Tell us something about your growing up years, were you always entrepreneurial?

I grew up in India in a Gursikh family. My father was in the army and kept quite busy. He was a great father but as the youngest in the family, I had little opportunity to learn from him. On the other hand, my brother had a serious entrepreneurial streak in him. He would hand make gorgeous bedside lamps and market them himself. I was very intrigued by his ability to create something out of nothing and it inspired me for a long time.

While I did my best in school and college, my parents always encouraged me to take initiatives in the social settings as well. I remember that my parents gave me the opportunity to read the wakh at the time of her grand mother’s death in front of hundreds of people. It was not a common practice and I felt nervous, but I knew that my parents are there with me. It was a moment that I can never forget in my life and it is through such experiences that I grew more confident in life.

In hindsight, how did marriage to an army officer prepare you for life that you lead today? 

Army life isn’t easy, and there were a lot of hardships to face. However, it did give me a lot of opportunities to turn simple hobbies into something more. There was so much to do constantly – flower settings, table decor competitions, events for the officer’s children, even complete house renovations for charity. Our social calendar was always packed with events that honed my skills. From curating fashion shows to organizing for charity and social causes, I was already in the game and didn’t even know it. Never did I imagine in my wildest dreams what lay ahead in cards.

What made you shift base from India to Thailand? 

Call it fate, call it destiny, I don’t know. After rigorous years of army life, my husband took pre-mature retirement. We had plans to settle in Delhi since various opportunities had presented themselves there. He even almost began work on them, however, his family, brothers/sister who had been based out of Bangkok for the past few decades, convinced him to join them. After quite some persuading, he went ahead to set up work, and I joined him a year later. And that was that. Thailand is in our blood now, and we love it.

What were some of the challenges that you faced when you moved to a new country  – Thailand? 

Well, the most obvious challenge was language! Thailand is a lovely country and so are the people. However, language is tonal hence there are difficulties in the learning process. Nevertheless with time and practice, one does manage to pick it up, and after almost 25 years I can proudly say that it has become a part of me.

So, how did “Weddings by Keeran” come about?

Within a few years of moving to Bangkok, it was the wedding of my daughter Meghna. During that time I was in dire need of a wedding planner who could take over the reins of planning the wedding and lend me a helping hand. But, I could not find anyone who could be there and help.

So, I took over the task myself. Once that decision was made, everything just fell into place. I moved fast and efficiently worked on the trousseau, venue selection, and finalization, the decor of all functions and requirements of guests including their accommodation. My husband and son helped wherever I needed, and as a team, we functioned systematically and efficiently. In turn, the entire wedding went off extremely well and we kept receiving compliments from friends, family and my daughter’s in-laws. It was at this moment that I realized that this was my true calling and within a couple of years (after having become a grandmom), I started “Weddings by Keeran”.

How big is the weddings industry in Thailand?

In one word, HUGE. There are hundreds of thousands of weddings that take place every year in Thailand and we have more planners now than we did a few years back. Everyone gets work according to their capabilities and dedication and is happy. This is a booming environment.

How did you prep for the business?

Once I realized that this is what I want to do, I was completely driven and motivated to do whatever it takes to create this venture. Initially, I started with just planning weddings for the children of friends and family. I started to meet different vendors and travel to different parts of Bangkok to understand how the business works. I started to catalogue names, numbers, contact details of every single person who might be needed at a wedding – florist to make up person, hotels to jewelry designers. I met with everyone and got to know them.

The issue was marketing now and getting the word out. A company was created and the branding was done by my daughter and partner Meghna Mirpuri. The website was in place soon and after this, we never looked back. Meghna is just as passionate about this business and twice as hardworking. She helped me tie up the lose ends. It fills me with joy to know that now we are at a point where she is our point person and flying the company flag high! Being a grandma feels great.

What were the challenges of setting up a new venture and how did you overcome those?

I wouldn’t call setting up a company or website a challenge. When one is sure, not over confident, of one’s own capabilities and hard work, you just move smoothly through and any so called challenge or difficulty was taken as a speed bump. I am quite confident of my team and their abilities, so we managed the speed bumps well.

What role did family and friends play in creating “weddings by Keeran”? 

Absolute confidence in what I was doing and full support, till today. They give me the strength and courage I need when things get tough… think of it as a phone recharge ????

