Living legend :

VU2LK, Radio handle: Bob, real name Bhavsinh Morarji Tanna popularly know to family members as mota bhai i.e. big brother. Truly big in every aspect he is presently 93 yrs. Old and still going strong and very active HAM in Mumbai. He is very regular and first person to check in into the Night Owls Net which is conducted in Mumbai 144.100 +600 repeater shift from Monday to Saturday.

Bob is the oldest HAM operator presently in VU land and second one to receive HAM license way back in 1936 at the age of 21. Story of getting into this hobby is also interesting, once when he was returning home from his school a roadside vendor used to sit outside his school and lend magazine for two paise each. One of them had an article titled “Travel round the world without leaving your armchair” and this way he came and got attracted to this amateur radio hobby. His father too was very much happy and got more literature and information on HAM radio.

Bob took a lead role during freedom movement. He helped Indian National Congress and made equipment for them as there were no tape recorders in those days and he used to record the messages and speeches on acetate discs. It was going on smoothly for more than ten months and one day he was caught by the British. He was detained and kept in Colaba police station. They tortured him for seven days and was made to lie down on a block of ice with only an underwear. When they realized he did not have anything to share, they shifted him to Arther road jail and was set free after nine months.

He was very active HAM operator and used homebrew rigs and antennas. Most of the HF contacts by Bob is using simple windom antennas. I consider myself one of the luckiest person to have an eyeball with Bob. I was there for almost four hours and he forced to have lunch with him, that was really a memorable day for me in my life. He is an inspiration to all of us and that’s why I call him living legend…………