👥 Famous neighbors from the past

Before settling down in Hauz Khas, Delhi; Monisha (Moon) Choudhury had quite a nomadic childhood. Here are some of her famous neighbors. 

By Monisha Choudhury: 

I remember Donald (George Albert) Duke, who was our neighbour living in 18 Polo Road Delhi Cantt, later to become famous as he and Pinaki Chatterjee both from the Navy rowed across the Bay of Bengal. They came to our school FAPS (Frank Anthony Public School) as Chief Guests, sometime in 1968-69.

Donald had a beautiful sister Jane and a younger brat of a brother shooting birds and anything moving with a catapult!

Added by Biswajit Basu:

George took early retirement from the Navy and branched into Maritime and undersea repairs etc. I met him many times in his office in Kurla as he was interested in getting into dredging. He told me his younger brother, migrated to UK long ago and breeds horses.

Blogger Note: In 1969, George Duke and Pinaki Chatterjee rowed from Calcutta (Kolkata) to Port Blair, across the choppy Bay of Bengal. They started on Feb 1 and reached their destination on Mar 2. More about the feat and pictures here

_{(From an article posted in 2019 in the aforementioned link)}

By Monisha Choudhury:

Another famous neighbour of 2/1 Brunton Cross Road in Bangalore, were the Manekshaw sisters. They were the daughters of Air Vice Marshal Jemi Manekshaw, brother of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. They were great fans of Pat Boone and Elvis Presley. We had booming music thanks to them....Oh Oh Oh Bernadine!

Added by Biswajit Basu:

Yes, I remember him well looking dapper on his Ducati (I think) motorbike next door in Bangalore. His daughters are Erna & Sherna. Sherna is my age and Erna is younger. They run Basil & Thyme in Sanskruti now. The Defence Ministry was trying to close down the complex. I think the matter is still in court. 

(Blogger note: It seems that the restaurant was relocated to Sunder Nagar a couple of years ago. As of 2021, it is currently closed)

The senior Manekshaws now live in Hauz Khas. I had the unfortunate experience of banging into Uncle Manekshaw's car in 1991. Gentleman that he is, he was very nice and did not even stop. This accident took place near where IIT flyover is (not sure if it was there in 1991).

Blogger Note: Air Vice Marshal Jemi Manekshaw served the Air Force, Medical services along with clocking up over 700 flying hours, including solo. He was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 1961. His wife, Bhicoo Manekshaw, is also famous. She was India’s first cordon bleu trained chef and ran the India International Center (IIC) kitchen in the 60s-80s. In 1992, she joined her son-in-law’s restaurant Basil & Thyme.You can read some very interesting anecdotes from her culinary career here. She passed away in 2013.

By Monisha Choudhury: 

Brig (Dr.) Rasamay Ganguly, the famous surgeon and later Dean at AFMC, Pune, was our neighbor in London in the 50s and again in Delhi in the 60s. His elder daughter, Utpala (Polly) is my age. They used to live upstairs at 5 St Charles Sq, London in 1955-57.

We were, once again, neighbors in the 60s, at 22 Polo Road, Delhi. By then, the two younger children - Monomoy and Mala, had been born. I remember Monomoy as a young brat! His granddad, in his white dhoti and bare chest with poita and grey hair, was always running after him! Mala is now a Pathologist in USA.

Blogger Note: In the late 60s, the Basu family lived in 20 Polo Road, Delhi Cantonment. Even numbered houses were on the same side of the road. The Duke family lived in House No. 18 and the Ganguly family lived in House No. 22. They eventually settled down and built the house at R-3, Hauz Khas. 

Lots of famous guys lived in Hauz Khas, writers like Amrita Pritam, Chanchal Sarkar and old famous actors.

(Biswajit Basu) ......and arguably the most famous if them all: Kalpana Joshi (nee Dutta) of the Chittagong Armoury Raid!

Yes, she was a great pal of Daddy and Ma. Ishan, her grandson spent most of his first three years at our house. She gave her house for my wedding,  for Panna’s family to stay. I used to give neurobion injections to PC Joshi ex President of Communist Party. She was mostly in our house and was a great cook. She often gave us loitay shutki fish and puli paish, made with star and half moon shaped puli from Chittagong.

Blogger Note: You can read more about Kalpana Datta here