The majestic Dogra Dynasty has played a significant role in the history of India and also produced exemplary leaders who have contributed towards the development of democracy and social welfare. One of such leaders is Dr. Karan Singh,88, a scion of this unparagoned royal lineage who is a senior political leader of Indian National Congress, an educationist, a philanthropist, poet, author and a visionary Indian statesman. Dr. Karan Singh has numerous inspiring chapters in his life, which set a paradigm of legendry lifestyle in front of us. From the regent of Jammu and Kashmir at the early age of eighteen years to a patron of democracy till date, his astute decisions, futuristic ideology and insatiable alacrity to bring the change have been constant. He interacts to public by staying active in media and putting forth his insights on contemporary affairs going on in the country. In addition to this, there's more to his journey than what meets the eye.
Early life
Dr. Singh was born on 9th March,1931 in Cannes, France but his heart and soul are purely Indian as he grew up in a royal Indian milieu. After completing schooling from Doon School, Dehradun, he did higher studies from Jammu and Kashmir University and Banaras Hindu University. He went through critical health issues but being a yeasayer, he remained optimistic and overcame them all. In 1950, he got married to Yasho Rajya Lakshmi, the daughter of General Sharada Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana of Nepal.
Political journey
The panache of being a public influencer has been genetically inbuilt into his persona. Year 1949 marked a significant demarche in his political career when his father Maharaja Hari Singh abdicated the throne in his favor. He successively served as the regent, Sadr-i-riyasat and the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He stepped into the parliament being the youngest cabinet minister at just 36 years of age. Thenceforth he has been a member of parliament four times in Lok Sabha and four times in Rajya Sabha as well. Major portfolios held by him are tourism and civil aviation, health and family planning and the education and culture in Indian govt, ambassador of India to the United States of America in particular.
Dr. Singh founded various reformative organizations such as Virat Hindu Samaj and People's Commission on Environment & Development (India) and has also been associated with prestigious forums like Auroville Foundation, India International Center, Green Cross International, Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Indian Board of Wildlife to name a few. Furthermore, he also held the office of the Chancellor to Banaras Hindu University, Jammu and Kashmir University and Jawaharlal Nehru University.
A renowned author
The arcana of deep understanding of domains like interfaith harmony, Hinduism, politics, nationalism, education, spirituality etc. has been made lucid by Dr. Karan Singh as he shared his insights and ideologies through his books. Some of his thought provoking best sellers are Autobiography (1982), One Man's World (1986), Essays on Hinduism (1990), A Treasury of Indian Wisdom: An Anthology of Spiritual Learning, Sterling book of Hinduism (2012), I believe: Philosophy for the global society (2012), An Examined life: Essays and Reflections by Karan Singh (2019), Kashmir and Beyond, 1966-84: Select Correspondence Between Indira Gandhi and Karan Singh, Meetings with Remarkable Women (2014). All these works could only be authored by a learned and perspicacious man having an incredible spectrum of experiences all through his life.
A philanthropist
Dr. Karan Singh has always devoted himself for the benefit of all the sections of the society. he is the only former ruler of a princely state to voluntarily surrender his privy purse. He put the entire sum into Hari- Tara Charitable trust, named after his parents in 1969. His cachet and down-to-earth nature make him the cynosure everywhere. His trajectory of life teaches us countless things, as he's always learning new things despite being so knowledgeful.
Dr. Singh has witnessed the evolution of the parliament all through the past years. In his farewell speech, he quoted a verse from 'Upanishad' which says, "Let us work together, let us be nourished together, let us achieve together, let there be no hatred between us''. It is very relevant in today's society as we are deviating from the path of peace but as long as we have leading lights like Dr. Karan Singh, we will remain faithful to our constitutional and civilizational values. |