What motivates you to go out and work on the venture daily? 

I’m extremely passionate about what I’m doing and that’s all the motivation I need. I truly enjoy meeting my clients and understanding their unique vision, and then finally seeing that being fulfilled. I love the happiness as two families come together to celebrate this wondrous moment in their lives. I am thankful to be a part of so many many great stories, it makes me emotional at times. I have a great job, and I love every minute of it.

How has life changed for you from the time you started this venture?

Absolute satisfaction. I am content with my work and it brings me great pleasure to be appreciated for something I am good at.

Is there a message that you would like to give to budding entrepreneurs?

All I want to say is that if there is a deeply personal reason, or a health issue, as to why someone walks away from a dream career, I have full respect for that. However, if you are healthy and have no personal restrictions, then age is just a number – that’s what my father always said.

It should not become a hindrance to doing what you love.

He took his wife Jas Kaur’s recipe and transformed it into a kulfi business. It stays true to tradition by using minimal ingredients and even has an authentic Punjabi taste.

Recently they have expanded beyond kulfi to Tarka Masala to cater to the growing need and interest in Punjabi and Indian cooking.

In a short period of time, Kaurina’s went from a small home-based operation to a full-fledged manufacturing operation, selling not only at the local Punjabi, Indian and Pakistani grocery shops in and around Texas, but also in big stores such as HEB, Fiesta and now they are even sold in many of the Costco stores on the West Coast.

Hari Singh has come a long way from being a geologist to being a full-time entrepreneur in the food industry. His son Aman Singh who joined him in 2004 also took a leap of faith from being an engineer to being “The Kulfi Man”, as he calls himself. Both have had great success with Kaurina’s and are all set to take it to the next big level. Here is a glimpse into their journey, as I talk to father and son.

How did Kaurina’s Kulfi come into being?

Hari Singh (“HS“): Kulfi was not the first product that we worked on. There is a sauce called the Picante sauce. My wife made a version of that at home, it was Picante with a Punjabi Touch. We all loved it. We thought of turning it into a business.

But then it did not fly well at the business plan stage, since we did not have the knowledge of how to manufacture on a large scale. I was told that in the beginning we would have to make a sample of 10,000 bottles and we did not want to make that kind of investment, so we dropped that idea.

Aman Singh (“AS”): Kulfi was always my mom’s specialty. No dinner party was ever complete without kulfi. All our friends and relatives used to say that “Jas’s kulfi is the best”. People used to come from far and wide to taste my mom’s kulfi. It is then that we thought of making a business out of it.

We made a few samples and tested it in our local store and it sold out on the first day. Then we expanded to other stores, invested in a production site and the rest, as they say, is history.

How did you decide on the name ‘Kaurina’s’ ?

We brain stormed with quite a few names. We wanted a name which had Punjabi roots, but at the same time, it resonates with a broader audience. We also wanted a distinctly female sounding name as it sounds better and is also identifiable with moms who cook the most in any household. The Sikh name ‘Kaur’ — common to all Sikh women — was something that had all these qualities.

We added “ina” to it as it had more recognizable sound to it. You find a “Tina, Reena etc” in many cultures. This is how we decided on the name ‘Kaurina’s‘.

How did you manage to make inroads into Costco, HEB, Fiesta and other big stores?

Our plan was to participate in the trade shows. Before we headed off to them, though, we updated our packaging. We specially created a multi-pack to cater to the big stores. Then in 2010 in Anaheim (California) we participated in the trade show. One of the Costco buyers came to us and tried our product. She liked it and got us connected to the person in charge at Costco. The Costco buyer requested samples and then set up a meeting. The negotiations lasted over a year. Finally, we agreed to supply to 6 Costco’s. We also created special packaging for them. Now they want us to expand to the other Costco’s.

HEB and Fiesta contacted us through the distributor trade show that we attended in Jan 2011. In 2011 during the Fancy Food Show in New York, we were also contacted by the Union Market buyer; they have three stores in Brooklyn. She wanted us to supply them directly and remove all middle men.

So now we are beginning to expand our foot print beyond Texas into other regions. The journey has just begun.

How did you expand into the ice-cream line? Was there any fear of competition from the big brands like Nestle?

AS:  Consumers wanted party-size tubs. Initially, I was a little hesitant in expanding our line, but my dad wanted to pursue this opportunity. We focused on getting our kulfi blend incorporated into the formulation. We also added new and differentiated flavors such as chikoo.

