\Samvad

Pausha Shukla 10 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 1 January, 2023:SM 4019 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS:  MAKAR SANKRANTI

2. PROGRAMS OF SARASANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT

3. FIRST VEER BAL DIWAS CELEBRATED

4. SARKARYAVAH DATTATREYA HOSABALE PROGRAMS

5. REMAIN AWARE TO PROTECT AND ACHIEVE OUR GOAL: ARUN KUMAR

6. KASHI TAMIL SANGAMAM CONCLUDED

7. HSS OBSERVES 75TH YEAR OF SOCIAL WORK IN KENYA

8. KARYAKARTA VARG CONDUCTED BY HSS NORWAY

9. PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR SUPPORTS SURYA NAMASKAR YAJNA

10. SEWA INTERNATIONAL NEPAL

11. SAUDI ARABIA SPORTS MINISTRY PROMOTES YOGA IN ARAB WORLD

12. UTAH, MISSISSIPPI TO INCLUDE SIKH STUDIES IN SCHOOL

13. CLAIMS OF SOLVING SANSKRIT PUZZLE DEBUNKED

14. BHAGAVAD GITA NOW PART OF NCERT TEXTBOOKS

15. BHARAT RANKED THIRD IN SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

16. PROF. THALAPPIL PRADEEP RECEIVES VINFUTURE SPECIAL PRIZE

17. SPIRITUAL TOURISM LEADS TRAVEL RECOVERY

18. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY CARRIES OUT NIGHT TRIALS OF 'AGNI-V MISSILE'

19. BOOK ABOUT FREEDOM STRUGGLE IN NORTHEAST INDIA PUBLISHED

20. ‘DASAM SAMARPAYAMI’ CAMPAIGN BY SEVA BHARATI KERALA

21. 58% BHARATIYAS STOPPED BUYING 'MAKE IN CHINA' PRODUCTS

22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT

ARTICLE: VEER BAL DIWAS: THE CONTEXT AND THE LEGACY


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).

Makara Sankranti is regarded as important for spiritual practices and accordingly, people take a holy dip in rivers. This is also one the six festival celebrated in Sangh Shakhas. -GoTop

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.
While attending the concluding program of the three-day Prerona Shivir, held at the Chandrapur Vidyabharati School in Chandrapur from December 9-11, Dr Bhagwat said that only organised effort can bring success in any work or assignment. He added that nation should be a priority for everyone and leaving aside all differences we have to work tirelessly for the welfare of the nation. Over two thousand volunteers from Assam attended the camp and displayed their physical and artistic exercises in front of Dr Bhagwat and a four thousand strong audience.
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.
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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.
The PM was speaking at the first ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ event at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. He said that ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ will remind us of the immense contribution of the ten Sikh gurus and the sacrifice of the Sikh tradition for protecting the honour of the nation. He added that Guru Gobind Singh stood like a mountain against the atrocities of Aurangzeb.
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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.
On the occasion, RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said, “The activities of BAPS and Pramukh Swami Maharaj are for the benefit of society, the nation and the world.“ Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life was an embodiment of the four virtues of dharma – truth, purity, compassion and austerities. Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired people not only through his words, but through his life. He lived his motto ‘In the joy of others lies our own’ and served others every second of his life. The true celebration of his centenary is not for just one month or one year, but it is to live the values he taught throughout one’s life.

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.
So many social ill practices in our society are its remnants. We have to overcome this. He said this while addressing the 16th National Conference of the Akhil Bhartiya Adhivakta Parishad at Kurukshetra, Haryana, on December 27.
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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.
Speaking on the occasion, Yogi Adityanath said that people from Tamil Nadu came here in separate groups over the course of a month, each group representing a distinct category. Union Minister Pradhan said that the success of Kashi Tamil Sangamam is reflected in the fact that more than 2 lakh people visited the historic campus of BHU and lakhs of people remained connected through digital medium. Pradhan Mantri Modi had inaugurated the month-long festival on November 19. The vision was to revive the centuries-old bond between Tamil Nadu and Kashi. Over 2,500 delegates from Tamil Nadu, including cultural and folk artists, litterateurs, entrepreneurs, farmers, religious leaders, athletes, and others, attended the Kashi Tamil Sangamam festival in small groups.
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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.
The event was graced and guided by Dr. Krishna Gopal –Sah Sarkaryavah of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Sharad Hebhalkar - Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Samiti, Dr. Ram Vaidya from UK- International Joint Coordinator of HSS, and others. HSS has been instrumental in providing Sewa (service to society) through Sewa Kenya (HRSC). Dr. Krishna Gopal said that the Hindu way of life is based on Dharma which sustains and holds together the world and the universe, due to the virtues.
He said that Bharat has never attacked, nor enslaved, nor looted any country in its entire history. Rather, it provided selfless service and support because Hindus consider that there is divinity within every living and non living entity.
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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.
During the concluding session, Shri Sachin Nandha – pracharak of HSS in Europe – shared his thoughts on how to be a good karyakarta and be efficient in working towards the goal. In another activity HSS Norway organised a workshop - ‘Christmas card for SEWA’ – for children. 16 children participated in the workshop. A balagokulam with games, shlok and prarthana was conducted after the workshop.

