By Subhash K. Jha

Mumbai, Jan 26 (IANS): Singer Bappi Lahiri says he recently recorded a song written by renowned Urdu poet and lyricist Jaswant Rai Sharma, known to the world by his pen name Naqsh Lyallpuri, who died here on January 22.

Bappi, who is in Los Angeles, was shocked to hear of Lyallpuri's death. He was 89.

He said: "We were together recently. I recorded a song written by him for a film that his son Rajan Lyallpuri is directing. How were we to know this would be his last song? I feel privileged to be the one to have composed music for Naqshji's farewell lyric.

"Even when he was unwell he was at his creative peak, right till the end."

Bappi also remembered his long association with Lyallpuri.

"He wrote lyrics for some of my most memorable songs. Not too many people know this. But Mohammed Rafi saab's last recorded song 'Phool kya shabaab kya husn-e-mahtab kya' was composed by me. It was in the film 'Farz Ki Jung' and picturised on Govinda and Neelam. And the beautiful romantic lyrics were written by Naqsh Lyallpuri saab.

"My favourite song written by Naqsh saab for my composition was 'Dard ki ragini muskurake chhed de' from 'Pyaas', sung by Lata Mangeshkar. I am very proud of this song because it gave me an opportunity to show the Hindustani classical side of my composition abilities.

"Later, I did three songs for O.P. Ralhan's 'Paapi', written by Naqsh saab, including the hit 'Bol sajna', sung by Lataji."

Bappi recalls the writer as a gentleman and a poet. "He was a wonderful human being and a great poet. We worked on approximately 15 songs together."