Monday, January 16, 2023
Magh Shukla 9 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 16 January, 2023:SM 4020 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS: MAGH MELA is
an annual festival that is celebrated in the month of Magh (January and
February) at Triveni Sangam - the holy confluence of three sacred rivers Ganga,
Yamuna, and Saraswati - in Prayagraj.
2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: On
January 8, RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat attended the concluding
ceremony of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Prasad Prakashan in Pune.
Thirteen books by different authors were published by Prasad Prakashan and
Anahat Prakashan. Maharashtra’s Minister for Cultural Affairs Sudhir Munguntiwar
and veteran Indologist and former Chairman of Deccan College Deemed University
Dr. G. B. Deglurkarwere also present on the occasion.
On January 6, Dr. Bhagwat addressed a public meeting in Goa which was attended
by more than 5000 people. Speaking on the occasion, he said that if we want to
be happy and secure, the nation will have to be happy and secure and hence, we
need to strengthen the society to achieve the goal of becoming ‘Vishwaguru’. He
also said that the nation progresses only when the vision of the society is
clear and the understating is rich. He concluded by saying that we should
contribute to the nation and work for the betterment of the society.
-GoTop
3. FAMILY SYSTEM CAN BE BHARAT’S GIFT TO THE WORLD:
DATTATREYA HOSABALE: On January 8, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarkaryavah
Shri Dattatreya Hosabale said that the world is working to protect family values
and Bharat can give a family system to the world as a gift. He added that we
need to be in an ideal position so that the world accepts our example.
4. PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS 2023: Bharat has celebrated
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) on January 9 since 2003 to recognise the
contribution of the Bharatiyas living abroad to the growth of Bharat. The day
honours Mahatma Gandhi’s arrival in Mumbai on January 9, 1915, after travelling
to South Africa. PBD provides an important platform to engage and connect with
overseas Bharatiyas and enable the diaspora to interact with each other. The
17th edition of the PBD was conducted from January 8 - 10 at Indore, Madhya
Pradesh. Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi formally inaugurated PBD on January 9.
Prior to that, the ‘Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ was held on January 8.
According to a PBD press release, more than 3,500 diaspora members from around
70 countries registered for the convention. Suriname President Chandrikapersad
Santokhi was the Special Guest of Honour at the PBD and Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali,
President of Guyana was the Chief Guest.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award was also awarded as part of the programme.
According to the official website, it is the highest honour conferred on a
Non-Resident Bharatiya, Person of Bharatiya Origin; or an organisation or
institution established and run by them. The award is to commemorate the
contribution of the Bharatiya diaspora to create a better understanding of
Bharat abroad, support Bharat’s causes and work for the welfare of the local
Bharatiya community. This year, Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu presented the award
to 27 people from various countries including Australia, Ethiopia, Israel, Japan
and others. 
Addressing the inaugural session, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi hailed the
contribution of Pravasi Bhartiyas and described them as “brand ambassadors” and
“rashtra doots”. He said that when the world assesses the contribution of our
non-resident Bharatiyas, it hears the sound of a strong and capable Bharat.
5. HINDU AWARENESS CAMP CONDUCTED IN MALAYSIA: Hindu
Sevai Sangam, HSS Malaysia organised a Hindu Awareness Camp from December 30 to
January 1 at SJKT Ladang Midlands Shah Alam, Selangor. 90 participants from 4
states namely Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Perak attended the
camp. 13 sikshaks and 15 prabandhaks conducted the camp with the guidance of
senior karyakartas.
The concluding program of the camp was presided by the State Legislative Member
for Sentosa Dr Gunaraj. Former Member of Parliament for Klang Mr Charles
Santiago, Selangor Bharatiya Consultative Council Member Shri Gunasegaran
Kandaswamy, Headmistress of Midlands Estate Tamil School Shrimathi Thevamani
Raman and HSS Malaysia Saha Sanghachalak Shri Vesuanathan Suppiah also attended
the event. -GoTop
6. HSS GERMANY CELEBRATED GEETA JAYANTI: On December 23,
Wolfsburg unit of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Germany celebrated the Geeta
Jayanti Utsav. The event included shlok recital and kirtans. Children performed
a skit in German language on the importance of Geeta Jayanti and the tarun gana
performed a skit on Arjun and Krishna. Shri Paramashreya Prabhu and Shri
Shivatma Prabhu from ISKCON Germany gave talks on the occasion. More than 50
swayamsevaks and sevikas attended the event. 
7. UTKARSH INITIATIVE STARTED BY SEWA BHARATI: Sewa
Bharati, along with National Medico Organization (NMO), started the Utkarsh
initiative some time ago as a Medical Camp for the people in need.
