Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 7: In a specially convened meeting of Dogri Sanstha Jammu, glowing tribute were paid to Padma Sachdev, an icon of Dogri, who passed away on August 4.
Senior Dogri writers and members of working committee of Dogri Sanstha Jammu attended the meeting and expressed their deep sense of loss and sorrow on the passing away of Padma Sachdev.
The members remembered Padma’s close and long association with Dogri Sanstha and her unique contribution in popularizing Dogri. They also shared fond memories of their personal association with her.
Prof Lalit Magotra, President of Dogri Sanstha, stated that Padma Sachdev was a trendsetter and pathbreaker who set new benchmarks in almost all genres of Dogri; like poetry, fiction and Prose.
“She made a singular contribution in popularizing Dogri outside the Dogri circles in India as well as abroad. She was instrumental in getting some songs of Dogri sung by Lata Mangeshkar, which gave an unprecedented boost to the Dogri language and made it popular throughout the country. Her single minded efforts to promote Dogri with devotion and dedication were so strong and phenomenal that her name became synonymous with Dogri,” he said.
Prof Veena Gupta. Vice president of Dogri Sanstha, narrated that Padma’s contribution inspiring the women writers to write in their mother tongue, was unique. The members in the meeting shared that Padma always encouraged new talent and new writers.
Her contribution in getting Dogri language included in the 8th schedule of Indian Constitution was also remembered by many members. It was a meeting in the month of September 2001 with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister of India, which was organised and arranged by Padma Sachdev, which paved the way for inclusion of Dogri in the 8th schedule of Indian constitution, they recalled.
Others, who spoke on this occasion, included Madan Padha, Dr Ashok Khajuria Dr Bansi Lal Sharma, Brij Mohan, Sunil Sharma, Sushil Begana , Vijya Thakur, H C Jalmeria, Abdul Qadir Kundria, Pawan Verma and others. The meeting terminated with observation of two minutes silence for the peace of departed soul.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
