CM Charanjit Singh Channi – Some candid observations of a novice

 

CM Charanjit Singh Channi – Some candid observations of a novice

It is a matter of gratification that Sardar Charanjit Singh Channi has become the Chief Minister of Punjab – Der Ayat Daroost Ayet. On the day of the swearing in, September 20, of Sardar Charanjit  Channi as the CM of Punjab, I wrote on the timeline of my Facebook: ‘Kuffar Toota Khud Khuda Karke’ and congratulated the new CM. It may be of interest to know that I could see the coming

scenario much ahead than many and sent a message to Channi Sahib in the early morning of September 19 when nobody knew exactly as to what was going to happen and quote from that message, “  Good morning Sir. The political scenario is changing fast and for the better. I see a big role for you in the emerging situation. I wish you become the CM or at least the Deputy CM. I am one of your well wishers from your community, a retired Ambassador of the IFS now living in Jalandhar. ….. With regards. Ambassador Ramesh Chander.”

   Channi Sahib or his Aides opened that message or not, I don’t not know but, nevertheless, I was delighted on the election and appointment of Sardar Charanjit Singh Channi as the CM of Punjab. The things have come full circle. The stipulations of ‘empowerment’ of the weaker sections of the society and also the relevance of ‘one vote – one value’ as visualized by Babasaheb Ambedkar and slogan “Jis Ki Jitni Sankhya Bhari; Utni Uski Hissedari’ given be Manayawar Kanshi Ram saw the light of the day in Punjab after 75 years of our independence in 1947. It was a negation of democracy that the depressed classes or so called dalits with almost 35% share in the population, the largest in any state of India, could not go near the ‘steering wheel of power’ in Punjab. That is why I wrote ‘Kuffar Toota Khuda Khuda Karke’. It was to happen and it has. Now let us see that the vested interests with hegemonic mindsets are not allowed to turn the clock backwards in the days to come. With this in view, I thought of sharing some of my off the cuff observations not as an expert or a competent  analyst but as a novice before the Government of Sardar Charanjit Channi settles down for serious work and meet the challenges ahead after the obvious and visible but short lived euphoria.

1.   We all, both the so called upper castes or king makers and those on the receiving end or so called dalits, must understand that in politics or run up to power, nobody can or would make anybody the CM/PM. One has to be one’s own with one’s own strength and capability. Our democratic credentials are slowly maturing and new realities are emerging. No charities are expected as CM Charanjit Singh Channi asserted in his speech at Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar that we

CM Charanjit Singh Channi at Dera Sachkhand Ballan

were no more interested in ‘atta dal’ but would yearn to educate ourselves, our children and settle for due ‘share in power’ as equal partners and rightly so. It would just be futile to harp on the caste identities – dalits or non dalits. Sardar Charanjit Channi is a fully qualified and capable to hold the reins of power in Chandigarh. Any patronizing behavior should not be tolerated by the leadership and the community at large.

2.   There is no need to be in a hurry to announce undue concessions and freebies. People are more interested in transparent and functional arrangements with good civic services.

3.   There is no need to announce new projects as the time at hand of the new government is short in view of the forthcoming elections early next year. Rather than new projects, the new government should try to finish and handover the ongoing projects to the satisfaction and benefit of the community and the society at large.

4.   It is all the more true with regard to the projects pertaining to the so called dalits, CM Channi Sahib being one from them. Frankly to my mind, there is no need to announce projects in undue haste as has been done in announcing Guru Ravidass Chair at Dera Sachkhand Ballan and a huge project spread over 101 acres of land, Ambedkar Museum at Kapurthala, Ambedkar Management Institute among others. My suggestion to the Hon’ble CM Channi Sahib would be - kindly pay due and much needed attention to the already announced and unfinished projects like Ambedkar College at Bootan Mandi Jalandhar, Minar-e-Begampura at Khuralgarh and many more projects elsewhere in Punjab. Your dalit brethren would understand the limitations and would expect you to be simple and sincere.