8. 1171 BHARATIYA PEACEKEEPERS AWARDED UN MEDALS IN SOUTH
SUDAN: In a proud moment for Bharat, more than 1,000 Bharatiya peacekeepers,
including five female Army personnel, have been honoured with UN medals for
their vital work in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). For the first time,
the parade of the large contingent, consisting of infantry, engineers and
medical staff, was also led by a woman - Major Jasmine Chattha. According to the
UN, even though the Bharatiya contingent may be best known for its efforts to
build and repair critical infrastructure, protecting civilians is also a vital
and sometimes dangerous part of their mandate. -GoTop
9. BHARATIYA-AMERICAN IS NASA'S CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST: A
Bharatiya-American aerospace industry expert AC Charania has been appointed as
NASA's new chief technologist to serve as principal advisor on technology policy
and programmes. In a statement on January 9, NASA said that in his position, AC
Charania will align NASA’s agencywide technology investments with mission needs
across six mission directorates and oversee technology collaboration with other
federal agencies, the private sector, and external stakeholders. In a statement,
Charania said that there are incredible opportunities in partnerships within and
outside of NASA and he was looking forward to the opportunity to work with the
entire community to increase the rate of space and aviation progress. 
10. TWO BHARATIYA-ORIGIN DOCTORS RECEIVE 'GP OF THE YEAR
AWARD': Two Bharatiya-origin doctors - Dr Anju Aggarwal, a general
practitioner based in Sydney, and Dr Abhishek Verma from Victoria - have shared
this year's prestigious 'General Practitioner of the year award' given by the
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). The two GPs have been
recognised for their dedication to the profession of general practice,
excellence in primary healthcare, and participation in continuing professional
development and training. These awards are given for extraordinary service to
the community at large including rural and remote areas. According to RACGP
website, Dr Aggarwal was honoured for her involvement in educating, organising
and leading health promotion efforts in ethnic and CALD Communities through
health checks at community gatherings and Indian Doctors Networks at a national
and international level.
The website also noted that Dr Verma - medical educator, GP advocate and leader
in clinical governance - practices in Narre Warren and is committed to serving
socio-economically disadvantaged families, recent migrants and people with
mental health issues. -GoTop
11. OBITUARY: SRI SIDDESHWARA SWAMIJI: Spiritual leader
Sri Siddheshwar Swamiji of Jnana Yogashram, Vijayapura breathed his last on
January 2 after a prolonged illness. He was 81 years old. At a very young age of
14, Swamiji got his spiritual calling and became the discipleship of H.H. Shri
Mallikarjuna. Siddheshwar Swamiji had given Pravachans in Kannada, English and
Marathi for more than 50 years. Being widely travelled, both in Bharat and
across the world, Swamiji had a very wide knowledge of spiritual traditions from
many parts of the country and the world. In the last few decades, Swamiji had
written several books on Upanishads, Gita, Sharana philosophy and general
spirituality. 
12. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Vishwa Vibhag Sah
Samyojak Dr. Ram Vaidya will be travelling to Bharat. Visitors: Avneesh Tyagi -
Cyprus
FOOD FOR THOUGHT : All the time, circumstances are not going to favor us.
We shall have to face obstacles and adversities. Fearlessness is the first
virtue of a hero, the starting point of all other noble virtues. ― Madhav
Sadashiv Golwalkar ‘Sri Guruji’.
-GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
---
EXCERPTS OF INTERVIEW WITH DR MOHAN BHAGWAT
RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat addressed
several issues in an exclusive conversation with Hitesh Shankar, Editor,
Panchjanya and Prafulla Ketkar, Editor, Organiser. The full interview is
available at
https://organiser.org/2023/01/09/103855/bharat/retaining-the-core-essence-direction-of-sangh-during-the-favourable-times-is-the-biggest-test/
Excerpts:
For any organisation, completing the hundred-year journey is a stiff
challenge. One tends to deviate from the path or the journey ends. As the Sangh
marched towards this major milestone, when did it face its biggest challenge?
And what was it?
Challenge is a too lofty word. Yes, it has been a journey through an uneven and
difficult road. You have to face many unexpected turns on it. There were hurdles
and roadblocks too. But we had a mission at hand, which we had to see through;
this was all we focused on. Not losing our direction and our core essence, even
as we went through all that ordeal—this was our greatest challenge.
When I look at the present, those days of contempt and opposition are over.
Today, we get boundless love and affection from society. Time is conducive for
our thought too. In fact, the contemporary global scenario is also nudging
humanity in that direction. Willy-nilly, people have started thinking like us,
and this feeling will only get stronger with time. Because of this, our path has
become somewhat easy. This, too, is a challenge.
The thorns we encountered earlier on the road have changed their character. In
the past, we had to brave the thorns of opposition and contempt. Those we could
avoid. And at times we have avoided them too. But the newfound acceptance has
brought us resources, convenience and abundance. Our social esteem has soared.
