In Memory of Shankar Dayal Singh: A Lecture on “Hamari Jarurate Aur Chahte” Organized at the NDMC Convention Centre on December 27th 2024

The
Lieutenant
Governor
of
Jammu
and
Kashmir,
Shri
Manoj
Sinha,
described
the
renowned
writer
and
Member
of
Parliament,
the
late
Shri
Shankar
Dayal
Singh,
as
a
“saintly
author”
and
praised
his
total
dedication
to
truth.
He
said
that
Singh
never
allowed
relationships
to
stand
in
the
way
of
truth
in
his
writing.
He
was
unwavering
in
his
commitment
to
truth,
and
his
words
and
works
left
an
indelible
mark
on
Indian
politics
and
society.

L
to
R: Rashmi
Singh
(IAS),
Sanjay
Singh
Former
MP,
Kiran
Chopra

Shankar
Dayal
Singh
served
as
a
Member
of
Parliament
from
1971
to
1977,
and
during
his
tenure,
he
witnessed
the
Emergency
period
in
India.
His
book
“Emergency:
Kya
Sach,
Kya
Jhoot”
is
a
reflection
of
the
political
events
of
that
time
and
his
personal
experiences.
In
the
introduction
to
the
book,

Singh
expressed
his
inner
voice,
writing,
“My
frankness
may
cause
some
controversy,
and
my
friends
may
also
face
difficulties.
But
what
can
I
do?
The
pain
of
truth
that
lies
hidden
beneath
the
political
skin
of
my
soul
constantly
pricks
me.”
This
courage
to
speak
the
truth
is
something
only
a
saintly
writer
could
do
as
observed
by
the
Chief
Guest,
Sh.
Manoj
Sinha
ji.

L
to
R:
LG
Manoj
Sinha,
Swami
Chidanand
Saraswat

During
the
event,

Swami
Chidanand
Saraswati
of
Parmarth
Niketan,
Haridwar,
reminisced
about
his
association
with
Shankar
Dayal
Singh.
He
shared
that
he
was
introduced
to
Singh
by
the
eminent
jurist
Dr.
Laxmimall
Singvi
when
Dr.
Singvi
was
the
Indian
Ambassador
to
the
United
Kingdom.
It
was
at
Dr.
Singvi’s
encouragement
that
work
on
the
Hindu
World
Encyclopedia
began,
and
Shankar
Dayal
Singh
was
an
integral
part
of
the
team
formed
for
this
project.
Swami
Ji
further
stated
that
Singh’s
creative
contribution
to
this
encyclopedia
was
significant.
Reflecting
on
Singh’s
sudden
passing,
Swami
Ji
added
that,
like
a
traveler,
Singh
had
embarked
on
his
final
journey
as
if
guided
by
divine
will.

 L
to
R:
Ranjan
kumar
singh,
(son
of
Dr
Shankar
Dayal
Singh),
Swami
Chidanand
Saraswat,
LG
Manoj
Sinha,
Rashmi
Singh
IAS
(daughter
of
Dr
Shankar
Dayal
Singh)
Girija
Devi
former
MP

At
the
beginning
of
the
program
two
minutes
of
silence
was
observed
as
a
tribute
to

Former
Prime
Minister
of
India
Sh.
Manmohan
Singh
Ji.

The
Main
Theme
of
the
Lecture
This
year’s
“Shankar
Dayal
Singh
Memorial
Lecture
2024”
focused
on
the
theme
“Hamari
Jarurate
aur
Chahte”.
As
the
keynote
speaker,
Pujya
Swami
Chidanand
Saraswati
explained
that
life
is
not
about
accumulation
but
about
relationships.
He
stressed
that
if
we
begin
to
focus
on
accumulation,
we
fall
prey
to
our
desires.
Only
by
living
through
relationships
can
we
truly
understand
and
recognize
our
needs.
Lieutenant
Governor
Shri
Manoj
Sinha
also
emphasized
that
accumulation
is
a
kin
to
a
disease,
and
people
in
Western
countries
are
now
seeking
ways
to
break
free
from
it.
He
pointed
out
that
the
advertising
industry
presents
our
desires
as
needs,
trapping
us
in
this
cycle.

At
the
start
of
the
event,
Ranjan
Kumar
Singh
son
of
Sh.
Shankar
Dayal
Singh
who
is
an
author
&
a
film
maker
welcomed
the
guests,
noting
that
despite
the
rain,
the
large
turnout
was
a
testament
to
people’s
commitment
to
the
event
and
its
core
values.
Dr.
Rashmi
Singh,
daughter
of
Sh.
Shankar
Dayal
Singh
who
is
an
IAS
Officer
and
currently
posted
as
a
Commissioner/Secretary
&
Principal
Resident
Commissioner,
Jammu
&
Kashmir
Government
delivered
the
vote
of
thanks.
She
ended
her
heartfelt
appreciation
for
the
guests
with
a
quote
from
her
father’s
book.