5.   The opposition parties and the vested interests in the Congress Party itself would tend to exploit the situation and tarnish the image of CM and his government as it is obvious that it will not be an easy task to deliver with regard to these grand dreams. It is better to be slow but productive and pragmatic. There is no point in befooling the people as “Yeh Public Hai Sab Janti Hai.

6.   CM Channi Sahib should stand on his own with confidence and sincerely try to give corruption free governance in a transparent manner. People are fed up of corruption and high handedness of the official machinery. Any success on this front, may be partially, would go a long way in establishing the credentials of the CM and his administration. I am happy to note that he has already taken the initiative in this regard and spoke to end corruption while speaking at Kapurthala the other day.

7.   There should be no witch-hunting or vendetta politics. These are unproductive and long drawn exercises which would tend o derail the programmes and policies of the government. Kindly avoid unnecessary rejiging of the administration as the time at hand is short in the run up to elections in 4-5 months. Complete the formation of Council of Minister at the earliest possible so that the Ministers start working in right earnest.

8.   The contentious and emotive issues like ‘Beadbi’ or sacrilege etc. should not be allowed to impede the welfare schemes and other positive schemes for the benefit of the people of the state.

9.   Senior officers like DCs, SDMs, Police Commissioners and SPS should be accessible to the public and responsive to their needs and complaints.

10.                     So far the governments have been paying ‘lip service’ to the problems of SC communities particularly with regard to educational facilities like Post Matric Scholarships to SC students. This problem should be discussed with the stake holders and a clear mechanism provided to implement the schemes. The young generation of beneficiary students will appreciate and stand with the CM.

11.                     One last very simple suggestion and advice is – the CMO and senior aides of the CM should see to it all communications to Hon’ble CM and his Principal Secretaries from the public should be acknowledged and responded to. It would send a positive signal to the people that CM Channi Sahib’s government is a ‘Government of the people, for the people and by the people’ as per the dictates of a functional democracy.

These suggestions, though unsolicited, are, of course, simple and entail no high sounding political or administrative mantras. But I am sure, if the government under the stewardship of CM Channi Sahib succeeds to make a good and impressive beginning, in spite of all odds and leg pulling, the new CM would not be a ‘stop gap arrangement’ and would be all set to comeback after the electoral mandate of early next year. Nobody knows as of now as to which party would come to power. But one thing is almost certain. If CM Charanjit Channi could leave a trail of a ‘capable and competent’ leader, all parties would not be able to ignore the claims and due share in the pie of power to the weaker sections of the society - the so called dalits, as visualized by the icons like Babasaheb Ambedkar, Babu Kanshi Ram. My humble request to the people of Punjab particularly the weaker sections of the society, is to kindly extend all due support and strengthen the hands of CM Sardar Charan Singh Channi, a worthy son of the soil. It took more than 70 years to get the coveted job. Let us make all the more difficult or impossible that nobody dares to snatch it on the basis of socio-economic discrimination and considerations. The political aspect may be dealt with democratically at the hustings.  CM Channi Sahib should assert his position with due humility but with authority. He is there because of no one’s charity or magnanimity but for the socio-political imperatives created by the relentless struggle of our political and spiritual Gurus like Babasaheb Ambedkar, Guru Ravidass and the Sikh Gurus as enshired in the constitution of India and the holy Shri Guru Granth Sahib.  I take this opportunity to wish all the best and further success to CM Sardar Charanjit Singh Channi in the days to come. Here I conclude with a couplet:

Tu Pehle Baat; Phir Baat Ka Andaz Paida Kar,

Phir Duniya Mein Tujhe Koi; Nazar Andaz Kar Nahin Sakta

It is time to remind – Someone may listen

 

 It is time to remind – Someone may listen

This is the 7^th UNGA annual session to be held in New York since June, 2015 when proposal to declare, under the aegis of the UN, April 14, birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar as International Day of Equality, was made to then EAM Sushma Swaraj. Ever since

we have been reminding the Government India through EAMs Sushma Swaraj and EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar and other important and concerned Ministers by keeping the PM and PMO on the loop. But it is a matter of regret to say nothing moved and nobody cared to respond. Everybody is swearing by the name of Ambedkar and trying to own his legacy. I don’t know the reasons behind this indifference. If the GOI does not agree with the proposal or otherwise finds it not possible to carry it forward to the UN, there is no harm in saying so. We are not that foolish that would not understand the position. From the day one, we have been saying that our proposal is suggestive and positive which could be realized only by the GOI.

