Father Mere Puttran De
Prof. Sarita Tiwari has written the book “Father Mere Puttran
De” about her loving husband Prof. Virainder Kumar Tiwari, an intellectual,
educationist, administrator and a social activist of standing. The title of the
book is uniquely tri-lingual – Father in English, Mere in Hindi and Puttran De
in Punjabi and the author’s name i.e. Sarita Tiwari is also shown in these
three languages. The author has explained in the beginning why she has opted to
write
the book in three languages. Father Mere Puttran De, a tribute “Tiwari
Sahib Nu Yaad Kardean” on his first death anniversary, October 10, was released
at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall in Jalandhar on October 10, 2017 by Lt. Governor
(Retired) Iqbal Singh, a politician and a social personality of Punjab, a good
friend of Prof. V.K. Tiwari, Kuku for the friends and family. Governor Iqbal
Singh and other distinguished speakers namely; Chairperson of Governing Council
of Khalsa College Group of Institutions
Balbir Kaur, niece of Shaheed
Bhagat Singh, Gurjeet Kaur Dhatt, Seth Kundan Lal of Local Advisory Committee
of D.A.V. College and Gurmeet Singh General Secretary of Desh Bhagat Yadgar
Committee spoke very high of Prof Tiwari and paid glowing tributes to the
highly regarded son of the soil who, from a humble background of a mofassil
town called Alawalpur near Jalandhar rose to coveted positions at a well
attended function in which who’s who of the Jalandhar academic and educational
circle were present. Sarita Tiwari, the author of the book, who herself is an
acclaimed academician and cultural personality of the region, conducted the
function herself with obvious emotional involvement. Before the formal release
of the book, a dedicated session of musical presentations by the local talent
led by no other than Sarita Tiwari herself, sons (Putter) – Mohit and Chetan in
attendance, set the mood of the evening in its right perspective. I was invited
to the function as a humble acquaintance of Tiwari Sahib whom I met, in recent
years after my return to Jalandhar on retirement from I.F.S., and found him a
charming and cultured personality on one hand and erudite and a spell-bound (Jaadu-bian
Mukarrar) speaker on the other. Later, after
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| At Prof. V.K.Tiwari Computer Centre |
Tiwari Sahib’s death, I met
Saritaji and their sons Mohit and Chetan at a SPEED function to name a computer
centre in memory of Prof. V.K. Tiwari at Ram Nagar in Jalandhar of which a
reference has been made in the book.
In the foreword of the book Governor Iqbal Singh appreciated
Prof. Tiwari for his humility and love, put together. The book has been divided
into four parts:-
Mere Apne – In this part, tributes and homage of
Prof. V.K. Tiwari’s 68 friends, associates and well-wishers, representing cross
sections of the society, have been compiled. The author has termed them as “Speaking
Dictionaries”. All of them, in one way
or the other, have written very high of Prof. Tiwari bringing out all the good
attributes in his dynamic personality which a human being may attain and
possess not only to lead a good life himself but also contribute positively to the
overall well being of the society at large. Some of them quoted poetry to
remember their ‘friend, philosopher and guide’ as Jasreen Kaur of Khalsa
College Jalandhar aptly quoted to flag Tiwari Sahib’s down to earth humility:-
जो आला ज़र्फ़ होतें हैं; हमेशां झुक के मिलते हैं,
सुराही सर नगुन होकर; भरा करती है पैमाना !
Yet another friend of Tiwar Sahib, S. Sondhi, writes that he
was an open hearted man with full of understanding and compassion:-
जिंदगी में ऐसा इंसान भी होना बहुत जरूरी है;
जिसे दिल का हॉल बताने के लिए लफ्जों की जरूरत न हो !
