Page 86 - Gujar Mal Modi

Mr. Modi had a keen sense of humour and could share a joke with persons of all

classes on certain occasions. At home he was always relaxed. To pass a humorous
remark in a light hearted vein was a habit with him. Once his old classmate Mas-

ter Badri Prasad called on him after Mr. Modi had a heart attack. He had just then
awakened from his afternoon nap. The friend enquired as to what he had done

to himself. He answered in a characteristic, frank and humorous manner that he
had only been carrying out an experiment. When Masterji said that he should

not carry out such “great experiments”, his reply was that “Great persons do great
experiments.” Such lively remarks always punctuated his conversation. Mr. Modi

as the head of a family ruled over it like a patriarch, whose will dominated over
one and all in his extensive household. To his subordinates and servants he was

both a master and a generous friend. His family always bowed to his judgement
knowing well that he would readily grant any reasonable request.

Ever since his return from his foreign tour, he had been ail ing and experiencing

the effects of growing age. It was simply through his strong will that he had con-
tinued to lead a life of intense and varied activity. However, in December 1975

all the ailments which he had never taken seriously made a concerted at tack on
him. Foreign doctors and specialists in India who examined him diagnosed that

he was suffering from jaundice and that his kidney, lungs and heart were seri-
ously affected. He was advised to go to Bombay for medical treatment, but he

was unwilling to leave Modinagar. A staunch believer in destiny, he felt that the
trip and treatment would be futile, but his family prevailed upon him. In Bombay

he was operated upon at Jaslok Hospital. Till the time of his operation, he had
been drinking Gangajal, the holy water of the river Ganga, and was constantly

muttering ‘Krishna Krishna.’ He did not survive the operation and breathed his
last with God’s name on his lips at 4.30 a. m. on 22nd January 1976. His last words

were: “Pray and have faith.” Then he slipped into blissful peace.

The news of his passing away plunged the town of Modinagar into deep sorrow.

His relatives, friends and employees had been praying for his recovery for weeks,
but all in vain. People in thousands from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and

U. P. went to the Palam Airport in Delhi to receive the body on its arrival by a
chartered plane. Everyone of them mourned for him as one would for a beloved

father. They rushed to the plane when it touched down the runway at 2.30 p. m.

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