Anyway, we are determined to keep saying what we feel as true followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar, the greatest son of India without any political agenda or affiliation. It is time to remind the GOI before PM Narendra Modi speaks in the UNGA with the hope that he might consider and mention something about the proposal on International Day of Equality. We have done the ritual by tweeting and sending an e-mail to PMO on the subject. It is said that PM is only a ‘call away’  from the matters of concern and interest to the citizens of India. Let us hope someone may listen and respond.

 

ramesh chander <rc2345@yahoo.com>

To:pmo@govmu.org,narendramodi1234@gmail.com

Cc:diream@mea.gov.in,somparkash.mos@gmail.com,mos.ml@mea.gov.in,mosathawale@gmail.com

Tue, 21 Sept at 14:02

For Principal Secretary to PM, Dr. PK Mishra 

 Dear Sirs,

Kindly see my tweet of a little while go on the captioned subject - International Day of Equality:-

ramesh chander

@rameshchander50

 “·PM Modi will address UNGA on September 25. Proposal on April 14 as International Day of Equality may find a mention in his speech to address the emerging situation in the wake of Congress stealing the show in Punjab. It is not only my wish but will be a political masterstroke.”

The proposal to declare April 14, birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality is resting with the MEA since June, 2015. We have been pursuing the matter since then. It is time to wake up and use the forthcoming address of PM Narendra Modi to the UNGA on September 25 and send a right and positive

Ambedkar Jayanti at UN at New York in April, 2016

signal to the millions and millions of supporters and followers of Babasaheb, one of the greatest sons of India. The Congress Party has already showed the way by appointing a dalit as the CM of Punjab. Narendra Modi's Government has already done many good things with regard to the empowerment of the marginalized sections of the society. A positive decision and pronouncement on the International Day of Equality would tend to provide good dividends in the emerging political scenario in the country. It will be just not possible to ignore Babasaheb Ambedkar anymore.

I venture to write this as a well wisher of the GOI and a nationalist to the core. My last letter on the subject to EAM Dr. S Jaishankar is attached for ready reference.

With regards,

(Ramesh Chander)     

Before I conclude, I take the liberty of underlining the fact that there could not be more appropriate time to make a demarche to the UN on the International day both to address the political imperatives in India and strengthen the hands of international community to march forward towards the goal of “Equitable world order’. Moreover, India’s ‘Soft Diplomacy’ will get yet another feather in hits turban.

 

Attachment of the Email sent to PMO

 

July 25, 2021

 

Dear Sir,

Ever since you have taken over as the EAM in May/June, 2019, I have been writing to you about the International Day of Equality, my last letter dated April 1, 2021 (copy enclosed for ready reference) refers. The proposal to declare April 14, birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality was first made in June, 2015 to your predecessor EAM Sushma Swaraj ever since the proposal is resting with the esteemed MEA.

I thought of reminding you on the subject in the run up to the forthcoming UNGA in September, 2021. You would appreciate, Sir, Babasaheb Ambedkar is increasingly getting international recognition. It is surprising that our own government, which has taken many initiatives to honour one ofthe greatest sons of India otherwise, is taking time to consider the proposal and take a decision to make an appropriate demarche to the UN in this regard. I may inform, which you may already be aware, that the State of British Columbia in Canada proclaimed to declare April 14 as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality in April, 2021. Some days ago in July, 2021 itself the Gray’s Inn in London has named and opened Ambedkar Room and unveiled his portrait to recognize Babasaheb. You may know that ‘Dr BR Ambedkar is the first person of the Indian origin and the very second jurist in the world to have a room dedicated to him at the Gray’s Inn. The Inn, previously had a room dedicated to Rose Heilbronn, England’s first woman queen counsel and judge’ as reported by the Tribune of July 22, 2021

I don’t feel any need to say much, Sir, as you very well know and understand how to go about and what to do to get declared April 14 as International day of Equality. There may not be more opportune time when India will occupy the HeadChair at the UNSC and UNGA -76 in September, 2021 will be presided over by Foreign Minister of our friend Maldives, Abdullah Shahid

I am confident that my submissions would find an urgent consideration and a favourable decision is taken to see that the proposal is sent and taken up at the UN appropriately. It would send a very positive political signal within the country and to the international community in under-pinning the ‘Soft Diplomacy of India’ to move towards establishing a just and equitable world order.