The society has reposed its faith in us; expectations are high. It feels that we
will make a difference. Under these circumstances, our
popularity and resources have become thorns which we must brave. For example,
even though we do not want to go to media on many issues, we cannot avoid doing
so any longer. This may be counterproductive. They might wonder why we are
hiding in the shadows. We have to face the media. When we step out, press will
write about us; print our photos too. But we must not crave for publicity. If
today we have means and resources, they should be seen as no more than
instruments essential for our work; we should control them, they should not
control us. We should not be accustomed to them. Our old habits of facing
hardships must never die. Times are favourable, but that should not lead to
vanity.
A favourable climate brings along popularity—something we are very fond of. When
a crowd comes to greet you at the railway station, it feels good. But we must
stay watchful of the factors that lead to such feelings. At the same time, in
order to understand the feelings we must remain watchful of, we will have to go
through those very experiences. Our challenge is to have this realisation and
stay alert all the time. We are working tirelessly.
Our mission is moving forth, as we are working for the real and truthful
thought. Eventually, everyone comes around to embracing the truth. This reality
is the foundation on which we shall shape our future, and the future of this
country too. We are not worried about it. But we have to ensure that we do not
deviate as we complete our journey and keep our swatva (essence) intact
throughout the distance. So, from the point of view of these objectives, the
present phase—when our circumstances are the most favourable—seems the most
difficult. We must wade past this phase. This is our challenge.
There was a time when Sangh’s thought process and its style of working
followed the logic of ‘organisation for organisation’s sake.’ Now, as you have
been saying, Sangh needs to work for social transformation and humanity at
large. What changes do you see in Sangh’s style of working and its thoughts?
There is no change; I see it as progression. When a bud grows into a
flower, not all petals blossom together; some of the petals bloom early. Our
organisation remains the same; our methods remain the same. We still organise
for the sake of organisation. Otherwise we will get complacent and say that
given the work we already doing, even if we do not conduct shakha, there will be
people with us.
You see, we mobilise talent in our society at large. Many people join us by
birth due to their family. And yet we continue to hold our shakha. This
increases our workload. But the question remains: what purpose does organising
society serve? Why do we want to remain healthy? We want health because then all
our worked become healthy too. We retire, when we get old. Even if there is no
work at hand, we wish to remain healthy. During our childhood, we are not
burdened with the responsibility of supporting a family—there is little work to
do—yet we wish to stay healthy. And of course while we are working, health is a
priority. Organise for the sake of organisation—this principle is our polestar.
But for social service, we have swayamsevak to bring about social
transformation, we have swayamsevak to change the system, we have swayamsevak
for an entire spectrum of works. Sangh will only organise and do nothing else.
Swayamsevak will not leave any field untouched. We have been saying this and
today we can see manifestation of the same. This is progression. Back then also
people used to say we organise only for the organisation’s sake. And we agreed
because we have nothing to hide.
There’s been a tendency to view Sangh from the political prism. How do you
see Sangh’s relationship with politics?
For various reasons, in our society, political prism is a favourite
perspective. So not only Sangh activities, everything else also is viewed from
the political perspective. Generally, we remain unmindful to the good or bad
happenings in other walks of social life. Everything is politics centric.
However, right from its inception, Sangh has consciously kept itself away from
day to day politics. The politics of votes, the politics of elections, the
politics of humiliating oneanother— Sangh has no relation with any of these.
But, there are other dimensions of politics that affect our national policies,
national interest and Hindu interest. The Sangh has been always concerned about
whether the overall political direction is conducive to these issues or not;
right from the days of Doctor Ji (Dr K B Hedgewar, founder of RSS). If politics
takes a wrong turn and because of that our social awakening is adversely
impacted, we are concerned. We have always been vocal about national policy; and
whatever strength we have, accordingly we try to mobilise it to drive it in the
right direction. We do openly and without any hesitation. We have never been
secretive about it. This is true of the present time as well. We are not
concerned with day to day politics, but we are definitely linked to rasthra
neeti—the national policy. We have our opinion about the same. Today, as we have
gained adequate strength (through organisational network), we try to utilise it
in the national interest and we will certainly do so.
The only difference is, earlier, our Swayamsevaks were not in positions of
political power. This is the only addition in the present situation. But people
forget that it is the Swayamsevaks who have reached certain political positions
through a political party. Sangh continues to organise the society for the
organisation’s sake. However, whatever Swayamsevaks do in politics, Sangh is
held accountable for the same.
Even if we are not implicated directly by others, there is certainly some
accountability; as ultimately, it is in the Sangh where Swayamsevaks are
trained. Therefore, we are forced to think– what should be our relationship,
which things we should pursue (in the national interests) with due diligence.
