Nirmish Thaker – a multidimensional persona

A multi dimensional personality with a difference. A poet, a humorist, a novelist, a dramatist, a humour critic, a cartoonist, a caricaturist, a tabla player, a TV performer, an engineer  means in all NIRMISH THAKER. Nirmish has a contribution range in diverse fields of serious and humorous literature, in both prose and poetry form.

He has to credit more then 30 publication covering various forms of  songs, gazal, sonnet satirical poem, literary parody, humour novel, drama (farse), cartoon, caricatures and of course the “Vyangya Tazmeen” which is new self invented form of satirical poem.

Speakbindas: Nirmishbhai, welcome to Speakbindas. Do tell us about your journey of being a poet, a humorist, a novelist, a dramatist, a humour critic, a cartoonist, a caricaturist, a tabla player, a TV performer and an engineer. How come an engineer became an artist?

Nirmish Thaker: Well when I think of and look at myself, I am stunned to see my creations in different fields. What made it possible?? As poverty had shadowed my childhood period, furthermore, I was unlucky adolescent, at the age of seventeen, I lost my father. I began to work as a labour in a godown (near Prem darwaja- Ahmadabad) to earn livelihood and thereafter education at some intervals…. In spite of all these, I am in many fields!

After a deep thinking, I strongly feel that potentials for some special abilities are gifted by nature (with our birth) in our genes, which really blossoms to fullest with conducive environment. The same way, I may have many negatives and some positives qualities but the positive qualities have led to the peak of success rather made success possible. The very existence and happenings of things and events in this world has a worth in itself and we can find something good from it, but for that we should have sharp observation skills and abundance self confidence.

I firmly believe that anything new can be learned at any age. Passion and love for book has made me a literary author. Skills in drawing cartoons grew without guidance as I liked it very much. I learnt tabala under the training of eminent tablaplayer Shree Sudhir Kumar Saxenaji.

Sharp, attentive observation skills and uncompromising nature generated the thinking of “I CAN DO, WHAT OTHERS DO” has made me multidimensional even T.V. performer also. I started contributing for various arts much before I became engineer.

Gandhiji's cartoon

Speakbindas: So far, how many cartoons you have drawn? Which are your favorites?

Nirmish Thaker: I have no exact idea about no. of cartoons drawing by me, but it has reached to national level. My cartoons are regularly printed in Naya gyanoday, magazine of Bharatiya Gyanpith, Cartoon watch of Chhattisgarh, Sangit (Hathras). This has given me identity at national level. Three well known cartoons collections caricature are published in English also. (1) NIRMISHIZE YOUR BRAIN (2) caricature of Gujarati men of letters (3) Nirmishification of Gujarati Gazal Poets.

In 1997, Cartoonist R.K. Laxman inaugurated exhibition of my cartoons. Many such exhibitions have been organized in Gujarat as well as outside the state.

A memorable exhibition of 254 cartoons of Indian celebrity from literature was organized in 2008 in Patana (Bihar) which was inaugurated by film star Shatrughana Sinha, which was cherished by thousands of visitors. It is a record itself, procedure to include it in Limca book of records is being successfully set on, very difficult to answer the question of which cartoons do I like the best? Liking gets changed as I draw new cartoons.

Speakbindas: What it takes to devote entire life to the field of art? Is it a safe and smooth life like 10 to 6 job or comes with many ups and downs? How has been your experience of being an artist?

Nirmish Thaker: It seems that I had a natural inclination towards arts and it did not recessed even in times of reverse and conflict. There were many ups and downs in the life which has taught a lot, and it is always wonderful and indescribable experience of becoming an artist.

Speakbindas: What is the best earning for a multidimensional artist like you?

Nirmish Thaker: I firmly believe that my arts are for the society only, I feel very fortunate as I had and having opportunities to reach lakhs of people through columns, T.V. programs, books, internet and it is the only real earning.

Speakbindas: You have met many celebrities. Tell our readers which celebrities you met? And any memorable experience with any of them?

Nirmish Thaker: I am not table-writer. Through my arts, I have met celebrities of various fields. I gifted cartoons to them and also interviewed also, of which many are included in “cartoonist na camerathi”. Sometimes back it was published as a column in “sandesh” Newspaper. I met number of people of which some important celebrities are as follows;

Politician; AtalBihari Vajpai

Cartoonist; R.K. Laxman

Nirmish Thaker with Shatrughan Sinha

Film Actors; Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Shahrukh Khan, Shammi Kapoor, Shekar Suman, Devaanand, Shatrughan Sinha ,Pran, Raza Murad, Master Bhaghvan, Tabassum, Chanki Panday, Annu Kapoor, Sujata Mehata, Jhoni Liver, Shakti Kapoor, Ranjit, Asarani, Tinu Anand, Rohini Hatangadi, Jasapal Bhatti etc.