With personal regards,

Yours truly,

(Ramesh Chander)

Dr. S. Jaishankar,

Minister of External Affairs,

South Block, New Delhi

 

Copy to:

1.     Shri Narendra Modi, PM of India, PMO, South Block, New Delhi

2.     Dr. Varinder Kumar, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi

3.     Shri Ramdas Athawale, MOS, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi

4.     Shri Som Parkash, MOS, Ministry of Industry and Trade, New Delhi

5.     Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi, MOS, MEA, New Delhi

6.     Shri Vijay Sampla, Chairman, National SC Commission, New Delhi

7.     Shri Dushyant Gautam, MP, New Delhi

 

 

 

 

From Servitude to Freedom – A Book Review

 

From Servitude to Freedom – A Book Review

Some years ago, one of my friends, Ambassador Bal Anand forwarded a book in PDF format: From Servitude to Freedom - Autobiographical and Philosophical Reelections – authored by one of my remote acquaintances in Delhi in 1970s, Master Khushi Ram, then an Under Secretary in the UPSC. I heard about Master Khushi Ram from one of my mentors and relations, Mama Shiv Ram who

Master Khushi Ram

was his contemporary as US/DS in the Ministry of Agriculture. But I don’t recall any personal meeting with Khushi Ram ji then. Later on my return to my native place, Bootan Mandi in Jalandhar, after retirement from a long diplomatic career, I learnt that Master Khushi Ram, who had migrated to Canada, was the uncle (Tayaji) of my friends C.L. Chumber (Late) in Jalandhar and Prem Chumber, Chief Editor of the Ambedkar Times and the Desh Doaba being published from California in the USA. I had a cursory look at the book at the first instance and appreciated the effort of Master Khushi Ram ji for sharing his experiences, thoughts and reflections with wider audience in India and abroad. The provocation to pick up the threads came from my friend Ambassador Zile Singh in Canada, some weeks ago, who shared with me his piece on Master Khushi Ram on his hitting the century of his facinting life and happily still kicking fit. I forwarded that congratulatory prose to my friend Prem Chumber, nephew of Master Khushi Ram. The other day, Prem Chumber telephoned to say that he was planning to felicitate his Tayaji Master Khushi Ram on attaining 100 years by dedicating an issue of the Ambedkar Times as a mark of respect and regard to him and invited me to write something to celebrate the occasion befittingly. I thought of attempting a review of Master Khushi Ram’s autobiographical and philosophical reflections in the book “From Servitude to Freedom”. I hope it would be interest to many of us.