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.
This campaign has raised awareness of the benefits that are associated with the practice of yoga for every lifestyle, and Governor Wolf is certain that participants will continue to be positively influenced by this campaign. He added that as governor, and on behalf of all citizens of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, he was pleased to support the Heath for Humanity Yogathon in Pennsylvania. He extended his best wishes for the successful organization of the event.
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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.

Sewa International Global Coordinator Shyam Parande, Sewa UK President Dhirubhai M Shah and Sahsanghchalak of HSS Nepal AIG Kalyan Timilsina were present on the occasion along with other prominent people of Nepal. -GoTop

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.
It is the first ever such attempt to promote Yoga in other Arab societies as the Kingdom is seen liberalizing rules under Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Countries whose delegation participated at the event were UAE, Oman, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Palestine, and Mauritania. Nouf Al-Marwaai, president of the Saudi Yoga Committee, said that the workshop and the lecture is a step in the right direction to launch competitions and events to promote yoga in the region on a larger scale.
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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.
Utah and Mississippi became the 15th and 16th states in the US to include information about Sikhism, Sikh practices, and traditions in their social studies syllabi. These new standards will give 606,000 students in Utah and approximately 457,000 students in Mississippi the opportunity to learn about the Sikh community. Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world and the community has contributed to American society for over 125 years in the fields of agriculture, engineering, and medicine.
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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.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Education, Annapurna Devi said that it had established the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) Division in All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in 2020 with a vision to promote interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research on all aspects of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), preserve and disseminate IKS knowledge for further research and societal applications. "To become the knowledge power in this century, we must understand our heritage and teach the world the 'Indian way' of doing things," Minister said in the written reply. Further, she said that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) had initiated the development of National Curriculum Frameworks where inputs are invited from various stakeholders, including various ministries, departments, states and Union Territories drawing from grass root levels.
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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.
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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.
Prof Pradeep discovered affordable and sustainable nanomaterials to produce clean water. The arsenic and other materials removed by these materials do not impact the surrounding environment. This method, employing simple designs, provides a means to purify groundwater at a low cost to reach millions of impacted households. In remote areas, this technology is more advantageous because it does not require electricity.
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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.
This was the latest test in the Agni missile series. According to defence sources, the test was carried out to validate new technologies and equipment on the missile that are now lighter than before.
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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.
It begins with the story of the first revolt led by Gomdhar Konwar two years after the British annexed Assam in 1826, records the execution of Piyoli Phukan and Jiuram Duliya Barua in 1830 and then unfolds, in a chronological manner, a series of incidents of the anti-colonial resistance till 1947. The Maniram Dewan story and massacre of over 185 Hindustani sepoys in 1857, which had so long remained neglected at the national level, the subcontinent’s first peasants’ uprising at Phulaguri (1861) against the British, the Patharughat massacre (1894), the role played by women (including attainment of martyrdom by over a dozen of them) and the Dhekiajuli massacre (1942), all come together in this well-researched book.
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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.
The new generation of Bharat, especially the younger generation of Kerala has been addicted to different kinds of drugs and alcohol. For the last few years, the rate of addiction is alarmingly high among the youngsters of Kerala. Desheeya Seva Bharati Kerala decided to work on this through a project 'Lahari Mukta Keralam Arogya Yukta Keralam' and launched two programs ‘Grihasamparkam' and ‘Dasam Samarpayami’. Grihasamparaka marked the beginning of a state wide house contact and 'Dasam Samarpayami' aims at community participation. Thousands of Seva Bharati volunteers across Kerala started visiting door to door on December 15 and it will last till January 29.
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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.
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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
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JAI SHRI RAM
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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 occasion found resonance across the nation and the world at a level not seen earlier. A digital exhibition, curated by the Government of India to showcase the courage and sacrifice of the Sahibzade, was made available to a large number of universities/colleges and other institutions. It was run in several locations across the country over a number of days. Many competitions like the Veer Bal Diwas Quiz Contest and Veer Bal Diwas Essay Contest on the topic - The Martyrdom of the brave sons of Guru Gobind Singh, were organised in which millions of school going children participated and were given certificates of participation. Thousands of seminars and discussions were organised at District and lower levels which witnessed massive participation. Observance of this day at the national level has given to it a new impetus in the national sentiment which is a step in the right direction, welcomed by one and all.
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/
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