakash Khilnani also shared details of his ancestors according to which his father Sadhuram had two brothers – Motiram and Choithram, and two sisters Padma and Hari. “My grandfather Atmaram was son of Aildas, whose father was Ghanshyamdas.” They all belonged to legendary Khilnani family of Bhiria, Sindh known for their philanthropy, and services in education and social welfare fields. Rai Bahadur Dewan Kauromal Chandanmal Khilnani can be named one of those legends, who is revered most as ‘Father of Sindhi Literature’, great Social Reformer and Educationist.

“We always feel proud of having kinship with Rai Bahadur Dewan Kauromal Chandanmal Khilnani,” Prakash often said.

Prakash had been sharing lots of memories over the phone during last three to four years, which I will pen down on some other occasion.

Prakash, who turned 67 on November 6, 2022, told me on December 8 that he has booked ticket for 28^th December to visit India. “I will be there for a couple of months. First, I will go to Baroda, my home, and then to other cities including Amritsar for Puja.”

I pray for his safe journey, health, happiness and long life.

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Nasir Aijaz is a senior journalist and Chief Editor, Sindh Courier, based in Karachi. He is author of nine books on literature, language and history. He can be accessed at nasir.akhund1954@gmail.com  

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