For instance, there was a conference of traders to present the activities of
Sangh. At the end, there was a Q&A session. They were fine with the Sangh’s work
but had questions about Income Tax, GST and ease of doing business. They asked
everything concerning the Government, trade and commerce. And every time, I kept
telling that this is not our work. I repeatedly argued that the policy is one
side of this; the other side is the mindset (of making and implementing the
policies). But, they will naturally raise those questions. We have to go to the
extent of reassuring them that will convey your issues to the concerned people.
The only point is about political developments, if people are expecting
something, if they are facing any difficulty- that is conveyed to us then it can
be brought to the notice of concerned people, if they are Swayamsevaks. Even
when Swayamsevaks were not there in power positions, there were people who used
to pay heed to the advice of others. There will be such people in the future
too. We will keep approaching them with people’s concerns. Pranab Da
was Finance Minister in the Congress government. He was also looking after Nepal
affairs. We used to take our concerns to him. And he would listen to us too.
That is all we do. Otherwise, we have no business in other spheres of active
politics.
On many occasions, people on social media wonder whether the Sangh has
abandoned its earlier aggressive stance. How do you see this change? Is it
because of the transformation the Sangh has undergone or Sangh has strategically
changed its role due to changes in the society at large?
You see, Hindu society has been at war for over 1,000 years – this fight has
been going on against foreign aggressions, foreign influences and foreign
conspiracies. Sangh has offered its support to this cause, so have others. There
are many who have spoken about it. And it is because of all these that the Hindu
society has awakened. It is but natural for those at war to be aggressive. As
said (in Bhagwatgeeta), ‘yudhyasva vigata-jvarah’–“Become free from desire and
selfishness, and with your mental grief departed, fight!” It is not possible for
everyone to follow this maxim. However, there are people who took on the task of
social awakening
through Sangh. This tradition of social awakening is quite old — it started on
the day when Alexander, the first invader, arrived at our frontiers.
You may say that all those who undertook the task of social awakening—in the
great tradition of Chanakya—have cautioned the Hindu society against yet another
war. Unfortunately, we have not been thoroughly alerted to this impending
reality. This war is not against an enemy without, but against an enemy within.
So there is a war to defend Hindu society, Hindu Dharma and Hindu culture.
Foreign invaders are no longer there, but foreign influences and foreign
conspiracies have continued. Since this is a war, people are likely to get over
zealous. Although this is not desirable, yet provocative statements will be
uttered.
But at the same time, there are some internal issues concerning us. Shri Ram
symbolises our pride. His temple must be built. There was a movement for it.
Those in the movement exclaimed ‘Jai Shree Ram’. Such slogans obviously meant to
energise. Shri Ram strung together all jati and sects. But even today, people in
our country are getting whipped so much as mounting another’s wagon. Should this
not change? Everyone, who has carried forward that tradition of awakening, has
talked about this. Hindu society has hailed the sloganeering but not this
message of self-purification. Hindu society has not fully awakened to this
reality; it should happen. We keep talking about war, war, war (against someone)
but what about us? If war is there, what is our status? In a war we have to
think and understand the enemy. We also have to decide what to do and when.
If you see, after the Mughal aggression, the last experiment was that of
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Since then, there has been continuation and
imitation of his strategy. What was Shivaji Maharaj’s policy? He was aware of
the enemy but also conscious about self. He knew when to fight and when to avoid
it. After his coronation, Shivaji Maharaj extended a hand of friendship to the
neighbouring Muslim dynasties. He went to Golkonda and established friendly
relations with Qutub Shah with the condition that at least two of his Ministers
should be Hindus and atrocities against Hindus should stop. Qutub Shah had to
accept the same. It is different story that this was changed after the demise of
Shivaji Maharaj, as the fundamentalists among the Qutubshahi killed the Hindu
ministers. But, Shivaji Maharaj tried this, as he knew very well that noble
things advocated from the position of strength can become acceptable.
The other thing is, if the Hindu society understands itself, it will also find
solutions to the problems that assail it. Staunch Christians say they will
convert the entire world to the Christian faith. Those who do not fall in line
will either live at their mercy or perish. Staunch Muslims, followers of the
Abrahamic ideology, believers, non-believers, communists, practitioners of black
capitalism — all of them believe that others must accept their path as it is the
only true path. And if you refuse to do so, you will have to choose between
surviving on our mercy and death. We will destroy you. But what is the Hindu
worldview? Does a Hindu ever say that everyone should endorse his faith? This is
not how we think. We want to present an example for others to see. We want to
have a dialogue with everyone. Those who wish to improve will follow our
example. If they do not, we do not intend to harm them. But we must be watchful
that they are not able to harm us. We have gained enough strength in these
battles. They cannot harm us anymore. No one has the audacity to disturb our
political independence. It is now certain that Hindus will stay in this country;
they w ould not seek refuge elsewhere. Now, they are quite alert.