A couple of contributors mentioned about Tiwari Sahib’s
distinctive Urdu-laced mannerism in his routine informal talk like use of
words, Hazur, Waah Janab, Hazoorewala, Fouri Tour Pe etc. I may also testify
that Tiwari Sahib was a conversationalist par-excellence. Many of the Left oriented intellectuals and
comrades like Jatinder Pannu, Sital Singh Sangha, Raghbir Kaur, Gurmeet Singh,
among others have paid glowing tributes to him remembering and recognizing his affiliation
and leaning towards the leftist ideology. He was actively associated with the
Desh Bhagat Yadgar Committee. The well groomed sons, Mohit and Chetan have paid
wholesome homage to their worthy father, a difficult task to say something
about a larger than life personality in the upbringing of his children. Dr. Jagdish Chander Joshi wrote about the
fellow alumnus of D.A.V. College Jalandhar and said that Dr. Virainder Tiwari
enjoyed a rare distinction of a student, a teacher and a Principal of D.A.V
College at one stretch of his illustrious career. Hats off to this self made
man of Jalandhar. Much more could be
said about Prof. Tiwari. Though some of the ‘Speaking Dictionaries” have
narrated a few anecdotes yet it would have been better if some more space would
have been provided to this aspect for the advantage and benefit of the younger
lot.
Father Mere Puttran
De:- In this part,
Savita Tiwar, the gracious wife of Prof. V.K. Tiwari, has given a graphic
account of the last ten days, October 1 -10, 2016, of Tiwari Sahib and also the
cherished memories of their marriage in June, 1980 followed by chronologically
arranged memoirs, both sweet and sour, of their social and professional lives.
The narration is informal without any academic or literary pretence which make
it readable at leisure. Otherwise hale and hearty, Tiwari Sahib’s sudden death
reminded me of the death of my young nephew Brijesh of 28, my brother’s son, in
November, 2015 under the same circumstances – Home - Patel Hospital- DMC
Ludhiana- Home – in a matter of a few days with the same deadly ailment “Dengue
Shock Syndrome”. Saritaji’s story telling skills as an artist of standing is
evident from her narration of her Navaratra fasts and the couple’s usual tiffs
on small matters which we all face in everyday life. One can feel that Kukku
and Sarita were made for each other. Tiwari Sahib belonged to an Arya Samaji
family by birth and by education and experience he developed a Leftist leaning.
Defying the tradition, he decided to marry Sarita without dowry and much
fanfare. Sarita has stated, in a lighter vein, that on the marriage reception ‘there
were more of speeches than dance and song’.
The author has succeeded in bringing out clearly that Prof.
V.K. Tiwari was a man of sterling worth as described in the book “Teacher,
Researcher, Linguist, Academic leader”. Apart from his profession as a teacher
and educational administrator, Tiwari Sahib was a union leader for the rights
of the academic fraternity. He served as General Secretary of the World
Federation of Teachers’ Union. He was actively engaged with All India
Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (AIFUCTO) and as
such very popular among the teaching community.
He was an international activists and travelled abroad intensively with
regard to his union activities and also of the World Peace Movement etc. Tiwari
Sahib believed in a little modified version of the dictum ‘Do or Die’, as
stated by the author. He believed in ‘Do it before you die’.
कुछ उलझने हैं राहों में; कुछ कोशिशें बेहिसाब;
बस इसी का नाम है जिंदगी; चलते रहिए जनाब !
Condolence Messages: - The third part of the book is a
compilation of condolence messages from cross sections of the academic and
intellectual circles of not only Jalandhar but also Punjab and beyond. By
reading these messages, one can feel the emotions of pain and sympathy people
felt and expressed on the untimely demise of Prof. V.K. Tiwari and the bereaved
family. Dr. S.S. Bains of Lyallpur
Khalsa College has rightly quoted someone, “The most beautiful good-byes are
the ones that are never said and never explained.”
Tributes:- The concluding part of Father Mere
Puttran De is the Tributes paid to Tiwari Sahib by his friends and associates
in a vernacular daily with leftist affiliation, Nawan Zamana and some journals
of the trade union outfits. Prof. Virainder Kumar Tiwari was a multifaceted
personality and a leader by his right. My brother Paramjit had been his student
at D.A.V. College in the late 1970s. He speaks very high of Prof. Tiwari. Paramjit
told me that Prof. Tiwari was not only a competent teacher of English language
but also great source of strength to the young students in extra-curricular
activities. His informal and humble mannerism was very impressive and
motivative.
Punj Aab Parkashan has done a good job in presenting the book
with an excellent cover and professionally set contents. The book is readable
and that too gratis at one go as the price of the book is “Your precious time
out of your busy schedule to read this book” as graciously offered by the
author and publishers.
अपना मुक्कदर आप बनातें हैं एहले दिल;
हम वह नहीं जिन्हे जमाना बना गया !