Musicians: Naushadji, O.P Nayyar, Anu Malik, Vishal Bhardwaj, Hardaynath Mangeshker, Kaliyanjibhai etc.

Playback Singers: Asha Bhoshale, Mahendra Kapur, Usha Mangeshker, Anuradha Paundval, Vinod Rathod, Roop Kumar Rathod, Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, MannaDey, Amitkumar, Manaher Udhdhash,

Gazal Singer: Gulam Ali, JagjitSingh, Pankaj Udhdhash, Anup Jalota, Talat Aziz, Ahmad-Mahmad, Rajkumar Rizavi, Salama Aga, Jagmohan Sursagar, Pinaz Masani, Bhupendrasingh, Mitalisingh,etc.

Classical  Singer: Ustad ZakirHusain, Ustad Amjadali Khan, Pandit Jasraj, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Dr. N. Rajam, SudhirKumar Saxena, SonalMansingh, etc.

Poets and shayaro: Hazarat Jaipuri, Nida Fazali, Basir Badra, Javed Akhater, Shail Chaturvedi,  Surendra Sharma,  Pradeep chaubey, Poet Pradip, etc.

Nirmish Thaker with Shekhar Suman

Others celebrity: Daler Mahendi, Ramesh Talwar, Amin Sayani, Majician K.Lal, Nadira Babber, Dinesh Thakur, Sarita Joshi, Rakesh Bedi,Moraribapu,  etc.

All these visits were possible only because of my Cartoons only. It is very special and unique. I do not dare and have courage to write in detail about memorable experiences ( good and bad )with  Shammi Kapoor, Hema Malini, poet Pradip, Naushadji, DalerMahendi, Devanand. ( I have already described them in earlier publication).

Speakbindas: Being a writer, you have written books too. So far, how many and which books are published?

Nirmish Thaker: More than 30 publications are being done (Gazal, Sonnet, Satirical poem, Literary paroda, Triolet, Humor Novel, Drama, Cartoon , Caricature Etc were explained ) of which 5 books are awarded with Best book title ( by Gujarat Sahitya Academy ) like Gujarati Sahitya Parishad’s Jyotindradave- Hashiya Paritoshik, Saurashtra Bhumi Putra Award for the Best journalist, Sanskar Paritoshik etc.

Speakbindas: What it requires to become a humorist? You writing for any print medias?

Nirmish Thaker: High  humourous attitude, minute observation, skills and deep and wider reading is necessary to become a humorist.

At present articles are publishing in eleven magazines in Gujarat and other states. Other than this, every Wednesday a column named Hashya thi Rudan Sudhi is regularly published in which Ganpat Surti a Character created by me is well known among people. Hindi and English cartoons are published in cartoowatch magazine.

Self Cartoon

Speakbindas: What inspires you dedicate your life to ART?

Nirmish Thaker: Engrossing in reading creative work of elderly successful artists and Nature have been the main spring of inspiration to my dedication to various arts.

Speakbindas: Favorite food and movies?

Nirmish Thaker: I am fond of sweets, only veg Punjabi and Gujarati food I prefer and like very much.   Seeing movies are matter of my hobby and studies. I like  all kinds of films, old-new, commercial, art. Anadi, tisari Kasam, Tasari Manzil, Aradhana, Kati Patang,Sholey, Don, Diwar, Pushpak, Gazani, Titenik, Comma, James Bond series, Carry on doctor series, Charli-Chapline’s films, Brusli’s films, Heraferi, Glomal, Priyadarshani’s comedy films, (Oh! I am tired ) etc for their speciality,overall I like comedy.

Speakbindas: Places you have traveled so far, and among them which ones you liked the most?

Nirmish Thaker: I have been to many places- Katchch, Jodhpur, Jesalmer, Udaipur, Kashmir, Darjeeling, Gangtok, Nepal, Vaishnodevi and many but the most liked are Pokharavelli in Nepal and Kashmir.

Cartoon of Devanand

Speakbindas: If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?

Nirmish Thaker: I love and like as I am. I would not like to change anything of mine.

Speakbindas: Any special message to Speakbindas readers and your fans?

Nirmish Thaker: A message to my fans:

Every individual is born with some specialty which should be spotted and  nurtured   by individual to become a great celebrity.

Nobody in the world can stop you from attaining a glorious success in your life if you are conscious of your goals and pinpointing all your energies on it with passion and self confidence.

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He can be reached at:

NIRMISH THAKER
B-9/31 ONGC COLONY-1
Magdalla,SURAT-394518
GUJARAT,INDIA
Mobile: 09427504245
Website; www.nirmishthaker.com
E-mail: nirmish1960@yahoo.com, info@nirmishthaker.com