The
event
was
moderated
in
a
very
graceful
manner
by
Dr.
Vartika
Nanda,
Head,
Dept.
of
Journalism,
Lady
Shree
Ram
College. 

Distinguished
gathering 
Amongst
some
the
Prominent
Attendees
a
wide
cross
section
of
society
were
represented
covering
academicians,
VCs,
Scholars,
researchers,
Artist,
Media,
other
influencers
etc.
To
name
a
few-

• Politicians-
  Mr.
  Sanjay
  Paswan
  (Former
  Minister
  of
  State,
  GOI
  &
  currently
  MLC
  in
  Bihar),
  Sh.
  Akhilesh
  Prasad
  Singh
  (Member
  of
  Parliament),
  Sh.
  Virendra
  Singh
  (Former
  MP
  from
  Bihar),
  Mrs.
  Girja
  devi
  (former
  member
  of
  parliament),
  Dr.
  Sanjay
  Singh
  (Former
  Member
  of
  Parliament),
  Sh.
  Santosh
  Bhartiya
  (Former
  Member
  of
  Parliament).

• Senior
  Bureaucrats:
  Smt.
  Usha
  Sharma,
  (Former
  Chief
  Secretary
  Rajsthan),
  Sh.
  SS
  Sirohi
  (former
  Secretary
  GOI),
  Mr.
  Deepak
  Sehgal
  (Former
  CS
  Uttar
  Pradesh)
  Dr.
  P.
  K.
  Singh
  (Agriculture
  Commissioner
  in
  GOI),
  Sh.
  Navneet
  Sahgal
  (Chairman
  of
  Prasar
  Bharti), and
  other
  senior
  officers
  like
  B.
  N.
  Sharma
  (Rajasthan
  Cadre),
  Aradhana
  Shukla)
  and
  Pradeep
  Shukla
  (UP
  Cadre).

• Academician
  and
  Writers
  like
  Dr.
  Dinesh
  Singh
  (Former
  Vice
  Chancellor
  of
  Delhi
  University),
  Dr.
  Manisha
  Priyam
  (Scholar
  and
  Political
  analyst),
  Dr.
  Bipin
  Kumar
  (Vishva
  Hindi
  Parishad),
  Dr.
  Aditi
  Narayani
  Paswan
  (Prof.
  DU),
  Mr.
  Gajendra
  Solanki
  (Poet),
  Mr.
  Prabhat
  Kumar
  (Prabhat
  Prakashan),
  Mrs.
  Puja
  Chauhan
  &
  Mrs.
  Divya
  Chauhan
  (Amity
  University),
  Prof.
  Dhanajay
  Joshi
  (V.C.
  Delhi
  Teachers
  University),
  Dean
  of
  Gautam
  Buddha
  University,
  besides
  other
  senior,
  scholars
  &
  researchers.

• Social
  Activists
  like
  Ms.
  Namita
  Gautam
  (Chairman
  of
  Sleepwell
  Foundation),
  Mrs.
  Rekha
  Mody
  (Founder
  of
  Stree
  Shakti), Mr.
  Kumar
  Dilip
  (President
  of
  Sulabh
  International
  Social
  Service
  Organization),
  Secretary
  General
  Bahai
  Sh.
  Merchant,
  Mr.
  Ravindra
  Pandita
  (Save
  Sharda
  Committee,
  J&K),
  Mr.
  Abhay
  Sinha
  (JP
  Memorial),
  Mr.
  Avinash
  Tiku
  (Regional
  Coordinator
  of
  Art
  of
  Living),
  Sadhvi
  Deepika
  Bharti
  (Divya
  Jyoti
  Jagriti
  Sansthan).

• Media
  and
  other
  Influencers
  like
  Mrs.
  Kiran
  Chopra
  (Punjab
  Keshari),
  Ms.
  Farzana
  Mumtaz
  (Kashmir
  News),
  1st
  Mrs.
  India
  from
  Jammu
  and
  Kashmir
  Meenu
  Mahajan,
  Avantika
  Midha
  (Council
  of
  Royal
  Rootes))
  and
  many
  other
  prominent
  Media
  Personalities,
  artists
  and
  senior
  representatives
  from
  industry
  and
  trade
  bodies
  like
  PhD
  Chambers,
  FICCI.

