Bilal Bashir Bhat
“Whenever I talk with someone I learn from him” this is among the extraordinary thoughts of an incredible individual -Mahatma Gandhi, which would be pertinent regardless of the times, despite the fact today we are observing his 75th death anniversary.
An individual with such a lovely and visionary insightful outlook will clearly recognize one’s work particularly founded on serving humankind, among them is Sarwanand Koul Premi, a slain son of the soil, Kashmiri Pandit, whose extraordinary works got acknowledgment by Mahatma Gandhi.
Unfortunately, both Gandhi and Sarwanand despite having the credit of exemplary services to humankind could not stop them to become victims of extreme violence.
Sarwanand Koul Premi born in Kashmir’s Anantnag region in the year 1924, was a notable political dissident, who participate in Quit India Movement, as well as an eminent philanthropist, Gandhian, telecaster, social reformer, litterateur, and interpreter with a strong hold on six languages Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri, Persian, English, and Sanskrit.
Premi had the honor to meet and communicate with the transcending characters of India including Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad, Ali Mohammad Jinnah, Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Rajiv Gandhi, Rabinder Nath Tagore, and so on.
During the Quit India Movement from 1942-1946, he was arrested for six events. His work was perceived by Mahatma Gandhi, who presented him (1946) in a photo frame one of his famous Hindi poem “Aav chalen ek saath chalen.”
Respected by all communities, Sarwanand Koul Premi’s sonnet “Hal waale pyaare jhande, tujhko salaam mera” (The caring banner of Kashmir, I show respect to you) discusses his affection for Kashmir.
A promoter of common qualities and had confidence in keeping up with solidarity. One can have a superior comprehension of his life from the way that he lay the foundation stone of the Shrine of Hazrat Baba Naseeb-ud-Din Gazi in his town.
He was regarded with the appellation of ‘Premi’ by the great poet of his time Ghulam Ahmed Mehjoor for his adoration. He worked for the State Education Department from 1956-1979. He and his son, Virender were kidnapped from his genealogical town of Soaf-Shali in South Kashmir’s Anantnag locale in 1990 and killed fiercely.
His distributions incorporate multiple dozen books, alongside the interpretations/ translations of the Bhagwad Gita, Gitanjali, and Ramayana in Kashmiri.
Premi was posthumously felicitated by Delhi Pradesh BJP with a medal and memento (1997) on the occasion of 50 years of celebrations of independence. He has also been awarded a gold medal by the J&K Government (1997), Shree Bhatt Puruskar by J&K Vichar Manch, New Delhi (2000), Sharda Puruskar Saman by Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra, Jammu (2006) and the First Alakh Saman by Shri Alakh Sahiba Trust, Jammu (2017).
All the more as of late, the government of Jammu and Kashmir delivered a rundown of 23 individuals that were chosen for government grants, the late Sarvanand Koul Premi is likewise one of them. He has been granted the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“In spite of the fact that it is the start of the acknowledgment of his untiring administrations to humankind, in Kashmir as well as, we seek divine intervention that full postponed equity will be reestablished to this cutting edge group of violence in Kashmir,” his son Rajinder Premi told this writer.
For the young people of Kashmir to be aware of the rich social legacy of our nation, they really must Premi’s works. He was a firm secularist and really buckled down towards public incorporation and understanding. (end)
The writer Bilal Bashir Bhat is the editor of the daily Srinagar Jang, published in Srinagar, Jammu, and Kashmir. He also edits this news portal.
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