Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 23: The 128th birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh was celebrated today with great enthusiasm across Jammu region with various political and social groups holding public events to pay rich tributes to the last Dogra ruler of the erstwhile princely State Jammu and Kashmir.
Thousands of activists of Yuva Rajput Sabha and volunteers, attired in their traditional dress with some carrying swords, took out a huge motor rally from Bantalab to Tawi bridge, covering a distance of over 10 km and garlanded the Maharaja’s statue amid chants of “Maharaja Hari Singh Ji Amar Rahe” and “Jai Duggar Jai Dogra”.
Click here to watch video
Because of poor management by the Traffic Police in the wake of celebrations near ever busy Tawi bridge and rallies, a chaos like situation was seen in the entire Jammu city and vehicles remained stuck in jams for hours together.
Besides social organisations, the leaders and workers of different political parties, including the BJP, Congress and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) visited the venue separately and paid floral tributes to the Maharaja. They also organised cake-cutting ceremonies amid drum beats.
Speaking at a homage paying function in Reasi, senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana said that the best tribute to the benevolent last rule of Jammu and Kashmir would be to promote rich Dogra art, culture, heritage and language.
Ex MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia, DDC Chairman Saraf Singh Nag, DDC Nirmala Devi, Kuldeep Dubey and others were present on the occasion.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha paid his tributes to the Maharaja and expressed hope that his legacy continue to guide people towards a brighter future.
“Humble tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji on his Janm-Jayanti. He was a towering man of ideas & ideals, a harbinger of change, who dedicated his life to welfare of people & made remarkable reforms to uplift society. May his legacy continue to guide us towards a brighter future,” Office of LG J&K wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Yuva Rajput Sabha rally was organized under the leadership of Vikram Singh Vicky, president YRS, accompanied by Ex presidents Rajan Singh Happy and Surinder Singh Gilli.
The maharaja’s birth anniversary was also celebrated in several other districts, including Samba, Kathua and Udhampur.
BJP organized a series of programmes to celebrate the occasion. Ravinder Raina, J&K BJP President along with MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, Priya Sethi, Yudhvir Sethi, Parmod Kapahi, Rekha Mahajan and others paid tribute to the Maharaja at his statue near Tawi Bridge
Former Dy Chief Ministers Dr Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta, former Ministers Sat Sharma, Dr Devinder Manyal, Ex MLAs/MLCs Ashwani Sharma, Choudhary Vikram Randhawa & Girdhari Lal Raina, BJYM President Arun Dev Singh and others paid tributes to the Maharaja at BJP headquarter, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu.
JKPCC president Vikar Rasool Wani, accompanied by Raman Bhalla and other party leaders, also paid rich tributes to the Maharaja at Tawi bridge and recalled his contributions to the region as a ruler. He lamented that that the Maharaja’s State was downgraded by ruling BJP into a Union Territory.
Senior Congress leaders Th Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Ravinder Sharma, Th Manmohan Singh, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Th Hari Singh Chib, Bhupinder Singh Jamwal, TS Tony, Shashi Sharma, Narinder Gupta, Neeraj Gupta, Dwarka Choudhary and others were among those who paid tributes to the Maharaja.
Democratic Progressive Azad Party celebrated the day by cutting cake at the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh. Led by R S Chib, Jugal Kishore and others, the DPAP leaders recalled the outstanding contribution of the Maharaja for coming generations of J&K.
ABVP, Central University of Jammu unit, organized a vibrant cultural program on the occasion. CUJ Vice Chancellor Professor Sanjeev Jain, Registrar Professor Yashwant Singh, Dr Permendra Singh, Member, National Executive Council, ABVP, Dr Ritu Bakshi, Dean Students’ Welfare and representatives from various departments were present in the function.
The Dogra Group of Colleges, in collaboration with Dogra Sadar Sabha, celebrated the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh with grandeur. On this occasion, Major General (Retd) G S Jamwal was the chief guest and key resource person. Dr Samar Dev Singh Charak, Principal Dr Avdhesh Partap, Bela Thakur ( Principal DDC), Dr Vikesh Kumar Sharma (Principal DCE) were also present on the occasion.
