Dr Karan Singh, Politician (Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister, Ambassador) Philanthropist Philosopher, Scholar, Artist today addressed the second chapter of Kunwar Viyogi Memorial Lecture Series.

HoD English Sucheta Pathania then began the proceedings with her address and said that lecture series are a progressive way to broarding academic vision of students. Prof. Manoj K. Dhar, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu in his inaugural address said that the University in collaboration with the Trust is setting up Kunwar Viyogi EdTech Hub for Excellence in Dogri under the aegis of Centre of Excellence in Dogri at the University. He stressed that a state of the art facility like this will encourage students to take up research work, apart from creating dictionaries, digital tools for language learning, developing audio visual material, undertaking comparative study of world and cross language literature apart from learning and enhancing their linguistic studies.

Prof Dhar also expressed pleasure that the youth today are actively taking up Dogri, academically as a choice and as a result the language has seen many new writers taking the centre stage. He also congratulated Col. Ranveer Singh Jamwal, VSM for receiving the Kunwar Viyogi Shaurya Kala Samaan. Col Jamwal, an officer of the Indian Army is the first Indian to climb the Seven Summits and Mount Everest thrice. He is a veteran of more than 30 mountaineering expeditions across seven continents that include the Mount Everest expedition four times.

Dr Karan Singh congratulated the Jammu University for finding innovative ways of promoting the Dogri language and said that the Centre of Excellence is one such impressive undertaking. He also paid tributes to Sahitya Akademi awardee Kunwar Viyogi, also called the ‘Father of Dogri Sonnets’ and recalled his extraordinary contribution towards the language. He said, the Trust’s mission to promote Dogri and bring Viyogi’s many works to the Dogras across the world is commendable.

Recalling his struggle to include Dogri in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, Dr Singh said that it was imperative for Dogri language to find its right place in the Indian Constitution because of the languages’ sheer richness and vibrancy. He regretted that the Dogra valour and sacrifice of many Dogra greats in increasing the frontries of India have remained unknown in the past and history is witness that without their contribution India would not have been a land of diversity in inclusivity. Taking a leaf out of the Mahabharata, Dr Singh said that ancient ruins in Karimchi and Buddhist remains are testimonials that the Dogra civilization is centuries old.

He was of the opinion that creation of Jammu and Kashmir was a major achievement in modern history that required huge sacrifices by Dogras from Himachal to J&K. Calling Maharaja Ranbir Singh a great visionary, the former Rajya Sabha MP said that the famous Raghunath temple apart from the ones across Jammu are the contribution of Ranboir Singh, who at one time also sent scholars across the globe to collect ancient manuscripts. He informed that today Jammu has housed more than 7000 manuscrits that speak volumes of India’s cultural diversity and its unique inclusiveness.

Dr Singh said that the Dogri language and culture are very permanent in nature and have been in existence since decades. Be it Dogri literature that saw the rise of greats like Dinubhai Pant, or Ramnath Shastri, kunwar Viyogi, Padma Sachdevor Dogra art from Bhasoli and Kangara, it is astonishing that how Dogri art has flourished even in countries like Spain, London and Paris. “The land of Dogras have given birth to excellent music and musicians like Allah Rakha, Shiv Kumar Sharma and such talent is flourishing across the world, keeping Dogri alive in the minds and hearts of people,” said Dr Singh.

He hailed the inclusive, secular fabric of the Dogras and said that expressed hope that the young minds in schools and colleges will soon be exposed to the valour and contributions of the Dogras. “I hope that the new textbooks now being included in the curriculum will acknowledge the role of Dogras towards consolidation of India. It should be presented in the correct light so that people can know about the important role the Dogra warriors played in the History of India.

He urged Dogras across the world to keep their identity, language alive and pointed out that social media in today’s age plays a very important role in setting the narrative right.

KVM Trust Chairman Goverdhan Singh Jamwal in his closing remarks thanked Dr Singh for sharing his thoughts on the contribution of Dogras in the history of India and said that the Trust will continue to promote Dogri through its multiple endevours. He added that the KV Lecture series was one such initiative that the Trust has introduced so that the correct narrative is presented before the people.

The event also saw brother-sister duo Roohie and Juhie singing Kunwar Viyogi’s popular song Bholi, which translates a beautiful bond between brother and his sister. Viyogi had penned this song for his sister at the tender age of 18.