Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 2: J&K BJP Vice-President and former Minister Sham Lal Sharma today stressed the need to promote moral values and age old rich ethos of Indian culture to further strengthen the bonds of mutual brotherhood and peace.
While inaugurating free book distribution fair in connection with birth centenary year celebration of Dr Pandit Uttam Chand Pathak Shastri, at S D Memorial School, Bhalwal, here today, Sham Lal Sharma said that the younger generation was heading towards westernization and forgetting its roots, which would prove disastrous for the society.
“It is the duty of parents, teachers and social organizations to give right direction to the younger generation enabling them to preserve their heritage and rich traditions,” he said and called upon all the communities to make collective efforts to bring social reforms, which are mandatory for the development of mankind.
Sham Lal Sharma also lauded Chudamani Sanskrit Sansthan Trust for working especially to promote moral values and Sanskrit language across J&K. He also appreciated Mahant Rohit Shastri and Rakesh Gandotra for promoting Sanskrit.
25000 syllabus books were distributed free of cost among needy by Srikailakh Jyotish and Vedic Sansthan Trust and SD Memorial Education Trust by organizing camps at S D Memorial School, Bhalwal.
On the occasion, Dr Udham Sharma, SDM Jammu North was the special guest. He said that knowledge of Indian culture and tradition is incomplete without Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the mother of all Indian languages and to enrich the language of thinking, we have to follow the path shown by Late Dr Uttam Chand Pathak, he stressed.
Prof Madan Mohan Jha, Director, Central Sanskrit University, Jammu said that the free distribution of the books was being done on the Indian new year and it was a very commendable work due to which the poor families living in the society are greatly benefitted.
Mahant Rohit Shastri, head of Srikailakh Jyotish and Vedic Sansthan Trust and Rakesh Gandotra also spoke on the occasion.
Swami Yagyadhara Anand, Sarpanch Rajdev Singh, Uttam Sharma, Pawan Khajuria, Yash Seth, Seetal Gandotra, Satpal Sharma, Dr Suman Pant, Pandit Chuni Lal, Deepak Sharma, Babu Bhagat, Jeet Raj, Ashish Panch, Ajay Sharma, Kuldeep Raj, Raman Sharma, Sanjeev Sharma Panch, Master Kuldeep Raj, Inder Raina and Gardhardi Lal were also present on the occasion.