Writing in the introduction – Why this Autobiography?, the author is not shy about his humble origin and frankly says, “Whether from the point of view of material possessions or of intellectual attainments, of social prestige or of spiritual status, my case is one of ascent from powerlessness to empowerment, from ignorance to knowledge, from subservience to personal autonomy, both practically and philosophically. However, the progress has been more by chance than design. I am amazed at the "turning points" I had in my life “. The book has been, and rightly so, dedicated to his gracious wife Bhagwanti, a life partner through thick and thin. The book has been thoughtfully divided into two parts – i) Details of his childhood, education, career, social responsibilities and other aspects of life and ii) Philosophy of life. Khushi Ram ji frankly wrote that there were too many turning points in the journey of his life. These turning points make an interesting reading. For me it was all the more so as we belong to the same vicinity in Jalandhar and reading the names of villages like Sainabad, birth place of the author, Sarih Shankar, Kang Jagir, Thablke, Ram Nagar, Jandusingha and Bootan Mandi etc. gave me a feeling of closeness with the author. I had already written that Khushi Ram’s nephews happened to be my friends. Yet a couple of more bonds came to light – we are the proud alumni of DAV College Jalandhar and the author had been to my native place, Bootan Mandi.  But his experience was not pleasant. He writes, “In1960s, I attended the marriage of Ratan, son of my wife's sister. It was at Butamandi, a part of Jalandhar city. It is a center of wholesale leather business as well as of tanning industry. It was hot summer day and the bad smell arising out of tanning sites was so awful that I felt intensely suffocated. I walked to the main road with difficulty and hired a rickshaw to get away for fresh air. I came back only when the marriage ceremony was over. I know people make more money from tanning than from shoe making or weaving and also that one gets used to had smell after being a part of it for some time, yet I am not able to reconcile to such a style of life. What is their reward for doing this arduous job for the nation? Humiliation and poverty.” Obviously, these remarks are not very charitable, prime facie. Permit me to add that Bootan Mandi led the economic emancipation of dalits of Punjab. It has been the undeclared capital of the community for launching and spearheading the political and social empowerment of dalits. Babasaheb Ambedkar visited and stayed at Bootan Mandi in 1951. It would be surprising to know that most of the leather business which the dalits of Bootan Mandi and its surroundings were doing has been taken over by the so called upper castes. Perhaps they smell money.

Khushi Ram was a brilliant and hardworking student in spite of inherent problems of poverty and deprivation which we all, belonging to the weaker segments of the society, faced in our formative years.  One of the turning points in the life of the author was when his services as a teacher were terminated in flimsy grounds that he was instigating the poor hapless workers and generating animosity in the society. Like many of us, the author also faced caste discrimination both in schools and college and also during his long civil service..  Khushi Ram ji surmises on the position then and now and writes, “In Canada where I am now living, I see my two grandchildren growing up. The way they are treated at home and at school, the facilities they enjoy at school and at home just make me wonder how I survived in those difficult times. “

Khushi Ram ji’s career progression in the UPSC, Ministry of Commerce, Office of the Commissioner for SCs, deputation to UP for administrative and judicial positions and also his post retirement engagements with public sector Banks remained satisfactory and good. It was not a small fete in the face of numerous social and functional hurdles. After retirement, the author migrated to Canada along with his wife to take leave of the social discrimination back home. They have done well and are happy as it is evident from his own admission, “Three of us (I, my wife and my son, Harsh) migrated to Canada in December 1986, without any assets. Today we

100th Birthday celebrations of Master Khushi Ram

five (myself, my son, his wife and two children) have a two-story house with a bedroom for each of us, kitchen, living room and a garage, and still two one-bedroom suites for spare use. We have very comfortable life and still able to save for the future. “. It duly justifies the title of the book – From Servitude to Freedom. Khushi Ram is Khush (happy) at 100 and is totally contented as I feel. I wish him all the best in the years to come.

With a sense of gratitude, he wrote in his autobiography and rightly so, “But for Dr. Ambedkar, I would have died long back as a poor grass cutter. He made education within reach of people like me, got government jobs reserved for them.” Khushi Ram seems an ardent Ambedkarite who closely follows Babasaheb Ambedkar even in his spiritual or religious pursuits and writes, “What is the alternative? It is Buddhism as interpreted in secular terms from the basic teachings of Lord Buddha. It gives us an honorable identity already known nationally and internationally. I now feel that the teachings of Lord Buddha satisfy my head and heart. Now I am proud of my Buddhist heritage.” At the climax of his noble life, he is totally committed to do something good and says, “I have written down my Will wherein I have donated my body to the University of British Columbia for their use in the laboratory. I have also kept apart a large portion of my assets for charities and for help to my poor relatives.”

The second chapter of the book is an essay on philosophical thoughts of the author. Since these deep thoughts often go over my head, I would not venture to write more on this and simply quote from the book which conveys all, “I am neither a philosopher nor a practitioner of any new ideology. There are lots of books on philosophy of life by learned scholars. I am writing this essay for people of my background and stature. Different people will have different philosophy of life due to their temperament, their circumstances and their stock of knowledge, etc. So it is not necessary for the readers to agree with my philosophy of life.”

