Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sep 22: The birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, which falls on September 23, was celebrated today with great enthusiasm and fervor by various educational and social institutions in Jammu.
The main function was organized at Hari Niwas Jammu, wherein senior BJP leader Ajatshatru Singh, former MLC Vikramaditya Singh, prominent Rajput community members and members of Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS) Jammu participated and paid floral tributes to the Maharaja.
A cultural bonanza was presented on the occasion during which various local artists including Slathia Brothers presented melodious Dogri songs narrating the life and achievements of Maharaja Hari Singh. The youth presented in the audience enjoyed the cultural bonanza and danced to the beats of the drums to express their happiness on declaration of public holiday by the J&K Government on birth anniversary of the Maharaja.
On the occasion, former MLC Vikramaditya Singh along with Ajatshatru Singh (senior BJP leader and former minister) and his son Ranvijay Singh felicitated Rajan Singh Happy, president Yuva Rajput Sabha for playing a key role in sanction of a holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh every year.
While paying tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh, Vikramaditya Singh threw light on the reforms taken by the great Monarch during his regime. He recalled that the Maharaja ensured free and compulsory girl education, widow remarriage, flood control channel, irrigation canal, environment and forest protection laws, local handicraft promotion, sericulture, protection to small traders, etc.
Meanwhile, J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu organized a grand function to celebrate the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh in the Lawyers Chambers Building in which large number of lawyers took part. A seminar was also held in the conference hall of the lawyers’ chambers to throw light on the life and works of the Maharaja.
M K Bhardwaj (Senior Advocate and president J&K High Court Bar Association Jammu), while speaking on the occasion, highlighted the Justice oriented approach of the Maharaja during his dispensation. All the lawyers present in the gathering paid floral tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh on the occasion.
In a statement issued on the eve of birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, Kuldeep Singh (Raja), National general secretary of Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha (ABKM) expressed gratitude to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for declaring public holiday on the birth anniversary of the Maharaja. While paying tributes to the Maharaja, he said that Maharaja Hari Singh was a social reformer who opened gates of temples for dalits, made girl education free and introduced Widow Remarriage and Property Act 1932.
The birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh was celebrated with pomp and show by Dogra Group of Colleges. In this connection, Dogra Degree College and Dogra College of Education Bassi Kalan, Bari Brahmana, Samba organized a combined event during which floral tributes were paid to the Maharaja Hari Gulchain Singh Charak (Chairman, Dogra Educational Trust) and Director of the Group Dr Darshana Sharma. A similar function was also organized at Dogra Law College.
International Delhi Public School (IDPS) Akhnoor organized a special morning assembly to commemorate the occasion. Teachers and students gave tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh through their speeches. Principal of the School KCS Mehta, in his speech, told the students about the great social reforms brought in by the Maharaja.
The Shri Ram Universal School also organized a special assembly on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary to commemorate the achievements of the last ruler of the erstwhile Princely State of J&K. A skit was presented by the students showcasing the stellar role of Maharaja Hari Singh during the period of his rule. The students sang a Dogri duet and presented beautiful dances. Various insightful speeches and mellifluent poems in Dogri were also presented by the students.
A function was also organized at Government Hari Singh Secondary School Jammu to celebrate the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh. Various cultural activities were organized on the occasion.
Birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh was celebrated with great pomp and show in the premises of NITL Higher Secondary School Udhampur. A floral tribute to the Maharaja was paid by the students and staff of the school. Principal Ajay Gupta threw light on the life and achievements of the Maharaja.
Lord Mahavira Playway School celebrated birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh with great enthusiasm and fervor. The celebrations started with floral tribute paid to the Maharaja by Chairman of the School Surinder Sharma. A painting competition and debate competition was organized on the occasion.
To celebrate the occasion, the NGO ‘Global Helping Hand’ organized a free Covid vaccination camp at Sai Baba Ashram Roop Bhawani Lane, Talab Tillo (Jammu) from 9:30 am to 2 pm. The camp was inaugurated by Anil Bhat, Bureau Chief of PTI and Jatinder K Bhat (Chairman GHH).