Sarojini Naidu on KBC

Soon after contestant Yojana answered a question about Sarojini Naidu correctly with the help of three lifelines, Amitabh recalled his association with Sarojini. After congratulating Yojana, Amitabh said that Begum Akhtar performed for a fundraising event for the earthquake victims of Bihar and Sarojini Naidu was also present. She appreciated her singing talent. After the appreciation, Begum Akhtar is said to have taken up singing as a profession.

Amitabh recalls dad’s intercaste marriage

After talking about the various aspects of Sarojini Naidu’s personality, Amitabh added, “I am a little hesitant to say this but she was also a big fan of my babuji (father). My babuji had an intercaste marriage. My mom Teji ji was from a Sikh family. At the time, we lived in Allahabad, and getting married in a different caste was labelled as a sin those days in that region.”

Sarojini consoled Harivansh Rai

He added, “So at that time, people opposed my father when he brought my mother to Allahabad. So Sarojini Naidu was the first person who consoled him and even introduced him to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who used to live in Anand Bhavan in Allahabad. I still remember the way she had introduced my father. She said, ‘meet the poet and his poetry’.”

Amitabh on parents’s inter-caste marriage

Amitabh had earlier opened up on his parents’ marriage during an episode on KBC 13. He had said, “My mother was from a Sikh family, and my father was from a Kayastha family in Uttar Pradesh. Their families opposed for a while, but they agreed and all the bonds were restored. I’m talking about the year 1942. My father deliberately gave us the name Bachchan, because the surname (Srivastava) indicates caste.” He said that his parents chose to not use Srivastava for his surname to avoid any caste identity.

Amitabh’s latest blog

In his latest blog, Amitabh shared his happiness and joy at the wide critical appreciation that his son, Abhishek Bachchan has been receiving for his performance in R Balki’s latest outing, Ghoomer. Amitabh wrote in his blog, “it is the moment a Father waits to hear from the outside world .. for me internally I have believed this always, but to see it getting endorsed from the outside world is the pride of a Father ..there is another voice message that needs to be heard .. I am trying to put it up .. till then just revel, as I am in the accolades for GHOOMER and its cast and making.”