220th birthday celebrations of founder of J&K held

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 21: Noted Sanskrit scholar and educationist and daughter of the soil, Prof Ved Kumari was conferred Maharaja Gulab Singh Award on the occasion of 220th birthday of Maharaja Gulab Singh, here today.
Organized by Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Trust, and presided by Dr Karan Singh, the function was part of the daylong series of programmes held to pay tribute to great Dogra warrior king Maharaja Gulab Singh.
Madan Lal Sharma, Member Parliament, Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Health, Ajat Shartu, MLC and Prof Ved Kumari were also present on the presidium.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Karan Singh, MP and Chairman Trustee, J&K Dharmarth Trust, said “it is high time that Maharaja Gulab Singh, instrumental for enlarging the boundaries of State as well as bringing in stability in northernmost parts of the country in mid 19th century, was celebrated as a national hero like Maharana Pratap Singh and Chhatarpati Shivaji.
Referring to the state of affairs in J&K, Dr Karan Singh said that the heavy tourist influx along with one crore yatris visiting holy cave of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi is a good sign. He congratulated people of Jammu for upholding age-old secular tradition despite unhealthy designs by some vested interests.
In addition Maharaja Ranbir Singh scholarships were also presented to post-graduate students Suneeta Sharma, Neha Bandral and Shamsher Singh.
Prof Ved Kumari thanked Gulab Singh Memorial Trust for honouring her with the award, which also carries a cash amount of Rs one lakh and a citation. Others who also spoke on the occasion included Madan Lal Sharma, Sham Lal Sharma, Maj Gen. (retd) Govardhan Singh Jamwal. The vote of thanks was given by Ajat Shartru Singh, MLC.
Earlier in another function at the J&K Dharmarth Trust, at Raghunath Temple here, Dr Karan Singh, announced Bonus in favour of Trust employees for forthcoming Diwali festival. He also participated on the hawan and paid floral tributes to Maharaja Gulab Singh on the occasion.
Omesh Gupta, member and Shashi Khajuria, secretary of the Trust Council were also present on the occasion.
Pradesh Youth Congress also celebrated 220th birthday of Maharaja Gulab Singh by garlanding his statue at the SMGS Hospital, here today. The activists of Youth Congress led by R S Pathania, general secretary, J&K PYC, demanded 21st October, the birthday of Maharaja Gulab Singh as State holiday.

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