At present, there is no major pressure to compete with the major brands. We are competing with the smaller brands which are carried by Punjabi and Indian stores.

What role has your mom/wife played in the success of Kaurina’s, besides sharing her recipes?

AS:  Mom has always been the back-bone of our family. She gave us all the support that we wanted. She kept her day job to support the family and to have a steady stream of income while we dabbled in business. My wife also supports us by continuing to work on her ‘day job’.

Where were you brought up and what were the early years like for you?

HS:  I grew up in Punjab, mostly in Simla, along with five brothers and a sister. Then in 1953 my father, who used to work in the Punjab government, got transferred to Chandigarh. That is where I did most of my schooling. I then went on to do a degree in Geology from Punjab University. After that, I took up a job as a Mining officer. I got married in 1975 and then moved to Ludhiana for a few years.

I found it difficult to work in the political environment. My dad was also a very principled person and valued his integrity. While all his Indian colleagues were able to claw up the bureaucratic chain, my father was content with retiring as a private secretary to the Minister. He never wanted to compromise on his principles and ethics. I found it very difficult to adjust to the Indian environment.

Did anyone in your family have a business background?

HS:  No one in my family ever had a business background. All were into ‘professions‘. One of my brothers went into the army and another came to the US to work here and retired as a federal judge. I did not feel that I was fit or good enough to venture into business.

What made you come to the US?

HS:  Like I said, I was not too happy with the government work. During this time, my elder brother asked us if we would like to come to the US. Then in 1977, I did. I first went to Washington, DC and stayed there for a year and then came to Texas.

In DC I was working in a field job, but it was extremely difficult because of the discrimination I encountered along the way. Then in 1978, I moved to Texas. It did not help as jobs were few. I took up a job with 7/11.

In 1979 I got two job offers. I joined Mobil Oil and was there for 3 years before I was laid off.

How has your Sikh Faith helped you in this journey?

HS:  While growing up in Punjab, we used to do paatth every day. I participated in a lot of SGPC competitions. My son Aman has also attended Sikh camps throughout his youth, doing kirtan, learning Punjabi and Sikh history.

When we came to this country, unfortunately, there were very few Sikhs, so it was tough. The awareness regarding Sikhism was not there. It’s different now, people are more aware of us.

Faith in Gurbani has always been our strength. I believe that whatever we are today is because of Waheguru and without His blessings we could not achieve all this. Despite the setback in my early years here, I now proudly wear the dastaar.

What is your vision for the company?

AS:   We would like to create and lead the Kulfi category into the mainstream American market. We would like to create more wholesome and all-natural products that no one has yet created or introduced into the market. We aim to use fewer ingredients and thus make the products healthy and tasty.

This post first appeared here.

Meet Harleen Kaur, Who Is Taking On Stereotyping Like A Superhero!

You are being stereotyped every single day. And let me break the suspense. You are stereotyping others too. Every. Single. Day.

Surprised? We all build our own sets of beliefs and notions based on our experiences. There are some, which are based on our individual experiences since the time we are born. And then there are some, which develop collectively as we experience life in a society. Just try this – Picture in your mind, in sequence, a black man, a blonde woman, a Sikh, a Tamilian, a pregnant woman, a government official. Didn’t preconceived ideas on their attire, their behavior, their body shapes, their food habits – all come unbidden into your mind? These assumptions come into play irrespective of whether someone is looked at through the lens of race, gender, religion, profession, or simply a stage of life.

What started as the human mind’s intrinsic way of slotting people in order to ease our understanding of our surroundings has evolved into being this humongous barrier all around us. Here’s an indie film that hopes to shatter these stereotypes and let us look at life with innocent eyes once again.

We caught up with the creative force behind the making of the film, Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes, Harleen Kaur. This MBA & business professional and mother of two kids (one is 2 years old and the other is just 2 months old) in her early 30s, is defying every single stereotypical image that popped into your mind when you read this sentence. She herself has experienced ethnic and gender stereotyping as an Indian woman living in the US. She’s had people refusing to join her crew for her first film for, well, being pregnant with her first child at that time! She feels that the only way to deal with it personally is to have a solid belief system as a guide and do our bit to start the conversation at the societal level.

