Narendranath Razdan, the grandfather of Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt and the father of actress Soni Razdan, passed away on June 1, 2023, at the age of 95. He was suffering from a lung infection and was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. He breathed his last surrounded by his family and loved ones.
Narendranath Razdan was a man of many talents and passions. He was an avid golfer, a violinist, a sketch artist, a cricket fan, and a storyteller. He worked till the age of 93 and made the best omelettes for his family. He was also a loving grandfather to Alia Bhatt and her sister Shaheen Bhatt, and a great-grandfather to Shaheen’s daughter.
Alia Bhatt’s Heartfelt Post for Her Grandpa
Alia Bhatt, who shared a close bond with her grandfather, took to Instagram to share a video clip from his 92nd birthday celebrations last year. In the video, Alia’s boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor can be seen lighting candles on the cake as Narendranath Razdan smiles and says, “Smile all the time.”
Along with the video, Alia wrote a touching note for her grandpa, calling him her hero. She wrote:
The post received over 8 lakh likes and thousands of comments from Alia’s fans and friends, who offered their condolences and support.
Soni Razdan’s Emotional Tribute to Her Father
Soni Razdan, Alia’s mother and Narendranath Razdan’s daughter, also shared the news of her father’s demise on Instagram. She posted a picture of him smiling and wrote a beautiful tribute for him. She wrote:
Soni Razdan also received many messages of sympathy and love from her followers and colleagues.
Narendranath Razdan: A Life Well Lived
Narendranath Razdan was born in Kashmir in 1928. He was a journalist by profession and worked for various publications such as The Statesman, The Indian Express, The Times of India, and The Illustrated Weekly of India. He also authored several books on Kashmiri culture and history, such as Kashmir: A Kaleidoscope (1974), Kashmir: A Disputed Legacy (1997), and Kashmir: A Tragedy of Errors (2002).
He married Gertrude Hoelzer, a German national who came to India as a tourist in 1955. They had two daughters, Soni Razdan and Tina Razdan. Soni followed her father’s footsteps into journalism before becoming an actress and marrying filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. Tina is also an actress and married director Raman Kumar.
Narendranath Razdan was a proud Kashmiri who loved his homeland and its people. He was also a cosmopolitan who embraced different cultures and languages. He spoke fluent English, Hindi, Urdu, German, French, and Kashmiri. He was a voracious reader and a keen observer of current affairs.
He was also a fun-loving person who enjoyed life to the fullest. He played golf till he was 93 years old and won several trophies and medals for his skills. He also played the violin and sketched portraits of his family and friends. He loved watching cricket matches and cheering for his favorite teams. He told stories from his life experiences and made everyone laugh with his wit and humor.
He was a devoted father to his daughters, a doting grandfather to his granddaughters, and a loving great-grandfather to his great-granddaughter. He showered them with affection and attention and taught them valuable lessons about life.
He was an inspiration to many people who knew him personally or through his work. He was a man who lived with dignity, grace, courage, and joy.
He will be dearly missed by his family, friends, fans, and admirers.
May his soul rest in peace.
Photos Source- Instagram.com