We must also capitalise on this opportunity to resolve our internal conflicts
and offer solutions to others. Today, when we are in a position of strength, so
we must do that. If not today, in the next fifty years will have to provide
this. And to ensure that we are able to accomplish this in five decades, we will
have to start right away. China’s present position of prominence was planned in
1948. They have been following that blueprint ever since. When we have acquired
sufficient strength, we should be clear about priorities for the future. Staying
perpetually into fighting mode will do us no good. In the national life, it does
not happen this way. To think that those who fight can accomplish everything is
also a mistake. Garibaldi led the war, but at once fighting stopped, he wanted
others to lead. At the end when they had to choose a monarch, Garibaldi refused
the mantle and said it should go to someone else. Of the three leaders who rose
to prominence during Italy’s rise, it was Garibaldi who led on the battlefield.
However, at the end, he distanced himself saying this is not my job. Likewise,
we too should change our discourse and language according to the circumstance.
The direction remains the same. Hindustan is a Hindu rashtra. This prosperous
and powerful Hindu society—Hindu Rashtra – Bharat—will reach to the pinnacle of
its glory and provide leadership to the world. If at all, there are shortcomings
in achieving this goal, then how to overcome them? If needed, we will fight by
choice. We should not change our strategy because others have challenged us. We
fight a battle according to our own plan. This is how the Hindu society should
think. -GoTop
SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
Labels: Samvad: 16 January 2023
Sunday, January 1, 2023
Pausha Shukla 10 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 1 January, 2023:SM 4019 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS: MAKAR
SANKRANTI: Makar Sankranti (on January 14) marks the transition of the Sun
from the zodiac of Sagittarius (Dhanu) to Capricorn (Makar). The Sun is regarded
to have moved from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere (Uttrayana)
on this day. The festivities are known by various names in different parts of
Bharat like Magh Bihu in Assam, Maghi in Punjab, Maghi Saaji in Himachal
Pradesh, Sakrat in Haryana, Pongal in Tamil Nadu and Khichidi Sankranti in Uttar
Pradesh. The festival is also celebrated outside Bharat as Maghe Sankranti
(Nepal), Songkran (Thailand), Thingyan (Myanmar) and Mohan Songkran (Cambodia). 
2. PROGRAMS OF SARASANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT:
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat said that Bharat’s
development will be based on the vision and aspirations of its people. He was
speaking at Birla Matoshree Sabhagriha, Mumbai on December 18 to mark the
centenary year of Suraj Prakash, the founder of Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP). He
also said that Bharat is becoming strong and prosperous & Bharatiyas all over
the world are holding their heads high.
On December 16, GIEO Gita Ashram unveiled a 40-feet Vishwa Swaroop of Bhagwan
Krishna in the presence of Gyananand Maharaj, Sarasanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat
and many other distinguished guests. Constructed of ‘Ashtadhatu’ and weighing
around 35 tonnes, it was installed at Jyotisar and depicts nine forms of Bhagwan
Krishna. Sharing his thoughts at the unveiling ceremony, Dr. Bhagwat said that
the Bhagwad Gita provides us with information about the world and helps us deal
with several real-life situations.
-GoTop
3. FIRST VEER BAL DIWAS CELEBRATED: On December 26,
Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi paid tributes to Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh,
Guru Gobind Singh’s sons who laid down their lives while defending their faith
and said that ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ exemplifies the identity of Bharat.
4. SARKARYAVAH DATTATREYA HOSABALE PROGRAMS: On December
19, RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale and other senior RSS functionaries
visited the inmates of a rehabilitation centre for leprosy patients in
Vijayapura. He inaugurated the daily feeding programme organised by Seva Bharati
and Lokahita Trust at the centre located in the Mahatma Gandhi colony. He
recalled that social worker Venkatesh Gurunayak had started the centre in 1980
and called upon youth to support such activities. Shri Hosabale urged people to
live by the motto of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam like brothers, forgetting all
differences of caste, creed, race and gender.
On the occasion of Centenary Birth Celebrations of Pramukh Swami Maharaj of BAPS,
a Sant Sammelan was organised on December 25 at Pramukh Swami ji Maharaj Nagar
in Ahemdabad.
5. REMAIN AWARE TO PROTECT AND ACHIEVE OUR GOAL: ARUN KUMAR:
RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Arun Kumar said that we lost our educational and other
institutions during the period of 500 – 600 years of the first phase of
religiously intolerant Islamic attacks from the west. We witnessed cruelty
against women and children which we had never experienced before in the history
of our existence.
