"Pat"

SURUJPAT   MATHURA DATE OF BIRTH: 1923 PLACE OF BIRTH: Port of Spain, Trinidad EDUCATION: St. Theresa's Private, Woodbrook, Port of Spain Woodbrook C.M. School, Port of Spain Tranquillity Boys' Intermediate School, Port of Spain St. Mary's College, Port of Spain CAREER:                                 At the height of World War II, Mathura graduated from St. Mary's College and took a job at the American base in Cumuto where he worked for two years before deciding to join his father's printery, Band R Printing Service, in Port of Spain. At that time the main function of Band R was the production of a magazine called 'The Indian.' In 1947, while working at his father's printery, Mathura decided to embark on a career in journalism and radio announcing. He started at Radio Trinidad where he had to purchase time and sell commercials to cover the cost of his program which focused on Indian culture on the subcontinent and around Trinidad. He briefly entered the political arena and became the youngest mayor of Port of Spain in 1955. He stayed at Radio Trinidad for 47 years as an announcer, as well as producing radio programs, with special emphasis on Indian art, culture, and religion. In April 1994, he moved to FM 103, the country's first station that was completely dedicated to Indian programming. He later joined Masala Radio where he hosted a show Vintage Favourites on Sundays. AWARD: 1955 - Trinidad & Tobago Hummingbird Medal Gold DIED: August 9, 2007, at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt. Hope, Trinidad, after his health failed. Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit