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Young Salma Sultan brings you Samachar

Salma Sultan, read news on Doordarshan between 1967 and 1997. But that doesn't tell much about her. In the color 80s she became known for the rose worn low in her hair and her style saris.
I remember when she used to say. 'Namaskar. Aaj ke Samachar. Is prakar...' and sitting in front of the TV set old ladies of the house would reply back to her greeting saying, 'Namaskar. Namaskar. Bless you! Urzu! (Kashmiri word for Good Health)' Watching television was something else in those days.

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Here's how Salma Sultan  started out:
Her entry into news reading too had been quite a hilarious experience. After doing her post graduation from English Literature from I. P. College, Delhi, she started working with Doordarshan as an announcer and presenter. "Those days (1967-68), they would not take young people for news reading but mature ones. Pratima Puri and Gopal Kaul were regular faces then. But Kaul never wanted to read news so once, when it was time to read news, he came entered the office with a completely-shaven head! Panic-stricken producer started looking for someone to replace him and their choice zeroed on me. I was asked to give a quick audition." Always ready to take up challenges, Salma followed, "When I came back to the control room after audition, I witnessed a pin-drop silence and everyone sitting stunned. With a chocking voice I asked what happened, and was told that I read the 15-minutes news so quickly that they could not even start the roll!" Such was her nervousness that made DD realise that they should train people for news reading too! 
- read more at a fine old article at The Hindu

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First image comes from Hindustan Times (June 7, 2009) and the second one from India Today (Anniversary Issue, July 03, 2006)
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Comments

  1. UnknownOct 18, 2009, 10:48:00 PM

    Salma Sultan....what dignity, what decency and what grace!!! She is certainly a gem that Doordarshan has given this country.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mandar KAug 26, 2010, 3:30:00 PM

    Bless you to bring back those memories of an era goneby..
    Thanks for sharing this with us, vivek :)

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  3. Vinayak RazdanAug 26, 2010, 3:36:00 PM

    You are welcome.

    ReplyDelete
  4. sumalNov 7, 2011, 7:37:00 PM

    It is actually an end of an era. An era of simpler times , no hype. Alas, Those days have gone by .

    ReplyDelete
  5. sadiyaNov 12, 2012, 8:16:00 PM

    got me emotional........such wonderful days.chitrahar,rangoli ,eagerly awaited a whole week!! homework done much before time for the reward awaiting would be the once a week black n white hindi film that too from your parents times....unfortunately our kids will never understand the immense joy in that

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  6. snehaJul 23, 2014, 1:31:00 PM

    Salma was great on television, her great poise and simplicity and great diction, she always had cute smile and rose flower to accomplish her beauty. Missing those days.

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  7. UnknownMar 23, 2018, 12:31:00 AM

    What do I say about her?
    There's a thing about girls from bhopal. They are something else.
    Well I'm 24 and I have got a crush on her. The more I read about her the more I get to know about her the more I'm getting trapped.
    I'm not a bad person per day but such is her personality that you'll stop caring about anything else.
    I have got a huge collection of her news reading days and I just play them in loop.
    She is the most beautiful journalist India has ever had and she still looks so beautiful.
    Would love to meet her something.

    ReplyDelete

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