A Family Photo – Hoojas

Chandra Sayal is a retired doctor, now living in Derby, England. She worked for over 30 years in the NHS in UK. She was a specialist in Community Medicine and Public Health.

As narrated to Rakshat Hooja, Usha and Bhupi's grandson.

Hooja family. London. 1953.

My brother Bhupendra Hooja took this photo in London in 1953. We used to call him Bhupi. At that time, Bhupi was working for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). He later returned to India and become an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer in Rajasthan. After retirement, among his other activities, Bhupi edited and published Bhagat Singh's jail diary, which you can read here.

The boy in the front is Bhupi and Usha's son, Rakesh Hooja. He was born in London in 1950, grew up in Jaipur and like his father, became an IAS officer in Rajasthan. After he retired, he became the head of the Indian Institute of public Administration (IIPA).  He passed away in 2012 while he was still in this post.

At the back, on the right is Usha Rani Hooja, Bhupi's wife. She studied sculpture in England and went on to become a well-known sculptor in India. Some of her famous ‘monumental' works include the Research Scholar in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Power and Energy at Rawatbhata Atomic Power Station and Police Memorial in Jaipur.

Police Memorial, Jaipur. ca. 2018.

The girl in the pram is my then 6-month old daughter, Anu. Anu Sayal-Bennet went on to get her Doctorate from University of Surrey. She is now a highly experienced Clinical Psychologist, having spent many years working in the voluntary, private and public sectors.

I am the person standing in the left in the photo. These days, I live a retired life in Derby, England. This photo brings back memories of how and where we were 65 years ago.

© Rakshat Hooja 2018