JAMMU: On the occasion of Maharaja Gulab Singh’s 231st birthday, Dr. Karan Singh, a former Sadar-e-Riyasat and scion of the former Royal Dogra family, paid heartfelt homage to the man. At a celebration held by the Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Trust at Amar Mahal to mark the occasion, Dr. Karan Singh emphasised the importance of reexamining the life and accomplishments of Maharaja Gulab Singh. His words, “Maharaja Gulab Singh was one of the rare rulers in Indian history that left a footprint of his sovereignty in the difficult terrain of Gilgit, Baltistan, Ladakh, and Tibet,” were followed by a lament that the Maharaja’s accomplishments and contributions, regrettably, remained a subject of tangential concern for historians working on historical reconstruction.Dr. Karan Singh gave Kritika Khanna the esteemed Maharaja Gulab Singh Award 2023 in recognition of her achievements in the sports world at the event. In a team para-rowing competition at the 2019 Asian Rowing Championship held in South Korea, Kritika took home a bronze medal. The Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Trust’s trustee, Vikramaditya Singh, gave a welcome speech to kick off the event. Dr. S. N. Pandita discussed Maharaja Gulab Singh’s life. The citation was then read aloud by Ajatshatru Singh, a trustee of the Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Trust. Brig J S Rajput, Member Secretary of the Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Trust, offered the vote of gratitude. This morning, Dr. Karan Singh also paid a magnificent homage to Maharaja Gulab Singh at the Raghunath Temple. On the anniversary of Maharaja Gulab Singh’s birth, he also performed Puranahuti of the Yagya. Dr. Karan Singh paid homage to Maharaja Gulab Singh and described the era of the Jammu and Kashmir Kingdom that was characterised by the great Maharaja’s rule. He reminisced about the magnificent accomplishments of Maharaja Gulab Singh, hailing him as a great visionary, bold, and entrepreneurial leader who treated his subjects as members of his own family and gave justice to all. On this occasion, Dharmarth Trust Chairman Trustee Dr. Karan Singh stated that Dharmarth Trust employees would get a 20 percent Diwali bonus, three percent DA from July 1 through July 7, 2023, and two percent DA from January 1 through January 1, 2024. Additionally, he gave financial aid to the pupils at Birpur’s Raghunath Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya. In honour of Maharaja Gulab Singh’s birth anniversary, the Maharaja Hari Singh Foundation collaborated with the Shiv Sena (UBT) J&K unit, led by Manish Sahni, and Dr. Navneet Kour, Secty General ISBTI & YBA founder Chairperson “SUPPORT NGO,” to organise a blood donation camp and facilitation function at SMGS Hospital Jammu.Dr. Ritu Singh was in charge of this event, which started with Bhai Jee offering Ardaas and Maharaja Gulab Singh receiving a floral tribute. Shiv Sena volunteers and the non-profit organisation SUPPORT Jammu gave blood to Onco Kids and Thalassemia patients. At the inaugural event were Dr. Dara Singh, the superintendent of SMGS Hospital; Dr. Ashutosh, the principal of GMC Jammu; and Dr. Meena Sidhu, the head of blood transfusion and medicine, in addition to a host of medical professionals, nurses, and paramedical staff. Dr. Ritu Singh honoured Drs. Dara Singh, Ashutosh, Meena Sidhu, G. S. Saini, Sanjeev Digra, Vijay Sawhney, and other medical professionals, nurses, and staff members on this occasion.Amidst cheers honouring the Maharaja, the Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS) also paid respects to Maharaja Gulab Singh at his statue in the SMGS Hospital Shalimar Jammu. Ex-YRS President Surinder Singh Gilli arrived at Mukesh Singh’s graveside accompanied by YRS members Vikramjeet Singh, Balbir Singh, Avtar Singh, Sanjay Singh, and others.