6. KASHI TAMIL SANGAMAM CONCLUDED: The month-long Kashi
Tamil Sangamam concluded on December 16 with a grand celebration. On this
momentous occasion hosted at the BHU Amphitheatre, Amit Shah, Union Minister for
Home and Cooperation was the Chief Guest. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi
Adityanath, Governor of Tamil Nadu Ravindra Narayan Ravi, Union Minister for
Education Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture G. Kishan Reddy
and other dignitaries attended the closing ceremony. In his address, Amit Shah
said that, in a way, it was the beginning of the meeting of two peaks of
Bharatiya cultures - culture, philosophy, language and knowledge of Tamil Nadu
and Kashi city. The Union Home Minister said that Bharat is a country with many
cultures, languages, dialects and arts, but its soul is one. 
7. HSS OBSERVES 75TH YEAR OF SOCIAL WORK IN KENYA: The
first activities of what later became Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Kenya was
started in Nairobi on the Makar Sankranti day of 1947. To commemorate the 75
years of social work in Kenya, a residential camp was organised from December
23-27 in Nairobi. 404 participants from major towns of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania,
Bharat, United kingdom, USA and Australia, joined the milestone occasion.
8. KARYAKARTA VARG CONDUCTED BY HSS NORWAY: After almost
three years, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Norway organised a karyakarta varg on
November 26. 40 karyakartas participated in the varg which had a balance of
shareerik and bauddhik activities.
9. PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR SUPPORTS SURYA NAMASKAR YAJNA:
Governor Tom Wolf of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supported Surya Namaskar Yajna
– Health for Humanity Yogathon – which is conducted annually by Hindu
Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA. He said that HSS emphasises the importance of
maintaining a healthy lifestyle regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, faith, or
nationality through the practice of Yoga. The discipline of yoga – from its
origin in Bharat to its modern practice around the world – provides creative and
therapeutic lifestyles for man, and an avenue for all individuals to achieve a
healthy body, mind and spirit.
10. SEWA INTERNATIONAL NEPAL: On December 12, the fifth
'Skill Development Center' supported by Sewa International was inaugurated at
Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot district of Nepal. The center is operated under
the joint coordination of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Nepal and Sewa International
Nepal. On December 10, Janajati Kalyan Ashram Nepal - in coordination with Sewa
International Nepal, Sewa UK and, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Nepal - inaugurated
the 'Amako Maya Chhatrawas' building in Bhimeshwar Municipality-6, Dolakha.
11. SAUDI ARABIA SPORTS MINISTRY PROMOTES YOGA IN ARAB
WORLD: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been continuously promoting Yoga in
their country for a long time now. In yet another significant development, the
Sports Ministry of the country hosted an event aiming to promote yoga and
invited 11 Arab countries to participate in it. The event was held by the Saudi
Yoga Committee as a part of the Arab Youth Empowerment Program organized by the
Ministry of Sports. The aim of the event held in Jeddah on December 24 was to
introduce the importance of practicing yoga to improve the quality of life and
spread it in the Arab world.
12. UTAH, MISSISSIPPI TO INCLUDE SIKH STUDIES IN SCHOOL:
More than 24 million students in the US can now learn about Sikhs with two
more states voting in favor of new social studies standards that will include
the Sikh faith, in their school curriculum for the first time ever.
13. CLAIMS OF SOLVING SANSKRIT PUZZLE DEBUNKED:
University of Cambridge published a PhD thesis on its website by researcher
Rishi Rajpopat in which he claimed that he had decoded 2,500-year-old Sanskrit
puzzle called Panini Sutra “1.4.2 – vipratiṣedhe param kāryam”– in the event of
a conflict between two rules of equal strength, the rule that comes later in the
grammar’s serial order wins. Rajpopat rejects this, arguing that Pāṇini meant
that between rules applicable to the left and right sides of a word
respectively, Pāṇini wanted us to choose the rule applicable to the right side.
Leading Sanskrit experts have debunked the claims. They have said that there was
no puzzle or ambiguity as the rule of Panini is very clear and precise in the
application of rules of equal strength.
Samskrit Bharati, a leading organisation that promotes spoken Sanskrit has said
that the observations of Rajpoot is based on a very narrow assumption and is not
applicable to a very wide range of linguistic usages. It added that the
hypothesis is out of sync with and transgresses the grammatical tradition called
Trimunivyakaran, which has been in existence for thousands of years and
continued without any break.
Dr Shivamurthy Shivacharaya Mahaswamiji of Sri Taralabalu Mutt, Sirigere,
Karnataka said that the claim made by the researcher and his interpretation is
illogical, invalid and misleading. He added that this Sutra is well understood
in the Bharatiya tradition of grammarians and the researcher is only
misinterpreting it to his convenience.
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14. BHAGAVAD GITA NOW PART OF NCERT TEXTBOOKS: On
December 19, the Bharatiya government informed the Lok Sabha that NCERT
textbooks have included references to Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta in Class VI and VII
and its shlokas in Sanskrit textbooks of classes XI and XII.
