His familiar voice does the work of an accompanist, providing harmonic support as the contemporary virtuosos perform in the arena and the old masters conjure up crescendos in the commentary box. His presence, especially during overtures, is indispensable.

However, Harsha Bhogle is not averse to striking a chord or two of brilliance on his own, especially when words and wit come to the foreground.

Such as his fascinating back and forth with Geoffrey Boycott on the touchy subject of umpiring.

Being asked what he would have done if he had been the umpire, the Yorkshire legend was perhaps basking in the mere contemplation of all that power flowing into his eagerly itching index finger. “Why, I’d have done anything, I’d have thought I was God for a day.”
Pat came Harsha’s rejoinder: “That’ll come as a surprise to our viewers. Most of them think you consider yourself God anyway.”

His departure into this offbeat solo threw even Boycott off his rhythm for a while.

Electric wit, and awareness of his strengths and limitations. These make Harsha a master of the microphone.
Harsha Bhogle was born on July 19, 1961.

Text: Arunabha Sengupta
Illustration: Maha