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[00:00:00] Raghav Bihal, My Tribute to an Exceptional Schoolmate, Arun Jaitley Ji, My Senior, Rajnivas Mar Delhi. We were still in Nickers when he was knocking off every conceivable competitor in debates. When we put on pants and got to senior school, we heard of his exploits as president
[00:00:40] of the Delhi University Students Union. When he got arrested during the emergency, we would say with hushed pride that he was one of us. I don't quite recall how he came to know
[00:00:52] of me or when I first met him. I had become the president of the school students council and he was quite active in Zobad, that's the old students association. I reckon that's
[00:01:04] where he got to know that I had followed in his footsteps by winning almost all the debating competitions that he too had in his time. Soon we were on first name terms. He would
[00:01:17] always greet me with an expansive smile. In the late 1980s, I became a co-anchor and reporter on NewsTrack, that's the pioneering video magazine launched by India Today. The Bofors scandal was the top news story in those days, especially on NewsTrack since Durdarshan
[00:01:39] was fettered by the government. Arun Jaitley was an active collaborator on V.P Singh's anti-Bofors campaign. He went on to become the youngest additional solicitor general in direct charge of the Bofors investigation when V.P Singh was elected prime minister in
[00:01:57] 1989. Through those years, Jaitley was a go-to source for newstracks journalists. I remember bumping into him as he was descending the stairs into TV 18's basement studio in Balaji state in Kalkaji. Now, this was around the mid 1990s by which time I had exited from NewsTrack
[00:02:20] and launched my own television news outfit. Hey Arun, good to see you. What's gotten you here? I exclaimed. I'm here to record with Paranjoy, he said and that was Paranjoy Guhatakurtha who was
[00:02:34] anchoring India talks a show on ABN India. I offered Arun a cup of tea in my office. Now how could Arun ever say no to a quick exchange of political gossip? Soon thereafter, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee created the first BJP-led government
[00:02:52] in office. Arun Jaitley was among the brightest sparks in his cabinet, holding portfolios ranging from information and broadcasting, disinvestment, law and shipping. My next encounter with him was memorable. I was in the upper deck business class
[00:03:11] of Air India's flight to New York. In the cabin was another ex-Zaverian schoolmate, a young promising doctor of medicine who was my junior by a few years. Hi, what takes you to New York? I asked. I am the accompanying physician on Mr.
[00:03:27] Arun Jaitley's official trip. His wife will not let him travel without me just in case he needs urgent medical attention, he said. As was widely known, Arun Jaitley was severely diabetic and also severely fond of rich food.
[00:03:44] He was also severely loyal to ex-Zaverians, much beyond selecting his traveling doctor. Now years later, classmate IAS officer called to ask if I would put in a good word with Arun Jaitley since I am in the running for this job for which he has the final say.
[00:04:03] I simply told my friend, reach out directly to Arun and play up your Zaverian credentials. You know what? He got the job. But anyway, back to the aircraft. Oh great! So Arun must be in first class, I said as I dozed off.
[00:04:19] When I opened my eyes, Arun Jaitley was leaning over from the row in front. Hi! Doc told me you were on the flight so I've come up. I was getting bored in first class. He said as he requested the person sitting next to me to move over.
[00:04:33] Now we enjoyed a jolly good hour of political gupship chatter that day. A few months later, I had gotten into a terrible run-in with one of his ministerial colleagues. For some reason that gentleman had become abrasive and adversarial.
[00:04:50] I reached out to Jaitley for advice. We met at the law ministry. There he was looking dapper in a tweed jacket and brown trousers surrounded by karekartas that's political workers, favor seekers and hangers on. He asked me to sit opposite him
[00:05:08] as he dealt with several clamoring petitioners altogether. In between, he heard snatches of my travails. Once I had finished, he said yes, you know this fellow gets unusually combative. I'll speak to him to solve your problem.