15. BHARAT RANKED THIRD IN SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS: In
the global rankings for scientific publications, Bharat has jumped from seventh
to third position. This was informed by the Union Minister for Science &
Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh on December 18 after a review meeting with the
senior officials of Department of Science & Technology in New Delhi. Quoting the
report of National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Science & Engineering Indicators
2022 of the United States, the Minister said that Bharat’s scholarly output has
also increased from 60,555 papers in 2010 to 1,49,213 papers in 2020. Dr
Jitendra Singh also took pride that Bharat now ranks third in terms of number of
PhDs in science and engineering.
He also apprised that the number of patents granted to Bharatiya scientists at
India Patent Office (IPO) during the last three years has also increased from
2511 in 2018-19 to 4003 in 2019- 20 and 5629 in 2020-21.
-GoTop
16. PROF. THALAPPIL PRADEEP RECEIVES VINFUTURE SPECIAL
PRIZE: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) professor
Thalappil Pradeep has won the VinFuture Prizes, which are awarded annually in
four categories. The special prize was awarded to professor Pradeep for his
development of a low-cost filtration system to remove arsenic and other heavy
metals from groundwater.
17. SPIRITUAL TOURISM LEADS TRAVEL RECOVERY: The travel
recovery in Bharat is driven by religious enthusiasm, reveals the latest edition
of OYO Cultural Travel 2022 Roundup Report. The report highlights that Varanasi
is the top religious destination for travellers across Bharat, followed by
Tirupati, Puri, Amritsar and Haridwar. Alongside these cities, Shirdi, Rishikesh,
Mathura, Mahabaleshwar and Madurai are the other spiritual tourism destinations
in Bharat witnessing maximum growth in visitors over the past year.
18. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY CARRIES OUT NIGHT TRIALS OF 'AGNI-V
MISSILE': Night tests were successfully conducted for the nuclear-capable
ballistic missile Agni V which is capable of striking targets at ranges up to
5,000 kilometers with very high degree of accuracy. The test firing of the
missile was conducted from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast on
December 15.
19. BOOK ABOUT FREEDOM STRUGGLE IN NORTHEAST INDIA
PUBLISHED: As part of ‘Amrit Mahotsav’, a new book titled ‘Untold Stories of
the Freedom Struggle from Northeast India’ written by veteran Guwahati-based
journalist and author Samudra Gupta Kashyap has been published by the
Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
20. ‘DASAM SAMARPAYAMI’ CAMPAIGN BY SEVA BHARATI KERALA :
Desheeya Seva Bharati, Kerala, launched a state -level door to door
anti-drug campaign - ‘Dasam Samarpayami’ - at Ponnani. It was officially
inaugurated by Padma Vibhushan Dr. E Sreedharan, Chairman of the facilitation
committee, Sevasangamam-2023 at the residence of Dr. KU Krishna Kumar,
Principal, Mural Painting Study Center, Guruvayoor in the presence of Desheeya
Seva Bharati team members.
21. 58% BHARATIYAS STOPPED BUYING 'MAKE IN CHINA' PRODUCTS:
According to a survey, about 58 percent of Bharatiyas have reduced their
‘Make in China’ purchases due to the current geopolitical situation while 26
percent said they found Bharatiya alternatives to be better in price and quality
when it comes to fashion, apparel, vehicle accessories, and gadgets categories.
About 59 percent of Bharatiyas surveyed said they do not have any Chinese app on
their phone while 29 percent still have one or more, according to data compiled
by the social community engagement platform Local Circles. The survey received
over 40,000 responses from consumers located in 319 districts.
-GoTop
22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “Through selfless service, you will always be fruitful
and find the fulfillment of your desires.” ― Bhagavad Gita
-GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
----
VEER BAL DIWAS: THE CONTEXT AND THE LEGACY
JAIBANS SINGH
On 9 January, 2022, the Prakash
Purv (birthday) of Guru Gobind Singh, PM Narendra Modi declared observance of 26
December as "Veer Bal Diwas" (Children's Day) to pay tribute to the unparalleled
sacrifices made by the younger two sons of the Guru, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and
Sahibzada Fateh Singh (also referred to as Chotey Sahibzade), for the sake of
justice and freedom. The declaration soon found government sanction in the form
of a gazette notification issued by the Government of India, Ministry of Home
Affairs. Earlier Children's Day was celebrated in India on 14 November to mark
the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India.
In Sikh religious history, "Shaheedi Week" from 6 Poh to 13 Poh Birkarmi (that
roughly coincides with 21-22 December to 27-28 December in the western calendar)
marks the epic Battle of Chamkaur; the heroic falling in the battle of Sahibzada
Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh, the elder two sons of Guru Gobind Singh;
the martyrdom at Sirhind of the Chotey Sahibzade and Mata Gurjar Kaur, the
mother of Guru Gobind Singh. The Saheedi Week has been observed with reverence
and piety in Punjab since the time of its occurrence. In times gone by, no
marriages and festivities were held mostly through the month of December and
particularly during the Saheedi Week. The merciless murder of the Chotey
Sahibzade by the barbaric Muslim regime that left a deep impression on the
collective psyche of the people of Punjab and mainly the Sikh community, is
observed with utmost devotion and respect.
