Ravi Rohmetra
About two years ago, Jammu lost a noted author, the first modern woman poet of the Dogri Language, legendary Dogri novelist, lyricist and poetess Padma Shri Padma Sachdev. Padma ji’s death is a loss for Dogri literature and the Duggar Community which can never be compensated. Her high achievements such as “Padma Shri” and “Kabir Samman” will stay in millions of hearts. Her unforgettable contributions made as the first female novelist and poetess set an inspiring tone for other female writers in the region. The immense contribution in literature and novels of Padma Sachdev and her glorious achievements, will always be honoured by the world, particularly Jammu and Kashmir. She will be remembered as the Golden Daughter of Jammu and Kashmir. 4th August 2021 was indeed a sad day for many people, particularly the people living in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, India, abroad, especially Dogri writers. Her contribution to Dogri language and literature has been phenomenal. She will always remain in the hearts of the people especially those having interest in poetry and novels.
Padma Sachdev was a charming, delightful person, full of liveliness, homespun fun and laughter (rather loud for more refined ears). She was also a lovable person with the homely qualities of a good housewife, an excellent cook, an entertaining hostess and an interesting talker at all times. She was a successful writer with a wide readership among a certain class writing both in her mother tongue Dogri and the national language Hindi. She has to her credit six collections of Dogri poetry, eight books of Hindi prose, including two novels, one collection of short stories, an autobiography, a travelogue and more than half a dozen translations. She also wrote occasional articles in Hindi for newspapers and journals. The legend Lata Mangeshkar gave her golden and melodious voice to the Dogri songs “Tu Mala Tu”, “Log Panan Thikrian Badam Panne Tu”, “Odni Ragi De Lalaria”, “Onnchi Udan” written by Padma Sachdev, which have added colour to the songs and have become famous in the whole world. These songs were released by H.M.V. and recorded high sales all over the country. After the hot persuasion of Padma Sachdev, Lata Mangeshkar sang the songs and it developed a great friendship among these two personalities. Lata Ji used to call her (Padma Sachdev) Bhabhi. Later on, all the songs written by Krishan Smail Puri were sung by Lata Mangeshkar after the persuasion of Padma Sachdev: “Bhala Sipaiya Dogriva”, “Rosliyan, Rosliyan Taran Tera Bada Manda Lagda”. Padma was born on 17th April 1940. Being the eldest of three children of Prof. Jai Dev Badu, a Sanskrit scholar who became the victim of India’s partition in 1947. Padma had two brothers namely Prof. Ashutosh Sharma and Engineer Ganeshwar Sharma. Padma Ji started her education in the primary school of her ancestral village Purmandal situated on the banks of the sacred stream Devika, celebrated in Agni Purana, about 39 km to the north-east of Jammu. She grew up memorising and reciting Sanskrit shlokas and Hindi couplets on her father’s knees at the age of four or five, and later singing Dogri folk songs with local groups of women to the accompaniment of dholak and composing simple verses on the pattern of Dogri folk songs. While studying in first year college, she became the first poetess of Dogri, when she shared the stage with established Dogri poets and recited a song composed by her in a Kavi Sammelan at Jammu before a large and distinguished audience including the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir State. The famous “Chit-Chete” is the saga of unusual courage and indomitable spirit. Padma Ji’s work is lying in the Dogri Department of Jammu & Kashmir University and has been appreciated by His Excellency the Governor of Jammu & Kashmir. “Ab Na Banegi Dehri” and “Nousheen” have achieved great fame, and another edition “Bhatko Nahi Dhananjay” is the story of the sentence which Arjun had to undergo because his wife was divided between the two brothers. Padma Ji with her great efforts has tried to produce the real picture of Mahabharata. Kolhapur University has selected the episode for its students. “Nausheen” means new snowfall and has been drawn from the Kashmir turmoil, and the picture shows the real history of Kashmir literature and in such like situation, no one can be the secessionist in Kashmir Valley. Padma Sachdev was known as the Dogri Ambassador. She made remarkable efforts to lead Dogri to the highest peaks and accordingly, all credit goes to her efforts. She got married to famous singer Surinder Singh who has a great name and fame in Shastriya music. She has a daughter namely Manjeet Sachdev and is working in film direction at Sony T.V.
Renowned Dogri poetess and writer from Jammu and Kashmir, Padma Sachdev, passed away on 4th Aug 2021 at her Mumbai residence. She was 81 years old. In the passing of Smt. Padma Sachdev, the nation has lost a leading literary figure and the Dogri-speaking community has suffered a grievous loss. Padma Sachdev’s contribution to Dogri literature over many decades was unparalleled and her poems will be long remembered by lakhs of Dogri speakers. The news of Padma Ji’s passing away marks an end to an era.
It is a matter of joy and pride that Government P.G. College for Women, Gandhi Nagar has been renamed as Padma Shri Padma Sachdev Government P.G. College for Women, Gandhi Nagar. It was renamed in a function on 16th Dec. 2021 in the presence of officials of District Administration of UT Government and Mayor JMC Chander Mohan Gupta.
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