Amarnath Vaishnavi Foundation celebrates 98th birth anniversary of Pt. Amarnath Vaishnavi
Jammu, Aug 24, 2023 : A Galaxy of personalities gathered under one roof to celebrate the 98th birth anniversary of Shri Amarnath Vaishnavi, which falls on the 24th of August every year. Pandit Vaishnavi, an octogenarian who worked tirelessly for the welfare of the masses in J &K and Laddakh for almost seven decades right since 1945 was remembered by all.
The event was organized by Amarnath Vaishnavi Foundation and presided over by the honourable Mayor of Jammu Mr. Rajinder Sharma. Mr. Bharat Singh Manhas ( JKAS), Secretary of the Cultural Academy of J&K was the guest of honour.
On this occasion, Amarnath Vaishnavi Foundation, a family-owned trust founded by Smt. Rohini Vaishnavi, the grand-daughter of the legend, awards scholarships every year to support the education of children primarily from the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community living in Jagti and other areas surrounding Jammu. This year sixteen students bagged the scholarship which pays for the school fee of each child for a minimum period of one year.
This year’s main attraction was the release of the “Amarnath Vaishnavi Memorial song” ” sung in the mellifluous voice of the renowned singer Mr. Suresh Chauhan, who was supported by young singers Shriya Gurtoo, Simran Gurtoo, Vishwas Pandita, and Gandharv Kalloo, in the chorus. Its music was composed by the legendary music composer Sh. Kuldeep Saproo. Sh. Mohan Krishen Koul, a renowned Sanskrit and Hindi scholar and poet composed the beautiful lyric, that summed up the life of Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi in a few lines and Mr. J K Koul Bezaan enacted the role of Pt. Vaishnavi. The audience was full of emotions, watching the visual treat that reminded them of their beloved leader and friend, their own Lalaji, who had held their hands during the shaky grounds after the mass exodus of the entire community in the year 1990.
Mr. Balkrishan Sanyasi, a renowned poet and author, spoke about the biography of Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi, “ The Chronicles of Kashmir,” which has been authored by him. The book brings to light the historical facts from the life of the Social activist and a leader with a mass following, Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi who was also equally held in high esteem by top politicians and bureaucrats. It sheds light on the social and political events in Kashmir that shaped the destiny of the valley. The book is a great source of reference for researchers.
The event also marked the launch of the first “ Amarnath Vaishnavi Memorial Lecture.” A paper was presented by Dr. Beena Budki, A renowned scholar, author, and President’s awardee on the topic, “ The relevance of culture in society, with special reference to Kashmiri culture.” Amarnath Vaishnavi Foundation will continue this series in the years to come.
Mr. Motilal Malla was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for social service. Others who received the awards for their contribution in various fields are Mr. Mohan Krishen Koul, Mr. Kuldeep Saproo, Mr. Sudesh Chauhan, Mr. J K Koul Bezaan, Mr. Sanjay Raina, Ms. Shriya Gurtoo, Ms. Simran Gurtoo, Master Gandharv Kalloo, Master Vishwas Pandita and Mr. Rohit Bhat.
The organizations that supported the event are Manav Films, Roots in Fateh Kadal ( RIFK), Nobel Group, Himalayan Heritage Foundation, The Right News (TRN), and The Writing Experts. A month-long interview series initiated by TRN on its Facebook and YouTube handles, to celebrate the birth anniversary of the legend, is a treasure trove of information shared by various personalities, about the life of Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi.
Other eminent people who attended the function were Dr. Mahesh Koul, Mr. Ashok Kumar Braroo, Mr. Ashok Kangan, Mr. Hiralal Bhat, Mr. Virender Rawal, Mr. Bhupinder Singh Raina, Mr Opinder Ambardar Mr Shiban Khaibri, Mrs Santosh Shah Nadan, King C Bharati and several other people of stature.
The event was anchored by Ms. Bindiya Raina Tickoo and managed by RIFK, an event management company.