26 December, 2022, marked the first observance of Children's Day in its revised
format of Veer Bal Diwas. The observance was spread across India with the main
function being held at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi, and attended
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It included a march past by 3000- school
children and recitation of Shabd Kirtan (Sikh Hymns) by 300 Bal (Child) Kirtanis.
Sardar Bhagwant Singh Mann, chief minister of Punjab, rose above party lines to
become a part of this sombre ceremony.
The Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of the Sikhs, chose to pass a
resolution demanding that the day be celebrated as the "Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas."
In an unfortunate development, the SGPC issued a statement opposing the
government’s move and appealing to the Sikhs to be aware of “the conspiracy to
undermine Sikh history.” In a democracy every person/institution has the right
to express an opinion. To that extent it becomes incumbent to study the context
of the resolution that the Akal Takth has passed.
The first step would be to understand the nomenclature and scope of Children's
Day. It is a UN sponsored international event celebrated on different dates by
several countries. The day selected invariably marks a significant event in the
country. At the international level too Children's Day is celebrated on 20
November to commemorate the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN
General Assembly. The objective is to promote mutual exchange and understanding
among children and to uphold the ideals of the UN Charter for welfare of the
world's children. Observance of the martyrdom of Chotey Sahibzade as Children's
Day gives it an international signature. More and more people will get to know
about the chronicle which, in turn, will benefit humanity. In case it is
observed as Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas then its scope remains localised as has
been the case till date. The derivative of the above explanation is that if the
martyrdom of the Chotey Sahibzade is to be observed as Children's Day (Bal Diwas
in Hindi) it has to bear the name. It is notable here that Children's Day on the
birthday of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru was not called Chacha Nehru Children's Day,
it was referred to as Children's Day only.
For many years there had been an aspiration within the Sikh community and
admirers of the Chotey Sahibzade to see the national Children's Day being
observed on the day of their martyrdom. There was no scope of this change being
brought about under Congress rule, hence, the demand picked up momentum only
when the BJP came to power. On January 16, 2018, The Delhi Shiromani Gurdwara
Management Committee (DSGMC) held a conclave under the aegis of the Shiromani
Akali Dal (SAD), which controlled DSGMC at that point in time. It was attended
by Sukhbir Badal, now President of the SAD. The conclave accepted the need to
request the Government of India to consider the feasibility of changing the
notification of the national Children's Day from 14 November to 26 December.
Later, in the same year, sixty Members of Parliament also requested Prime
Minister Narendra Modi to designate 26 December as Children's Day. The proposal
was subjected to many discussions and culminated on 9 January with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi agreeing to the same.
Now, because of the change in the political equation between the SAD and BJP,
the SGPC is retracting from its own initiative. The situation reinforces the
lack of autonomy within the august institution which impinges on its capacity to
take independent decisions. It is very sad to note that the SGPC, which was
formed as a voice of Sikhs has become the mouthpiece of a particular political
family and a single party. Most of the Punjabi/Sikh intelligentsia and civil
society feel that the Government has done well by naming the event as Veer Bal
Diwas, since the name will find acceptance among different communities across
the country and the world since it is simple and not difficult to pronounce. It
will create awareness about the nobility of the Sahibzadas on a wider platform.
The objection, many feel, is myopic and engineered to serve vested political
interests of a few; it has nothing to do with the interests of the Sikhs. In
this initiative the objective is to educate other communities along with the
Punjabi's and the Sikh's. SGPC could continue to observe the day as Sahibzade
Shahadat Diwas since observance of the significant day on multiple platforms
will give it more visibility and serve the purpose better.
In his address to the Nation during the ceremony organised in Delhi for
observance of Veer Bal Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the sacrifice
made by the Sikh Gurus and particularly by Guru Gobind Singh and his family as a
triumph of spiritualism over state terrorism by a repressive and deceitful
regime. “Any country with such a glorious history must be full of
self-confidence and self-respect, however, concocted narratives are taught to
infuse inferiority. There is a need to get free from the narrow interpretation
of the past to move forward,” he said. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in the same
function, mentioned that more steps towards perpetuating the glorious legacy of
the Sikh religion need to be taken.
Veer Bal Diwas is a very strong platform to build upon a national character that
is infused with the spirit to stand up for all that is just and righteous . It
has the potential to transform the youth by inculcating a spirit of sacrifice
among them. It will help uphold our rich legacy and national identity. It is in
this contest that the initiative needs to be viewed. https://www.newsbharati.com/
-GoTop
SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
Labels: Samvad: 1 JANUARY 2023
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