[00:05:23] Now I don't know if Arun ever spoke to his angry colleague but that guy continued to remain belligerent. To celebrate its golden jubilee, Sanzevia school decided to award its outstanding alumni on the 23rd of December 2009. I was delighted to be in the same category
[00:05:46] which was the highest one as Arun Jaitley. We were awarded for lifetime achievements while other colleagues were in the outstanding accomplishment slot. He was obviously recognized for his political spurs while I for my exploits as a media
[00:06:02] entrepreneur. Both of us got our certificates medals from Kapil Sibyl who was then the resident member of parliament and chief guest on that day. As Arun Jaitley continued his dizzying climb up the political ladder and I
[00:06:17] tracked away into creating wealth in the capital markets, our interactions got pulled apart and more formal. Somewhere along in time, imperceptibly and naturally, I stopped calling him by his first name. He became a more respectful and formal Arun Jee but I was always raghav for him.
[00:06:43] Around 2011, I got a call from Amity University saying they wanted to award me an honorary doctorate. I was always skeptical, even cynical about these showpiece trophies but when I learned that Arun
[00:06:58] Jaitley was also on the list of awardees, I jumped at the offer. I was preening at how his awesome profile would also rub off on me. When we met on D-Day, he was charming and gossipy as always.
[00:07:13] Ah there is so much buzz about your ETV and Reliance deal. Come come let's sit in this corner and you tell me all about it. He said and soon when Dr. R. A. Mashelkar also walked in,
[00:07:26] Arun blurted. Now here comes the real doctor. Raghav and I are really the fake ones you know just getting this honorary stuff. He could be awfully blunt. My last meeting with him two years
[00:07:40] ago was also the most critical. One of our journalists had been charged by the government under the Official Secrets Act OSA. While the first information report was quite frivolous, the charging sections were onerous. The police had a wide latitude to trouble my public spirited
[00:08:01] colleague. I once again reached out to Arun J for his council. He met me on a Saturday 4 noon at the cavernous Porta cabin office he had set up at home. His overwhelming importance in
[00:08:15] the Modi government was apparent in the plethora of cars and gun-toting black cats jamming the compound. I waited for nearly an hour until all his visitors had been dealt with. Sahib has said
[00:08:27] that Sendin Raghavji last so that we are not rushed. His sheepish assistant explained as I just sat priddling my thumbs in the anti-room. So Raghav, what's up? Trouble is usual. He said as his aid
[00:08:42] squeezed eye drops into his tilted head. I've just had this cataract operation he explained. Another aid placed a plate full of very neatly diced cottage cheese and egg white pieces. You know, all of them were sparklingly, astringently white. I have to take this
[00:08:59] protein after the kidney operation he elaborated even though I had not asked. And then he let fly at his eyedropping assistant. Why did you give the previous visitor an appointment? You can't just let any Tom, Dick or Harry come and meet me. On what basis was that
[00:09:18] ruffian given time? He exploded. Even as the chastised aid murmured some inane explanation gently dismissed him with an impatient wave of his hand. Now that I was alone with him,
[00:09:31] I poured out my woes in a torrent. He looked at me a bit bemused. Just don't waste any time. Get a good lawyer and challenge this first information report in court. You will get
[00:09:44] relief. You know, this oise thing can't be done so casually. But then his tone became admonishing. But Raghav, what you guys did? Really that simply was not Raghav level in my opinion.
[00:09:58] You know, he had just scolded me but also paid a huge compliment. I did not know how to react. I was saved as he got a call to rush out to Hyderabad house for a lunch appointment with a foreign dignitary.
[00:10:15] That was my last meeting with the exceptional Arun Ji. You have to hand it to him. He battled diabetes, bariatric surgery, a kidney transplant and the last final ailment that felt him. All through it, he soldiered on working, talking, joking, gossiping, helping, defending,
[00:10:39] charging, evangelizing his beloved BJP government stand in parliament, press conferences and television. He was intellectually unassailable and indefatigable. Rest in peace Arun Ji. I can't claim to be your buddy or colleague or peer. I was always the Zavarian schoolmate you
[00:11:04] greeted with a smile. Thank you and God bless you in heaven.