Image courtesy: Kaur Films

She is out to raise $65,000 for her Kickstarter campaign, of which about $14,000 has been raised. It is an ambitious film set to be shot in 6 cities across 3 countries. How widely this story reaches is quite simply in your hands, dear readers. We believe it is a story worth being told and told very well.

Excerpts from an interview with the gutsy lady:

Tell us a little bit about your childhood?

I grew up across India as my father served in the Indian army, from which he retired as a Brigadier in the Infantry division. We moved often, and I ended up studying in about 10-12 schools during my formative years. Imagine this – my father is a Sikh, but he led the Madras regiment – to the uninitiated, the cultural difference is as stark as night and day. Simply by being part of this life, we were exposed to people from all strata of society, different religions, and cultures in our childhood. Discipline, adjusting to your environment, making conversations with strangers, everything becomes second nature. For example, living in the small town of Damdim, our school was 60 kilometers away. There was no room for “No, I can’t go to this school,” because that was the only one close to where we lived. That was the school, and one simply went there without complaining. Towards the end of my school years, my father got posted at Delhi where I graduated with a degree in Economics (Hons) from Jesus & Mary College in Delhi University.

What happened after the studies? How did your career get its start?

After graduation, I worked with National Geographic Channel’s History Channel. My experience and interest in media originated from there. A few years later when I went to the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, I leveraged my experience in the domain and was the founding president of the ISB Media Club. The diverse experiences during the management program were challenging and kept things interesting. At the end of the program, I joined Colgate Palmolive as Associate Brand Manager in New York where I managed brands in the US and Latin America. Also, living in New York, you get to be a part of this very diverse melting pot which is a tremendously enriching experience professionally and personally. From there, I moved to Bolthouse Farms (now bought over by Campbell Soups) in Bakersfield, where I helped establish their marketing division. These two jobs gave me a perspective from two opposite ends of the spectrum – working for a large, well-recognized firm and living in a metro like NYC, and then working out of a trailer for a small, niche brand and living in the countryside.

How did filmmaking happen in the midst of such a growing career in Marketing?

I have always wanted to do something that involved storytelling. A few years ago, I was nominated to the jury for United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF). I became a part of a world where I saw so many different stories from countries all over the world. There were amazing films from Iran, Palestine, Africa, Colombia, Poland, and of course wonderful independent films from the US. I realized that there are hundreds of stories just waiting to be told. I realized that if I don’t do this for myself, nobody else will. So I quit my corporate job to make documentary films at Kaur Films, with a vision to “create to inspire.”

My first film was “The Odd Couple,” a moving tale of two triathletes, each with their own difficulties and how they inspired each other to never give up on their dreams. One is a below-the-knee amputee, while the other is a Sikh. I did not have many expectations from the film and was pleasantly surprised when it made it to various film festivals in the US and Australia and received much love.

Tell us about Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes, your next planned movie.

After the first film, I wanted to do something different. While we know that there is a lot of stereotyping happening around us, the challenge was to find the right tone to get more people to accept and digest the ideas. Lecturing on such a serious topic is most definitely not the best way to reach out to a larger audience. Secondly, media consumption has changed a lot in the past few years, and we need to creatively adapt to these changes.

Think about this – as a child, did anyone teach you how to read your favorite superhero comics? No. You just picked one up and immersed yourself in that world. Comics and superheroes have a universal appeal. They cut across age, gender, cultural dimensions and have a similar interpretation of values by almost all readers. But, are there superheroes who are multicultural? How many female protagonists are in the mainstream superhero universe? Why aren’t there many African American superheroes? Or Sikhs? So that had me thinking – what if, these same thoughts could be conveyed in a humorous manner to have its own universal appeal, wouldn’t that really stir the conversation on stereotyping? That was the genesis of the idea.

Tell us about the three protagonists in the movie?

Keith Knight – He has been drawing cartoons for more than 20 years. He was chosen as the NAACP History Maker of 2015. His work also often deals with political and social issues. He’s also one of the funniest and most highly regarded cartoonists in America, and the creator of three popular comic strips: the Knight Life, (t)hink, and the K Chronicles.

