Page 109 - 8th-language-english-2

PRosE

all ThE WoRld hER sTagE

-Edited
Not to be republished
[This is a short life-sketch of Sai
Paranjpye, a famous theatre personality
from Pune, Maharashtra. She has also
directed many television serials. She won
©KTBS
the National Award for the Best
Documentary with a social purpose. Her
films are relevant even today.]

1. It was a familiar sight to the
residents of Pune – a plump
little girl of about six or seven, sai Paranjpye
skipping along with an elderly
gentleman. They laughed, talked and had a great time.

2. The little girl was Sai, and the gentleman was a famous
educationist and mathematician, Sir R.P.Paranjpye – India’s first
senior wrangler and Sai’s grandfather – Appa. As they walked,
Appa put simple mathematical questions, and also related fables
to her. These included fairy tales, Arabian Nights and Birbal’s
Stories. Sai naturally preferred the fairy tales to mathematical
problems.

3. “Tell me a story, Appa,” Sai said, one day, as they set out.
‘No,’ said Appa grimly, “today you tell me one.”
4. And she did. It was a fairy tale, replete with dragons and
princess, talking parrots and hidden gold.

5. Sai completed her tale with “--------- and they lived happily
everafter!”

6. “Hmph!” said Appa. ‘Quite interesting! Where did you read it?”
7. “I didn’t. I made it up!” cried Sai.

8. Her grandfather was very much impressed. That was
perhaps her first flight of fancy, and it was the beginning of
a wonderful world of creativity. By the time she was just eight,
she had published her first book of fairy tales, called ‘Mulancha
Mera.’

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