He too was destined to be, albeit much ordinary, an artist, as it is evident now. He never showed any inclination toward artistic activities going on in the house. Nor there ever was any suggestion from the artist father. Once Rahul Barpute hinted that arts could be an interesting proposition but the young lad kept on pursuing bio-science through school and university. After taking a degree in agricultural sciences he went on to Indian Agricultural Research Institute of Delhi to land a master’s in biochemistry. One thing led to another and he found himself in Adelaide (Australia) on a doctoral fellowship working on nitrogen fixing enzymes with professor DJD Nicholas. That was history with not much consequence on the character of the person he was to be. Blue collar jobs, driving truck, unintentional impersonation as electronic engineer, conservation work with Dr Salim Ali in Bharatpur sanctuary, dabbling in film industry, interior designing and book designing before getting entangled in a rather dull newspaper industry for a good quarter of a century, were to prove true, apparently, psychiatrist Dr Hadley’s diagnosis - vocational identity crisis.
Dileep Chinchalker today is a writer by inner urge, teacher by enthusiasm, student naturalist by passion trying to shake the label of an artist that is stuck by the years in media. His desire to involve in as many exciting things as possible was seen in a different light by the qualified psycho analyst. As Dileep puts it ‘Life is akin to an amusement park and birth itself is an entry ticket. Exposure to as many experiences as possible is normal to a person fascinated by life’. Extensive travels by motorcycle, truck and hitch-hiking over the Australian continent whipped up his appetite for more.
The destiny began to take shape, or the genes started rearranging by the end of ‘Twenties’ when Dileep felt an urge to draw. Recently back from visiting Chipko movement in Uttarakhad he was drafted by Anupam Mishra to design a cover for an environment booklet. The cover was a hit and the two hit it off. This was the beginning of a lifelong association wherein Dileep was to beautify almost all of Anupam’s writings with a variety of illustrations, including legendary book ‘Talab’.
Designing of newspaper in 1980s came as a challenge. Accepting it was a good experience but joining one, and not leaving it early was a mistake. Jansatta landed a prestigious designing award whereas Naidunia helped polish the art of illustration and brought the joy of clandestinely writing for other publications, for it would not accept an artist for a writer.
Made to wear his father’s oversize shoes, Dileep followed his father’s footsteps and in a period of ten years accomplished a voluminous study of ‘Scenes from the life of Indian middle-class’. Over five hundred write-ups and art criticism appeared in Hindi, Marathi and English journals.
If anyone was to benefit from the legendary friendship between Barpute, Gandharva and Chinchalkar, it was latter’s son. The quality of company they had in the form of luminaries from other art fields, and the discussions they had were extremely emancipating and had a quiet positive influence. ‘They were like exposure on a photographic film’ Vishnu Chinchalkar appropriately worded it in case of his son, ‘their result was obtained when the film was developed years later under difficult conditions’.
Most sons consider it their prerogative to have difference of opinion with their father, so did Dileep. Steam was let off in weekly Friday night sessions over a glass of beer. With old fashioned father-son relationship in, it was rarely possible to see an issue to a coherent end. Theatre was a subject taken up animatedly specially after watching a play. Both shared common interest in compassion for nature, pyramids, life after life. One thing I regret as son is missing the opportunity to ask him to communicate or give some sign from the next life.