All said and done, I may conclude with some of my off the cuff observations. Khushi Ram ji made a cursory reference to his younger brother, Punjab Rai, in the book and did not tell how he fared in life. Chief Editor of the Ambedkr Times and the Desh Doaba, Prem Chumber son of Punjab Rai told me that their father was the first MA of the area and that too in Economics, if my memory does not fail me, like Khushi Ram himself who was the first Matriculate and first BA of their village. Panjab Rai was working as a Gazetted officer in Delhi and died comparatively young. Secondly, there are many typographic mistakes, which may be ignored as printer’s devil, in the book like Punjab Rai has been spelt at one place as ‘Anjab Rai”, Bootan Mandi as “Butamandi” among others.

I wish more and more senior people of the community follow suit and write about their lives for the benefit of the younger generation and take this opportunity to thank and wish Master Khushi Ram ji continued good health and further prosperity in the years to come.

Apna Muqadar Aap Banate Hain Ehle-dil;

Hum Who Nahin Jinhen Zamana Bana Gya.

As I Please – The Bits and Pieces

 

As I Please – The Bits and Pieces

Career and Business Consultant Ahsanul Haq –

With Ahsanul Haq

Last week, my old acquaintance with Ahsanul Haq Sahib was revived with a friendly visit of Haq Sahib to my humble abode. Earlier we both were living at Silver Residency Apartments and will often bump into each other in our morning routine. I knew a little bit about the academic and empowerment pursuits of Haq Sahib, an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University and a highly qualified professional who was living in Punjab for the last three decades, our interaction provided me many more details of his immense contribution to the development of a healthy society not only in Jalandhar but also beyond in India and abroad. He introduces himself in his Web Portal
as “Hello, I am Ahsanul Haq : Entrepreneur - Coach for Competitive Examinations – Soft Skill Trainer and states his philosophy as “Life is simple”.  Ahsanul Haq Sahib, a widely travelled professional, is certainly an ‘Achiever’ by his own right. Like a good friend, Haq Sahib proposed to join hands to do something positive and worthwhile for the younger generation, particularly the weaker sections of the society, with regard to the career options and

opportunities as a gesture to pay back to the society. I humbly agreed to go with Haq Sahib. He quickly arranged our maiden activity in this regard – an online session on the theme “Career in the Indian Foreign Service” on September 18, 2021. I, as one of the IFS fraternity, would try my best to inform, motivate and guide the young aspirants to join the IFS, one of the elite career options. Let us see how it turns out to be.

Print and TV Media Journalist Ashok Das –

On my initiative,  Journalist Ashok Das of Dalit Dastak TV and a monthly magazine by the same name came and met me at my residence on September 10 instant. These days, Ashok Das was visiting Punjab with regard to the forthcoming elections and role and status of dalit communities with more 35% share in demography of Punjab and had already
interviewed and presented the Gaddinasheen Sant Niranjan Dass ji of Dera Sachkhand Ballan of Jalandhar, a staunch Ambedkarite and Editor of the Bheem Patrika, Lahori Ram Balley, Business tycoon Tilak Khinder among others in the process. Ashok Das came straight to me from Jalandhar railway station after a five hour journey from Delhi in the Amritsar Stabadi Express. During my interaction with Ashok Das over a frugal working luncheon and our extended sitting, I found Ashok Das a fully motivated and a through professional. He made a short report on my career in the IFS and my impressions and reflections on

