J&K’s Prof. Chaman Lal Sapru and Ghulam Rasool Khan get the prestigious Padma Shri
| 26-Jan-2021 |
On the eve of 72nd Republic Day, as the government announced number of prestigious awards for appreciating the benchmarks set up by few of outstanding personalities, two of Jammu and Kashmir residents got the prestigious Padma Shri award. Ghulam Rasool Khan and Professor Chaman Lal Sapru (posthumously) got the coveted award for their distinguished service in the fields of Art, Literature and Education, respectively. They were among the 119 nominated for this year’s Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the country that are conferred by the President of India.
Prof. Chaman Lal Sapru
Professor Sapru who after five decades got (posthumously) the due of his meritorious achievements, as a foremost Hindi Professor and journalist from Srinagar encouraged and guided many Hindi scholars and writers of modern generation in the valley. He got National Hindi News bulletin relayed from Srinagar station A.I.R through his efforts. He had the credit of starting and editing the first Hindi monthly magazine Kashyap published after Independence in 1959 and later starting a quarterly Hindi journal Satisar from the valley. For his pioneering work in the propagation and development of Hindi and Kashmiri language in the Kashmir valley, Prof. Sapru was rightly called as “Mahaveer Prasad Diwedi by short story writer Dr.HK Koul.
Prof Sapru guided 40 Rashtra Bhasha centres, wherefrom more than 38000 Kashmiri-speaking Muslim candidates learnt Hindi and appeared in various Hindi examinations conducted by the Rashtra Bhasha Prachar Samiti Wardha founded by Mahatma Gandhi since 1956.Through his untiring struggle, Professor Sapru had distinction of being the first Hindi lecturer in erstwhile J&K state where Hindi was introduced as on of the elective subjects in the Colleges. He had graduated from erstwhile J&K University, did post-graduation from Punjab University at Solan and had distinction of being the first graduate Hindi language and literature from the erstwhile Kendriya Hindi Mahavidyalaya, Agra, now known as Central Hindi Institute.
Apart from contributing to the literary movement in the valley, Prof Sapru was involved in the various educational activities. He became first youngest elected member to the erstwhile J&K University Senate in 1959. Besides a member of Hindi Shiksha Samiti, Govt. of India, he had been a member of the Hindi advisory comittes of Ministry of Defence, Steel & Health. Notably, author of 18 books Prof Sapru recieved many State as well as National awards and Honours from government of India and J&K.
After exodus from Srinagar, where he served as Professor and HOD as well as Principal Govt. Degree College at Baramulla, he headed department of Hindi Govt. Camp College (University of Kashmir) at Jammu. After retirement, besides his research work on “Kashmiriology”, he remained actively involved in media.
Ghulam Rasool Khan got the coveted award Padma Shri for his distinctive contribution in the field of art.
Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.