Thespian Dilip Kumar, popularly known as the `tragedy king` of Indian cinema, turned 88 today.

City college’s blood tribute to Dilip Kumar
Serena Menon, Hindustan Times Mumbai,
December 11, 2010 First Published: 13:16 IST(11/12/2010)
Last Updated: 16:53 IST(11/12/2010)


Mumbai: Thespian Dilip Kumar, popularly known as the `tragedy king` of Indian cinema, turned 88 today and was honoured with the title "patron of alumnus" by his alma mater G N Khalsa College here.
The legend has become one of the oldest living ex-students of the institute located in Central Mumbai, College Principal Ajit Singh told reporters.

"Dilipsaab is not keeping well. When we told him about our initiative to honour him, he was touched. He recalled several anecdotes about his student life and was overwhelmed,"
he said.

Another alumnus, former hockey player Mir Ranjan Negi, participated in a hockey match between ex-students and the present ones. "Dilipsaab is an avid hockey fan and we thought a hockey match would be a good way to pay respect to him," Singh said.

The veteran actor, who retired from silver screen in 1998, is best remembered for his variety of roles in `Andaz`, `Aan`, `Devdas`, `Azaad`, `Mughal-e-Azam`, `Ganga Jamuna` and `Naya Daur`.

In 1976, Kumar had a five-year break from films. In 1981, he returned with a character role in `Kranti` and continued his career playing central character roles in movies such as `Shakti` (1982), `Karma` (1986) and `Saudagar` (1991) his last film was `Qila` in 1998.

He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1991 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994.
Veteran actor Dilip Kumar will receive an unusual present on his 88th birthday this year. Present and former students of GN Khalsa College, of which the actor is the oldest surviving ex-student, will donate 88 bottles of blood to the Sion hospital and Tata Memorial Institute for Cancer, to
commemorate his special day.

Ajit Singh, principal, GN Khalsa College says, “The blood donation drive is a prayer for his good health and long life. We will also organise a hockey match between a team from the college and a team comprising of all the ex-students on Saturday, since Mr Kumar was an avid hockey player.”

A small group of college representatives will then present Kumar with a symbolic drop of blood made of styrofoam at his residence.

The amount of blood that will be donated by over 500 students will be equivalent of Kumar’s body weight. “The idea was to re-invent how the alumni is felicitated. We have always had events where we have studied his work and cinema, this drive is just an extension of that,” says Kiran Kaur (20), a final year student of the college and a huge fan of the actor, who will most willingly participate in the drive.

The college that has been around since 1937 is the city’s first ever private institute. According to Singh, Kumar passed out of the college around the 1940s and has since then made the college proud, year after another. “Apart from the blood drop, we will also present to him some old pictures and memoirs of him that the college has had in its archives. The rest will be put up around the campus. When we mentioned this idea to Mr Kumar, he was absolutely thrilled and excited,” says Singh, who also plans on naming the college hall after Kumar.