Mehta Soli

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Biografie:
Soli Mehta (1927-1989)
I came to know Soli Mehta rather late in his life. It was in 1978 that Jagdish Nanavati quietly broached the subject of my helping with the Himalayan Journal as Soli, editor for the past eight issues, was leaving for Nigeria. I had no editorial experience - not even on a college magazine. My reaction was, of course, to say no, but Jagdish knows his job and I was persuaded. I was assured that R E Hawkins would lend a keen eye to it.
When I first met Soli and Hawkins, their expertise and experience were evident. After explaining the current issue (the Golden Jubilee issue, Vol 35) over a few meetings, Soli handed over files and left for Nigeria, leaving his beloved 'baby' in my care. We kept in regular touch - great correspondent as he was.
For seven years Hawkins and I edited the journal, bringing out seven issues. During all these years we kept in contact with Soli in Nigeria. He procured articles with his contacts, suggested subjects and enquired. Once there was a poem on the mountaineer's world at high altitude (HJ36), called 'Ballad of Bethertoli'. It naturally included four-letter words which mountaineers use at high altitude. I was at a loss whether to include these in the journal or not; Jagdish Nanavati strongly objected to such 'filth' in our respected journal. Hawkins came with Oxford Dictionary to analyse each word, to determine whether it could be classified as 'dirty'. He eventually 'cleared' all except two words. Finally all the material was forwarded to Soli in Nigeria for a final verdict. 'Keep every word of it. We don't want to be left behind in these days of permissiveness' - came a curt telex that settled it.
Soli returned to India in 1985 and I was glad to hand over his 'baby' to him. Policies of editing remained the same, but the modes changed totally. Now you go to Soli's house, there is always pakora and tea, side-tracking to various subjects and lots of laughter. Soli's Parsee humour regaled all of us. He liked to laugh at everything, including himself. He once passed me a letter from a Polish climber, Voytek Kurtyka, at a meeting. Soli had asked him for an article which had already been printed in a past Himalayan Journal. Kurtyka wrote: 'Don't you read your own Journal?' Soli added with a grin: 'Look, I messed up.' Every time I would ring him up there would be a strong welcoming voice: 'Bol Dikra' ('Yes, son') and we started shooting. Exchanging editorial notes in the margins was also fun with Soli. Once, after striking out an utter nonsense, he wrote: 'Shit.' I wrote there: 'Soli, be careful, we preserve these papers on file for posterity, and people will refer to them after many years.' Papers came back with Soli's curt writing below mine: 'Sorry, in that case I'll use stronger words next time.' He was irrepressible.
From 1964 to 1979 Soli produced 12 issues of the Himalayan Club Newsletter which painstakingly covered all the details. He was editor of the Himalayan Journal from 1967 to 1978. His achievement was phenomenal, in face of extinct finances, with absolutely no one to help him and no organization of any kind. He left for Nigeria in 1979 and on his return he resumed the editorship from 1985 until he died, producing three issues. All this puts him in the ranks of the senior editors of the mountaineering world. Only the great Kenneth Mason, the first editor of the Himalayan Journal, has produced more than Soli. Soli had a long and distinguished association with the Himalayan Club. He was a Life Member from 1955, and served on the Managing Committee from 1964 to 1973; he was Vice-President of the Club in 1974, and again from 1986 to 1989; he also acted as the Hon Secretary in 1970. Earlier, he was Hon Local Secretary for Bombay from 1962, when he took over from R E Hawkins.
In fact, in 1970 he was instrumental in shifting the Club to Bombay with him. He became a member of the Alpine Club in 1974.
Apart from editing, Soli was an excellent pianist and cellist, who regularly played in the Bombay Chamber Orchestra. He worked for ICI (India) from 1950 to 1985, when he retired, serving in various senior positions in Bombay, London, Rishra (Bengal), Sudan and Nigeria. He had a degree from the University of Cambridge. He travelled a lot and met many editors, trekkers and mountaineers, world over. Also he trekked regularly in the Himalaya and talked about it with excellent slides.
In 1988 The Himalayan Club celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. To commemorate the event it was proposed to publish Exploring the Hidden Himalaya (Hodder and Stoughton), jointly written by Soli and myself. At once Soli flung himself into the project with great energy. We collected slides and material and wrote all the chapters. It was great fun, with Soli's lunches and humour. Alas, he will not be around ~ see the book. He looked forward to retired life, enjoying music, editing, writing further books and producing HJs. Death came suddenly: a heart attack snatched him away on 4 November 1989. He leaves behind his wife Meheru and daughters Naushad and Yasmen.
When the name of the famous hill-station Simla was changed to Shimla, and this was mentioned in an article in the Himalayan Journal, Soli, not to be outdone, added a footnote: 'There is no truth in the rumour that the editor is about to change the spelling of his name to Sholi. Beware, when you are requested by the Survey of India spelling experts to sit. –
Ed'.
Many of us will miss his assuring presence, devotion to mountaineering and humour. Rest In Peace, Sholi.
Harish Kapadia
Quelle: Alpine Journal Volume 95, 1990-91, Seite 312-314


Geboren am:
1927
Gestorben am:
1989