With Ashok Das

working and interacting with the ‘who’s who’ of the galaxy of our leadership like; President K.R. Narayanan, President Giani Zail Singh, Vice President Hamid Ansari, PM Indira Gandhi, PM Morarji Desai,  PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, PM Indar Gujral, EAM Jaswant Singh, Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister Ananth Kumar and watching Babu Jagjivan Ram, Y.B. Chavan, Sardar Swaran Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, P.N. Haksar  among others not from any position of authority and responsibility but as a small cog in the big wheel as a junior functionary who happened to had access to the corridors of power in the process of my work. On my suggestion, Ashok Das made a small clip on the proposal to declare April 14, birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar as International Day of Equality under the aegis of the UN with a view to seek a wide spread support to the proposal which is resting with the Government of India since June, 2015. On interest and request of Ashok Das to meet more people who were engaged in the community matters, I requested Former MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Avinash Chander grandson of Seth Kishan Dass, an associate of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Sant Satwinder Hira of Khuralgarh Sahib and All India Ad-dharam Mission, Community activist and a protege of Manyawar Kanshi,  Prem Shant, Principal Sarbjit Singh of the newly opened Babasaheb Ambedkar College in Bootan Mandi who kindly agreed to meet Ashok Das with a view to underline the historical and current perspective of the matters pertaining to the community. Ashok Das interviewed Prem Shant and his wife Hardev Kaur and made a video of their residence and the designated room where Kanshi Ram ji used to often stay as a family friend of Prem Shant. Later in the evening, Ashok Das left to catch up with his already fixed engagement with the Bodhisatav Ambedkar School at Phoolpur-Dhanal, a village in the vicinity of Jalandhar city. Let me conclude this piece by registering a wish and idea of Ashok Das. He would be happy to join hands with the community entrepreneurs and investors who might like to help the community by investing in the print and electronic media, the field yet to open and contribute to the empowerment of dalit communities as wished by Babasaheb Ambedkar and Manyawar Kanshi Ram. Let us hope Ashok Das gets a desired response, sooner than later.    

Greetings on Teachers Day – September 5

 

Greetings on Teachers Day – September 5

In India, we observe and celebrate Teachers Day on September 5, the birth anniversary of President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a great teacher and philosopher of his times. I wrote a couple of times before also on Teachers Day in my blogs. But somehow I feel like revisiting the subject and greet my friends, teachers, my school and college mates on this great day with a view to pay the debt of gratitude to my

teachers and mentors not only in the course of my formal educational years but throughout my life otherwise too. Somehow, I also feel that it is good to be a student always as learning is an ongoing and continuing process. Guru, the teacher, not only teaches you the academic curricula but also prepares you to enter life fully ready to meet the challenges on the way as Dr. S. Radhakrishnan himself said, “The true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves.”

With Dr. K.C. Mohendru and Prof. K.K. Ghai

With regard to my own experience, I vividly recall my school teachers – Shiela Behnji in the primary, Lala Dwarka Dass and Khullar Sahib in the high school and Mohendru Sahib and Ghai Sahib in the college to mention some among others. I think my
teachers made me what I am today. President Barack Obama rightly said, “If you were successful somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life.”

I am an alumnus of DAV College Jalandhar. It is a matter of great satisfaction, on my return to Jalandhar after my retirement of a long service as an Indian diplomat; I could pick up the threads and revive my association and connection with my alma mater and my Gurus namely Prof. K.K. Ghai and Dr. K.C. Mohendru and others. I write this with a great sense of gratitude that DAV College

Speaking at DAV College Jalandhar

invited and honoured me at various occasions in recent years. I recall the words of one of the greatest sons of India, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. While speaking at my alma mater in Jalandhar  on October 28, 1951, he said, “I am very fond of the teaching profession. I am also very fond of students. I have dealt with them. I have lectured them in my life. This is the first opportunity I have got to address students since my resignation from the Cabinet. I am very glad to talk to students. A great deal of the future of this country must necessarily depend on the students of this country. Students are an intelligent part of the community and they can shape public opinion. I, therefore, take special pleasure in addressing you the members of the Parliament and I am really thankful for the opportunity given me.” From this one can understand the importance and significance of Teachers Day which we are celebrating today, September 5.

It is, again, a matter of gratification to note that I can boast of as a fortunate man to meet and make friends with a number of great teachers and academicians in and around Jalandhar in the process of living a retired life namely; Principal Jagdish Joshi, Prof. K.K. Ghai, Prof. Balbir Chander, Prof. Savita Tiwari, Principal Sarita Verma, Prof. Ahsanual Haq, Principal Parminder Singh, Principal Kulwant

With Principal J.C. Joshi and Prof. Balbir Chander

Sngh Phull, Principal Vinay Sharma, Principal Navjot Kaur, Principal Sarbjit Singh, Prof. Dinesh Arora, Prof. Varun Nayyar, inter alia, both serving and retired. I learn a great deal from these big names in the intelligentsia in and around Jalandhar. They are great teachers by their own right.

