On 02 October every year, India celebrates Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti. Shastri ji is cherished for his simplicity and steadfast committed during difficult times, particularly during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
Unknown to many, the residents of the city of Tashkent, where he passed away during the ill-fated summit after signing the Tashkent declaration, still remember him fondly and flock to the Shastri Street to pay homage at his bust, erected in 1966 and made by the then famous Uzbek sculsculptor, Yakov Shapiro.
Not only this, the city’s school number 24 is colloquially called ‘Shastri School’ with a life-size statue erected in his honour. Hindi is taught as a subject in this school.
One may argue that these memorials and institutions, by themselves, may not give a correct picture that may well be prone to exaggeration. But a happy incident this morning established beyond doubt that Shastriji indeed touched the hearts of many in this part of the world.
My father has joined me in Tashkent for a few days and insisted that I must take him to the bust so he could pay his respects on Shastri ji’s birth anniversary. As we sat in solemn thoughts close to the monument, an old-unassuming octagenarian, who could hardly walk, passed us by, stood in front of Shastriji’s bust and bowed in respect. He then fumbled to click a picture of the bust but wasn’t well acquainted with his modern looking phone (one I presume must’ve been given by his children). I instantly offered to help him click a photograph. I couldn’t help but notice that this man was wearing a badge with Shastri ji’s picture on it. We got talking and soon I found out that he was among the first Indologists who had studied Indian language years ago at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. He soon turned out to be a treasure-trove of information for us who had very little knowledge of the love that Uzbeks had for Indian language and culture and the extent of popularity it enjoyed in the yore. Like many, I too had been under the impression that it was Bollywood and Raj Kapoor who alone were the torchbearers of cultural affinity that India enjoys in Uzbekistan. Now I know better.
He also turned out to be a good friend of the sculptor, Mr Yakov Zapirov and shared some pictures from there time together. All the while, his immense love for India was particularly evident.
I truly feel blessed to have had such a happy-coincidence at Tashkent and was able to re-live the life and times of Shastriji’s time in Tashkent on his birth anniversary.
*Years on, Shastri ji still lives in the hearts of the people of Tashkent!*
Col. Vikram Raina
Embassy of India
Tashkent
