Neelima Dalmia
‘Abba Aur Main: Ek Anokhi Dastan’ — Urdu Translation of Neelima Dalmia’s Memoir Launched at New Delhi’s Jashn-e-Rekhta Festival
The air at Baansera Park in New Delhi was thick with poetry and passion as the 10th edition of Jashn-e-Rekhta set the stage for a remarkable literary unveiling.
Among the ghazals, dance, and vibrant cultural tapestry, a poignant chapter of personal and political history was shared with the world.
The Urdu translation of Neelima Dalmia Adhar’s memoir, “Abba Aur Main – Ek Anokhi Dastan,” was launched to an eager audience. Originally penned as “Father Dearest: Life and Times of R K Dalmia,” the book offers an intimate window into the life of one of India’s towering industrialists.
The gala launch saw the book formally unveiled by Sundeep Bhutoria, Kolkata-based culturist and Managing Trustee of Prabha Khaitan Foundation, and Huma Khalil, Trustee and Creative Director of the Rekhta Foundation, in the presence of the author herself.
Author Neelima Dalmia Adhar in conversation with Pervaiz Alam at the book launch session. Photo: PR Team
In a session that bridged memory and history, Neelima Dalmia Adhar revealed a little-known facet of her father’s life: his close friendship with Qaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
She shared that R K Dalmia had supported Jinnah’s bid to become the first Prime Minister of an independent India - a move he believed might have altered the course of history and perhaps averted the Partition.
“It is a great honour to launch a great book which, I am sure, will touch the hearts of Urdu audience,” remarked Sundeep Bhutoria.
“Jashn-e-Rekhta has become one of the largest annual cultural gatherings in the Capital. The event has its own cachet and has come a long way since 2015 in popularizing Urdu among the masses," he said.
Translated by Naresh Nadeem, the memoir is described as a candid reflection on family, legacy, and the intricate ties that bind personal lives to national narratives.
The launch was a highlight of Jashn-e-Rekhta, which this year celebrated a decade of glorifying Urdu’s multifaceted beauty.
The three-day festival was a sensory feast—from soul-stirring mushairas and qawalis to classical dance, book discussions, Sufi poetry, art, crafts, and the ever-popular Aiwan-e-Zaiqa food festival.
With over 200 artists, writers, poets, and performers, the event also paid a special tribute to legendary lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, ensuring that the language of love and longing continued to resonate across generations.
This Urdu translation not only brings a daughter’s tribute to a wider audience but also adds a deeply human thread to the vast tapestry of South Asian history.
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