Remembering
Shankar
Dayal
Singh
Shankar
Dayal
Singh
passed
away
on
November
26,
1995,
and
since
then,
this
lecture
series
has
been
organized
consistently
every
year
on
his
birthday
(December
27).
This
year,
the
event
once
again
drew
a
large
crowd.

In
past
events,
prominent
figures
from
the
world
of
literature,
politics,
and
education
have
graced
the
platform
as
keynote
speakers
and
Guests
of
Honor
including
dignitaries
like,
the
then
Vice
Presidents
Shri
Krishan
Kant
and
Shri
Bhairon
Singh
Shekhawat,
former
Prime
Ministers
and
Shri
Chandra
Shekhar
and
Shri
Indra
Kumar
Gujral,
Philosopher
and
scholars like
Dr.
Karan
Singh,
Dr.
Laxmimal
Singvi,
Shri
Vinay Sahastrabuddhe
and
Other
distinguished
speakers
included
the
then
Lok
Sabha
Speaker
Shri
Shivraj
Patil,
Smt.
Meira
Kumar,
Vice
Chairperson
of
Rajya
Sabha,
Dr.
Najma
Heptulla,
former
Union
Ministers
Shri
Yashwant
Sinha,
Shri
Bhishma
Narayan
Singh,
Sh
Yashwant
Sinha,
Shri
Shatrughan
Sinha,
Shri
Ram
Vilas
Paswan,
Shri
Satyanarayan
Jatiya,
Shri
C.P.
Thakur,
General
V.K.
Singh,
Shri
Janeshwar
Mishra,
Shri
Rajiv
Pratap
Rudy,
Former
Chief
Minister
Smt.
Sheila
Dikshit,
Sh.
Manish
Sisodia
as
Education
Minister
of
Delhi
as
well
as
Scholars, Writers
and
social
activists
like
Dr.
Namwar
Singh,
Shri
Ved
Prakash
Vaidik,
Shri
Ram
Bahadur
Rai,
Dr.
Kedar
Nath
Singh,
Shri
Himanshu
Joshi,
Shri
Bindeshwar
Pathak.
The
Shankar
Sanskriti
Pratishthan
event
has
also
been
held
at
the
Rashtrapati
Bhavan
under
the
presence
of
her
Excellency,
President
Smt.
Pratibha
Patil.
Last
year,
the
Governor
of
Kerala,
Honorable
Arif
Mohammad
Khan,
delivered
a
scholarly
speech
on
the
topic
of
“Sarvadharma
Sambhav
and
Our
Constitution.”
In
2018,
Shri
Rajnath
Singh,
the
then
Home
Minister,
was
the
chief
guest
at
this
event.

On
the
occasion
of 27th
December
2024
this
year,
Shankar
Dayal
Singh’s
literary
and
political
contributions
were
discussed
with
admiration,
reminding
everyone
of
his
significant
role
as
a
bridge
between
literature
and
politics.
Tributes
were
paid
not
only
for
his
works
and
his
dedication
to Gandhian
ideals
but
also
for
his
vital
services
for
promoting Hindi
and
other
regional
languages
in
his
individual
capacity
and
in
capacity
–
as
Vice-Chairman
of
the
Parliamentary
Official
Language
Committee.

His
contributions
to
cultural,
social,
and
educational
institutions
leaving
a
lasting
impact
were
recognized.

As
a
pioneer
for
promoting
girls’
education
in
Bihar
leader,
his
unwavering
dedication
to
promoting
girls’
education
in
Bihar
led
to
the
successful
seting
up
of
several
institutions
from
their
foundation
stage.
Such
as
he
served
as chairman
from
foundational
stage
at
the
Girls
Residential
School
in
Lakhisarai.
Some
notable
institutions
that
benefited
from
his
vision
and
leadership
include:

• 
  
  Madhusthali
  Residential
  Schools
  in
  Madhupur,
  which
  has
  become
  a
  model
  for
  residential
  education.

• 
  
  Balika
  Vidyapeeth
  in
  Deoghar,
  a
  premier
  institution
  dedicated
  to
  empowering
  girls
  through
  education.

Through
his
tireless
efforts,
Dr.
Shankar
Dayal
Singh
has
left
a
lasting
impact
on
the
educational
landscape
of
Bihar,
inspiring
countless
youth
to
pursue
their
dreams
and
aspirations.
His
legacy
continues
to
inspire
future
generations,
by
specially
with
his
motivational
writings
and
speeches.

His
deep
faith
in
religion
and
philosophy
was
evident
throughout
his
life.
He
organized
the
Viraat
Hindu
Sammelan
at
Patna’s
Gandhi
Maidan,
bringing
together
people
from
across
the
country
in
the
spirit
of
unity
with
a
motto
of
serving
for
humanity.