Eileen Alden – It is interesting because conventional wisdom says that a white woman would NOT be stereotyped. But it did happen to Eileen when she was living in Asia when she set up an independent record label. Yet, she embodies an amazing spirit that is always pushing the boundaries. She has directed films, been in a rock band right after having her first child while juggling a career in the male-dominated financial services sector. Now, she is creating an action-packed comic book while most people assume a woman superhero creator would probably choose a more emotional storyline.

Image courtesy: Kaur Films

Vishavjit Singh – He is an editorial cartoonist based in NY and more popularly known as the Sikh Captain America for his costume role playing. Vish is pushing the limits of how a much-adored comic book superhero should look. In his own creative way, he challenges the appearance of Captain America – an iconic superhero. This encourages people to think – is the idea of Captain America a person who wears the costume? Or is it someone who embodies a set of noble values and stands up for them?

On screen, you will also see experts who bring a neutral perspective to the storyline and talk about why this issue is so important now. While the story may be set in the US, we see similar issues in India and other parts of the world.

Andrew Farago is the curator of the Cartoon Art Museum who talks about why comics are important and brings to bear his authority in the field. Prof. Arvind Singhal has been researching entertainment education for 30 years. He talks about how media can be a creative force and educate while entertaining. Adam Elrashidi is a producer at Al Jazeera network and brings in the perspective on how media can help in creating as well as shattering stereotypes.

All these protagonists shake and stir the conversation about stereotypes.

Why did you put it on Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a great platform to raise funds for creative projects. At the same time, it starts the conversation early in the creative process. So we can listen to the conversation the audience is having and include these perspectives. Without a crowdfunding platform, these inputs would be lost. When the community feels empowered, change is inevitable.

I’d encourage everyone to go to the Kickstarter campaign and contribute to the making of Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes, not only financially, but also with their thoughts and ideas.

Featured image courtesy: Kaur Films

Education: MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the Indian School of Business, ISB, in Hyderabad, India.

What inspired the creation of Kaur Films?

I am a big fan of story telling and it is fascinating to watch characters in a story come to life. When I was working for National Geographic and The History Channel, I helped produce, pick and market documentaries. Watching and understanding the craft behind story telling definitely piqued my interest. However, I got lost on the corporate side of things when I started working as a brand manager for a few consumer product companies and my personal creativity took a backstage. But, somewhere at the back of my head I always wanted to go back to films and film making.

A couple of years ago, I quit my traditional corporate job and started to seriously think about film making – and started to learn the process of being an independent film maker. It was during this time that I was invited to be a member of the United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF), San Francisco as a jury member. For my first 2 years at UNAFF, we probably went through 1000+ films on a wide variety of subjects and from different parts of the world. I was quite surprised that none of these stories had a Sikh perspective. The story teller in me woke up and said, “If we don’t tell our own stories then no one else will.” We ought to make our own stories, market them and showcase them to the world. That’s the genesis of Kaur Films.

What is your mission? vision?

At Kaur Films we Imagine, Create and Inspire – our stories are for everyone. There are hundreds of contemporary Sikh stories waiting to be told and we want to bring inspirational stories to life. In a way, our stories are no different from any other human story, but being a Sikh itself provides a different perspective and color to them. There are lots of heroes around us and it is their stories that we try and weave into the mainstream story telling platforms. The best way to do that is to integrate other cultures into our stories.

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

As I said earlier, the unique Sikh perspective is lost when it comes to mainstream media – and in today’s world, media drives everything – it not only tells us the content of our thoughts but also how to think those thoughts. It is no wonder that Sikhs have been stereotyped in the media – and Sikhs everywhere are battling those very stereotypes. In order to change the culture of a society, we need to change the stories that we tell. Kaur Films is changing the stories and if we do this persistently, we will be able to change the culture of stereotyping that precedes us. Hopefully, we can inspire others to tell their own stories along the way. Here is some more information on our forthcoming project, Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes. 

How can others get involved or contribute?

Historically, Sikhs have been at the center of creating amazing real life stories and we have been wonderful story tellers as well. We need to revive this art and liberally use modern tools in doing so. So my advice to everyone is to search for stories that excite you, that you want to be a part of, where you can bring your own unique perspective and go full throttle in making the story happen. Share, contribute, inspire, change – that’s the best way to get involved. If you like something that Kaur Films is doing, do get in touch. More information here: www.kaurfilms.com.

What do you enjoy most about working on Kaur Films?