Greetings on the Teachers Day. I would love to remain a student throughout as Urdu poet Jagannath Azad has rightly said:-

इब्तिदा ये थी कि मैं था और दा'वा इल्म का

इंतिहा ये है कि इस दा'वे पे शरमाया बहुत

 

 

 

           

 

 

Ambedkar College at Bootan Mandi Jalandhar

 

Ambedkar College at Bootan Mandi Jalandhar

                     It is a matter of great satisfaction that the proposal of having a college in Bootan Mandi Jalandhar, the deemed capital of the dalits in Punjab particularly the Doaba region, has fructified. Government of Punjab under the stewardship of Captain Amrinder Singh finally got another feather in its cap by establishing – Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar Government Co-education College at Bootan Mandi to honour of the greatest son of India who visited Bootan Mandi in 1951 and rightly so. The College has started functioning from the current educational year i.e. 2021-22. I spoke to the first Principal of the College, Sarbjit Singh, an educationist and administrator and congratulated him on his elevation from the Government College Kapurthala. I found him

Ramesh Chander with the Principal

an enthusiastic person to head the new institution at an historic place. Let us hope Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar College becomes a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in the area and fully justify its existence not only as a tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar but also in meeting the educational needs of the weaker sections of the society.

As I said that there was a long standing idea of having a college in the area. Many people contributed to realize this dream in their own way. In the recent years a non-script outfit called Sarb Samaj Sangharsh Committee agitated for the project and convinced the local MLA Sushil Rinku a young and energetic politician and others at the helm of affairs to cajole the Punjab Government to deliver in this regard. Some of the social activists of Bootan Mandi namely; Varun Kler,

Varun Kler

Jagdish Disha, Paramjit Mahey among other,

Paramjit Mahey

worked hard in pursuing the matter with the
authorities. I have been writing, as a playback singer, about the project off and on in my blogs. The end result is available on ground – Dera Ayet Daroost Ayet. Congratulations to all the stake holders and thanks to the Government of Punjab and also all the best wishes to Principal Sarbjit Singh and the teaching faculty of Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar Government Co-education College. I am confident the young students would benefit from the college immensely and fully justify the need of the residents and right decisions of the government. It is a University Graduate level college for courses in humanities, to begin with.

I am told that there is some dispute or new proposal to give the adjacent plot of land earmarked for a vegetable market to the college for play ground and other extracurricular activities. The proposal seems to be good. The play grounds will not only encourage the students and residents of the area to avail of sports facilities but also provide a green-lung to the congested residential localities in the vicinity. More to have a vegetable market in the neighborhood of the college goes against the esthetics and serene atmosphere needed by the temple of learning. I humbly urge the Administration to consider the proposal to allot the adjacent plot of land to the college favourably for the benefit of the community at large.

It goes without saying that the socio-economic and political empowerment of the weaker sections of the society was the primary agenda of Babasaheb Ambedkar in whose memory the college has been named. It becomes our joint duty to see that Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar College becomes a centre of excellent education without which no empowerment is possible.

Postscript:-         

I visited Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar College on September 2 and met Principal Sarabjit Singh and members of the teaching faculty. They welcomed me and were happy that I could come on my own initiative to wish them well. While thanking them I added that, obviously, I felt happy to see that the dream of the community around was realized to the benefit of the residents of the region. We discussed some of the teething problems and irritants with regard to

the civil works while fully appreciating the efforts being done by all the concerned like MLA Sushil Rinku, PWD authorities, Financial authorities, Contractors among others. Since the academic session has started and admissions are on, students and their parents were visiting the college hope and enthusiasm.  The desired facelift of the venue and building was of utmost importance that is the main entry gate and approach road, boundary wall, porch, reception area etc. need immediate attention and completion. Principal Sarbjit Singh and the teaching faculty were hopeful that the concerned authorities would not let them down and the birth pangs would subdue in the days to come. The college would start functioning to the satisfaction of all. I would like to take this opportunity to urge the concerned to kindly look into these matters and address then appropriately. The time is of essence.