Ved Parkash

Ved Parkash was a Paramount cameraman who supplied film from India, his first credit being for Field Marshals Montgomery, Auchinleck, and Wavell in New Delhi in June 1946, for British Paramount News. The story was not used in the reel. Parkash later filmed ‘INDIAN ARMY HONOURS RULER OF BHOPAL’ which was used in British Paramount News No.1666 of February 1947, and in the same month also provided ‘LORD WAVELL’S DAUGHTER WEDS’ for No.1671 of March 1947. In August 1947 Parkash covered the Indian independence ceremonies, working with John Turner [qv] of Gaumont British News, in particular on the filming of Gandhi’s funeral. Parkash and Turner found themselves without film on the sudden news of Gandhi’s assassination, with the funeral to take place the following day. The two men followed up Parkash’s numerous contacts around Delhi, and by a mixture of pleading and threats, gathered together sufficient short lengths of film to enable the two men to cover the funeral. Parkash filmed the funeral procession from Birla House, while Turner was positioned at the other end of the procession for the cremation. Turner described Parkash as ‘a tower of strength, very likeable, and ... very friendly to [the] intruder on his territory just when a very big story had come his way.'

Parkash continued to supply Paramount with material, including ‘EVEREST HEROES BACK AT BASE’ for No.2329 in June 1953. Parkash later supplied ‘BULGANIN IN INDIA’ for Pathe News No. 55/94 of November 1955, and provided Pathe with a series of similar stories until ‘INDIAN ‘BRAEMAR’' in Pathe News No. 55/101 of December 1955. This association with Pathe, possibly on a freelance basis, was long-standing. His final credit for Pathee is an untitle story in Pathe News No.69/100 of December 1969. Later credits for British Movietone News stories filmed by ‘Parkash’ are presumably those of his brother, Mohan [qv], although it is possible that he was responsible for some stories in to the 1970s. According to John Turner, Parkash died on a visit to the United Kingdom, collapsing in an Indian restaurant.

Sources

BUFVC, British Paramount News files, NR 15464, Number 1666 (Parkash’s dopesheet, 16/1/1947), Number 1671 (Parkash’s dopesheet, 20/2/1947), Number 1719 (Parkash’s dopesheets, 16/8/1947), Number 2329 (Parkash’s dopesheet, 21/6/1953): Information from John Turner, October 1999: J. Turner, ‘Filming History: The Memoirs of JohnTurner, Newsreel Cameraman’, pp. 116-118,131-133, 136: NoS Number 113921; Pathe News Number 69/100; Date released 11/12/1969.