11 December,2010 06:57 AM IST | | Kranti Vibhute
Students from Khalsa college, his alma mater, to collect 88 bottles of blood on his 88th birthday today
LEGENDARY actor Dilip Kumar turns 88 today. To make his birthday special, his alma mater, the G N Khalsa College, Matunga, from where he started his filmy career, has planned a 'Rakht Tulabhara'.
The current and former students of Khalsa College will come together and collect 88 bottles of blood and donate it to the blood bank of a cancer hospital in his honour.
Dilip Kumar was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 at the 54th National Film Award
The youngest student of the college will present him with a plaque distinguishing Dilipsaab as the patron alumnus and present him old college pictures at his Bandra residence, as he won't be able to come to the college.
The programme will continue for a whole day. It will start with an exhibition match at 9 am between Olympians XI against Khalsa XI.
The Olympians XI will include former students of Khalsa College who have represented the Indian hockey team in Olympics or the World Cup.
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The match will be followed by the blood donation camp.
Ajit Singh, principal of the college, said, "Blood is the most precious gift someone can give to another. For a Khalsa member, the tradition has historic significance.
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We decided to make this day extra special for Dilipsaab by gifting our very blood to honour his distinguished career."
The college has also decided to name its college hall after Dilip Kumar on this occasion. "Dilipsaab has acted in a variety of plays in this college.
It used to be many years ago. It is matter of pride for us," said Gurvinder Singh Bawa, chairman of the college.
Praveish Viswanathan Iyer, head of department of BMS, BMM, said, "The legendary actor Dilip Kumar is an ex-student of Khalsa.
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In the auditorium of college, he acted in a lot of plays and he started his career from there. Hence our college has decided to name the auditorium as Dilip Kumar.
To show gratitude we are donating the blood in 88 bottles, which we also did when one of our principals retired.
He is the first distinguished patron of the alumni association. In 1980, he once visited the college with Raj Kapoor, after which he did not came.
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He was a student in Khalsa in the 1940's."
Suveer Singh (16), a student of Khalsa, said, "I am the luckiest person in the college as I will get a chance to greet him on his birthday.
I am a fan and have watched his films like Mughal-E-Azam. I wish him good health, and hope to see him on screen again."
Number Game
8
Dilip Kumar holds the record for most number of Filmfare Awards won in Best Actor category
1991
Dilip Kumar was honoured with the Padma Bhushan
1994
Dilip Kumar was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
1944
The year his first film with Nisar Bhai and Hamed Bhai Jwar Bhata was released