The Maharaja’s birth anniversary was celebrated by DPS Nagbani in collaboration with DPS Katra with a great reverence and enthusiasm in an impressive way. The programme began with the garlanding of the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh by Ranvijay Singh. Harshita Singh, Administration Coordinator, DPS Nagbani; Madhu Sharma, Dy Headmistress-DPS Katra and Pooja Sharma presented speeches.
In a tribute paying function at Gurha Slathian in Samba former Minister Surjeet Singh Slathia said that the Mahajraja’s legacy continues to inspire generations of the region.
On the Maharaja’s birth anniversary, Nat Manch organized a free medical/registered and generated ABHA health card camp at Ward number 29 of Jammu. The camp was inaugurated by Dr Tarun Sharma , who urged the intelligentsia to conduct more research on Maharaja’s life and contributions.
Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh Brigade celebrated the birth anniversary by paying glowing tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh. The celebration function was attended by president Rajay Jamwal, working president Anil Singh Rakwal, Diwakar Singh, Atul Sharma, Ahish Kapoor, Aman Gupta and others.
All Jammu Based Reserved Category Employees Association Kashmir (AJBRCEAK) celebrates birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh with great enthusiasm. AJKBRCEAK Chairman Vipen Kumar said that Maharaja Hari Singh’s reign was characterized by a commitment to progressive reforms that uplifted society and advanced the region.
Shiv Sena (UBT), J&K unit, paid tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh and celebrated his birth anniversary at the party’s regional office in Jammu. President Manish Sahni, along with other party leaders highlighted the contribution of Maharaja Hari Singh in initiating social reforms in J&K.
Mission Statehood, led by its president Sunil Dimple, celebrated the occasion by paying floral tributes to the Maharaja and taking a pledge to continue struggle for restoration of J&K’s Statehood.
Senior Citizens’ Club Udhampur also organized a program wherein floral tributes were paid to the Maharaja. Speaking on the occasion, the President of the club applauded the contributions of Maharaja Hari Singh not only as a ruler but as a great educationist, progressive thinker and as a social reformer.
People of Chammb constituency, Khour, also celebrated the Maharaja’s 128th birth anniversary under the leadership of Narinder Singh. They paid tributes to the Maharaja and renamed the park, where the function was organized, as Maharaja Hari Singh Park.
In Kathua, a celebration rally was taken out from Mukherjee Chowk to Chaheed Bhagat Singh Park where a tribute paying ceremony was held. SSP Kathua Shivdeep Singh was chief guest on the occasion. The rally was organized by Dogra Ekta Kathua Manch, under the leadership of Ravinder Slathia, Babloo Jasrotia, Madhu Sharma and others.
The Pathseekers International School organised a special session on the 128th birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, and paid heartfelt tributes to the last Dogra ruler of J&K. Various activities were conducted and Head of the Institute, Manpreet Kaur spoke on the occasion.
In Ramnagar, celebration of birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh was organized jointly by Progressive Youth Forum, Ramnagar Tourism Development Society, Civil Society Ramnagar, Senior Citizens Club and Shri Narsinghdev ji Mandir Cimmittee Ramnagar in Govt Girls High School Ramnagar. Scores of youth and elderly persons participated the program.
Birth Anniversary of last Dogra rural Maharaja hari Singh was celebrated with enthusiasm by Social Reforms & Charitabla Organisation in the premises of Ashiana Orphanage Kishtwar where the special children (Ashiana inmates) paid rich tributes to the “great social reformer” of his time. He was a towering man of ideas and ideals, a harbinger of change, who decicated his life to welfare of people and made remarkable reforms to uplifts of people of Jammu & Kashmir State.
The event was joined by several other oganisations and social workers irrespective to their political affiliations. The event was witnessed by large gatherings.
The others who spoke on this occasion include Sanjeev Parihar, Ravi Shanker Wazir, Advocate Kuldeep Sharma, Sparsh Parihar, B.L. Shan, A.J.S. Shan, Ajaz Hussain, Sanjay Wazir, Sanjeev Gupta, Pardeep Kumar, Y P Kotwal (Warden) and others.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
