Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 11: Following the footsteps of Maharaja Hari Singh who, way back in 1929, had declared that all temples in Jammu and Kashmir were open for Harijans/Dalits, Dr Karan Singh has, for the first time, appointed an eminent Dalit and former Chief Secretary of the State, B R Kundal as President of the Dharmarth Trust Council.
According to the handout issued by G D Sharma, Joint Secretary, Dharmarth Trust Council, Mr Kundal, who retired as Chief Secretary of J&K in 2008 after a distinguished career in the 1AS, has been appointed for the current year in place of Maj Gen (Retd) R S Jamwal, who sought to be relieved of his duties which he fulfilled meritoriously for four years.
The Dharmarth Trust which manages over a hundred temples and shrines in J&K and one each in Himachal Pradesh and Haridwar was created by Maharaja Gulab Singh in the mid 19th century along with the foundation of the J&K State.
It manages such historic temples as the Sri Raghunath Temple complex and Sri Ranbireshwar temple in Jammu and the Sri Shankaracharva Mata Khir Bhawani temples in Kashmir.
Dr Karan Singh is the Chairman Trustee while Vikramaditya Singh and Ajatshatru Singh are the Trustees. The five member Dharrnarth Council consists of eminent citizens drawn from various walks of life.
Follow our WhatsApp channel