Each day is new, different and offers an opportunity to learn and create and that is what I love most about working on documentary films. My first film The Odd Couple taught me a lot about sports, athletes, triathlons, challenges and struggles that a sportsperson goes through.

My second film Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes is about combating stereotypes and racism – the story is told with a backdrop of comic books. It has been a steep learning curve – about comic books, the portrayal of superheroes, about struggles of African Americans and even how entertainment can have a role in educating people. What I really enjoy is piecing diverse elements to create a good story. Kaur Films is a one woman show and I am grateful that I get a lot of help from my family to do the work that I am doing.

When and how did you realize this was the career path for you?

I am sort of an accidental film maker. Ever since I was involved with the National Geographic channel, I knew that somewhere down the line this is what I would want to take up as a career. In 2013, I stumbled upon the story of Parvin and Jeff and decided to go with the flow and made my first short film The Odd Couple. The film went on to be screened in many film festivals in US, Canada, and Australia and the overall response has been very encouraging. So, in a way, I am still going with the flow – and as long as I can find compelling stories I will continue to weave them into films.

How do you feel Sikhi inspires your work?

Every aspect of my life, work or otherwise is inspired by Sikh values. Before I started with films, I also did a podcast series on Sikh History (available free on iTunes here.) That’s when I truly realized how rich our own history has been – 500 years ago, Sikhs were talking about equality, tolerance, equal rights for women etc. It is almost surreal to imagine the political, religious social discourse back then and yet the solutions that came out of the Sikh teachings were so farsighted and as we call them today – liberal and progressive. These lessons continue to be inspiring and uplifting – and I derive my motivation from those very stories of our heritage. There are times when I am really drained out and feel completely done – this happened on occasions as I was filming while being 7/8 months pregnant. But then remembering these stories carries the day for me.

What elements of Sikh values are in your work?

While there are various elements of Sikh values that are in my work, but two that stand out for me are being in a state of Chardi Kala (eternal optimism) and the concept of Nirvair – without malice and prejudice. Treating everyone equally and with dignity is something that all generations have to learn for themselves. Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes has people from all walks of life and from all cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. But to see them as equals and understand them as persons first have helped me immensely in giving them their due part in the film.

What advice do you have for young Kaur’s may want to pursue film but are trepidatious?

My advise to anyone who wants to pursue their dreams is to first be confident that if this is what really excites you and you really want to do it – put in the time, energy and effort to make it happen. Obsess about it. Research and do your due diligence so that you are aware of what you are getting into and while there will be plenty of surprises – you are equipped to handle them. There will be missteps and puddles in between, learn from those but don’t regret your decisions.

Tragically, on October 25, 2012, one day before the release of his son’s debut film ‘Power Cut‘, he was killed in an automobile accident.

The eternally optimistic director, producer, actor and social activist left behind a legacy of satire that has spawned hundreds of imitators, but none quite like the master himself.

Here are some excerpts from a conversation I had recently with his widow, Savita Bhatti.

Jaspal Bhatti – The Sikh King of Satire

*   *   *   *   *

Q:   How did first you meet Jaspal?

A:   It was in the 1980’s when I first got to know of him. At that time, he used to work in the Punjab State Electricity Board and I had seen him on TV. He had created a 3-minute segment called ‘Rang Vich Bhang’ which appeared alongside ‘Chitrahaar‘, the most popular TV series at that time.

The show was a satire on social issues that plagued India, such as dowry demands, bride burning, etc. Holding a mirror to the society, it soon gathered a cult following.

Around this time, an acquaintance suggested his name in an arranged marriage proposal and, not long thereafter, we were married.

Q:   What were the early years like, together?

A:   Our home was always full of people who would show up for rehearsing plays. Jaspal had special permission to stage plays and shoot for his TV segments, as he was a performing artist. He was starting to get famous and recognized on the streets.

Right around this time, his daily cartoon strip, ‘Oddly Speaking,’ began to be published on the front page of the region’s leading English daily,’The Tribune.”

Q:   Sounds like Jaspal was a multi-talented artist …

A:   There’s no doubt about that. His vision was so amazing and all pervasive. Till today, he is India’s only professional humorist who also drew cartoons and wrote articles for almost all leading newspapers, ventured into TV and films, opened a comedy school, “Mad Arts” and founded the humor club, “The Nonsense Club”, and so on. He has no rivals.

He would start his day early with a little prayer, a long walk. While on his morning walks, he would record a new set of jokes and work on his delivery.

He wrote every day. The first half of his day was dedicated to writing. After that he used to take a quick trip to the film school and interact with the students. In the evening, a bonding time with the family or his friends.

And even as he retired for the day, a quick glance at a page of the book on his bedside.

Q:   What made Jaspal unique? 

A:   Jaspal was a quiet person, a thinker and a philosopher. The only people amongst whom he talked and laughed freely were his friends, especially from his engineering days.

Actually most people who create humor are very serious people. Jaspal created humor from things that trouble the world. Instead of getting frustrated and ranting, he created humor out of it and made millions laugh. He was a very keen observer and sometimes out of nowhere he would mouth a one-liner. It just made you wonder about the depth of his thought process.

But what set Jaspal apart from others was that he had a sense of social obligation. He had the courage and conviction to take on any issue that bothered him. He made a common man’s pain his own. That’s why he’s called the common man’s superstar. Very few celebrities can walk the roads today in the blistering sun for an issue they feel so strongly about.

He was a crusader, a revolutionary, but in an insanely funny way. He could make an 8-year old kid, a 35-year old and a 65- year old grandmother laugh the same way at his jokes.  ‘Reader’s Digest’ ranked him at #43 in their list of  ‘100 Indians India Admires’.

Q:   How did Jaspal handle the trappings of celebrity-hood?

A:   Jaspal was a well-grounded person. Very comfortable in his skin. That’s why he was so resplendent in his colorful turbans. Being a Sikh was natural to him. He didn’t feel the need to get into any trappings of glamour to prove a point. He would walk around in Sector 17 and just walk into any store. He chose to be what he normally would be at home rather than pretend to be someone else.

That is why the world loved him, and continues to do today.

And what endeared me most to this man is that in his generosity he shaped and modelled so many lives and careers — Vivek Shauq, BN Sharma, Sunil Grover and myself, amongst many others. He could do this because he cheered and appreciated talent in others.

Q:   You mentioned he was a proud Sikh. How did that inspire him? 

A:   Jaspal’s day started reading from the Sikh scripture and it is his understanding of Gurbani that made him a humble and compassionate person.  The first 10 years of his life, he lived with his grandmother in Ambala. She was an ardent Sikh. That upbringing influenced him immensely. Jaspal always gace away his dasvandh for worthy causes. For example, a part of whatever money we earned would go to the local gurudwara dispensary.

Q:   What surprised you most about him in the 28 years that you spent together?

A:   His ability to look at everything in an ‘ulta-pulta’, topsy-turvy manner. From time to time, he would suddenly come up with a new activity, a press note or something – out of nowhere. I would exclaim, “You were just there with me 20 minutes ago! How did this come to your mind, out of the blue?”

He was observant and constantly thinking and reinventing himself. That never failed to surprise me.

Also,  he was not afraid of anything or anybody. I remember once he when ‘The  Nonsense Club’ staged an event right in front of the Indian Parliament, with the tongue-in-cheek message that Parliament should not waste its time on small corruption scandals. Anything below Rs. 2 billion ($40 million) should not be considered a scam at all in India!

He spared no political party. He was unbiased. He had no scores to settle. His job was just to tell the truth, even if it meant standing alone.

Another thing about him was that he was very unpredictable. Even after so many years of being together, I could never predict his actions. He used to always do some new things on every family trip. All his moves were loaded with surprises. And true to this, he went away so suddenly. How I pray that God could undo this one surprise!

Q:   How did Jaspal identify talent in those around him?

A:   Jaspal was very intuitive and always gave due respect to talent. He gave people an equal platform and let them perform. Vivek Shauq, Guthi and quite a few others started their careers with Jaspal. In fact he helped me as well in developing as a performer. He was very secure and clear in his vision … I believe that if one has such a vision, everything else just falls into place.

Q:   How are you keeping his memory alive? 

A:   March 3 is Jaspal’s birthday. I would like to establish that day as a ‘Comedy and Laughter Day’ so that every year people come to Chandigarh, Punjab, and celebrate this man and the joy he brought us. I would love to call all kinds of people for this festival – national TV stars, international comedians and also the ‘bhands’, local performers from our villages who do a great job of making people laugh. I would like to make this day special and create a unique event in his memory.

This article first appeared here.