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Shankar Dayal Singh

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Dr. Shankar Dayal Singh
Dr. Shankar Dayal Singh (1937-1995)
Member of Lok Sabha
In office
1971-1977
ConstituencyChatra,
Member of Rajya Sabha
In office
1990-1995
Personal details
Bornthumb
(1937-12-27)December 27, 1937
Aurangabad, Bihar
DiedNovember 26, 1995(1995-11-26) (aged 57)
In train at Tundla
Resting placethumb
Political partyIndian National Congress (INC) & Janata Dal (JD)
SpouseSmt. Kanan Bala Singh
ChildrenRanjan Kumar Singh, Rajesh Kumar Singh (Son), Rashmi Singh (Daughter)
Parent
  • thumb
Alma materBanaras Hindu University
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionAuthor

An eminent litterateur and parliamentarian Dr. Shankar Dayal Singh (Hindi: डा० शंकर दयाल सिंह) was twice elected to the Parliament of India. He was one of the youngest members of the Fifth Lok Sabha, in which he represented the Chatra parliamentary constituency in Bihar (now in Jharkhand). He defeated Smt. Vijaya Raje, the wife of Raja Ramgarh, thereby bringing an end to the dynastic rule in the region. [1] He was again elected to the upper house, the Rajya Sabha, in 1990 from Bihar. [2]
He was a friend of all and a foe of none. Even being in politics, he did not let himself be bound in the shackles of the party that he represented. He was equally admired and loved by all across the party line. He died of cardiac arrest during train journey from Patna to New Delhi in the midway at Tundla on 26th November, 1995.

Early life

He was born in Bhawanipur village of Aurangabad, Bihar to Kamta Prasad Singh 'Kam'. He lost his mother at a very early age and was brought up by his grand-mother and paternal aunts.

Father

His father Kamta Prasad Singh 'Kam' was a freedom fighter and a close aide of Shri Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha, the first Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.He himself was a writer of extra-ordinary merit and authored more than a dozen books. He was also a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) in Bihar.

Education

Dr. Shankar Dayal Singh got his primary education at home and went on to study at the Rajghat Besant School in Benaras. He received his B.A. degree from the Banaras Hindu University, followed by M.A. degree from the Patna University. Later, he was awarded D.Litt. by the Vikramshila University.

Career

Dr. Shankar Dayal Singh was a prolific writer and a published author of over 30 books. His articles featured in almost all the leading dailies and periodicals of Hindi. He was also the editor of Mukta Kantha , a literary Hindi magazine. He founded Parijat Prakashan in Patna that became one of the premier Hindi publication houses in eastern India. He was awarded Bihar Ratna in 1990, for his contributions to the society and literature.

Member of C.E.C.

Besides being one of the youngest MPs in the Fifth Lok Sabha, we was also an elected member of the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the ruling Indian National Congress. He was a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) too.

In Janata Party

In 1984, he joined the Janata Party and unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary election from Aurangabad, Bihar, but still he was able to shake the bastion of the great Rajput leader Shri Satyendra Narayan Sinha as he had to trail in one of the assembly segments for the first time.

Co-founded Jan Morcha

Shankar Dayal Singh was one of the founder members of the Jan Morcha with Sri Vishwanath Pratap Singh and raised it in Bihar almost solely. Jan Morcha later merged into the Janata Dal. Thereafter, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1990, the office that he held till his death.

Manifold Services

He served as a Member on various Parliamentary Committees. His contribution as the Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Languages deserves special mention. Later, he rose to become its Deputy Chairman. He was also on the Panel of Vice-Chairmen of the Rajya Sabha. A widely travelled person, he made valuable contribution in the fields of literature, education, culture, social work and labour welfare. He founded the B.D. College, Patna and the S.N. Sinha Institute of Journalism and Library Science, Patna. He was also associated with many other academic institutions like the Balika Vidyapeeth, Lakhisarai; Deogarh Vidyapeeth, Deogarh and Madhustahli, Madhupur. He also served as the Deputy Chairman of the Delhi Public Library and the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan (en.Central Hindi Institute). Earlier, he was a member on the Board of Samachar Bharti, a news agency for vernacular languages; and went on to become its Chairman. He authored more than thirty books and edited many others. He was a popular columnist for Hindi dailies and periodicals.

Personal life

A true humanitarian, he was a friend of all and a foe of none. Even being in politics, he did not let himself be bound in the shackles of the party that he represented. He was equally admired and loved by all across the party line. His sudden demise on 26 November 1995, in a train journey between Patna and New Delhi at Tundla, left his family of friends, admirers and followers shocked and surprised. He was survived by his wife Kanan Bala Singh, an educationist, and three children: Ranjan Kumar Singh, a journalist, Rajesh Kumar Singh and Rashmi Singh, both in the civil services.[3] His wife, published her reminiscence on the life of her husband Mere Sahchar in 2001.

Obituary references

P.V. Narasimha Rao, Prime Minister: I express my deep sense of loss and pay my condolences at the passing away of Shri Shankar Dayal Singh, a distinguished parliamentarian and noted author and lover of Hindi. He had been a former Member of this House and presently a sitting Member of the other House. On a personal note, I would like to say that we were members of the Congress Working Committee before 1980 and we found Shri Shankar Dayal Singh as one of the most thorough-going members of the Working Committee. He would not come to the Working Committee without reading every word of the agenda. That was not the case with other Members. So, all of us always looked to him to start the discussion on any point because he was absolutely thorough with the papers and he was quite fearless in expressing his views. And he was also ready to listen to the views of others. On the whole, he is one of the remarkable persons I have come across. His loss will be felt by all of us, and a large number of his friends and admirers.
Somnath Chatterjee, CPM: Mr. Shankar Dayal Singh who was a sitting Member of the other House and who was a man with lively personality and always we had the best of relationship. We know of his contribution in different spheres of activity. Indrajit Gupta, CPI: Shri Shankar Dayal Singh was a very affectionate and warm friend of so many Members both in this House and the other House. Irrespective of parties and all that, he was always regarded as a very affectionate personality.
P.G. Narayanan, AIADMK: In the demise of Shri Shankar Dayal Singh, we have lost an honest and distinguished Parliamentarian. He was a good social worker. He has participated in social organisations at the national level. His contributions to culture and education are also remarkable.
Chitta Basu, Forward Block: I want to refer to Shri Shankar Dayal Singhji with whom I had the privilege and opportunity to work together in a Committee and I was very much influenced by the broadness of his mind and his erudite scholarship on many subjects. He was a great author of Hindi language. He immensely contributed for the enrichment of Hindi literature. In that course he also showed much interest in other literatures of other languages and he felt that there should be some concerted efforts for translation of books written in many Indian languages and opportunities should be created for exchange of those books through certain mechanism and through certain modalities. [4]

Published Works

  • Yudh Ke Chaurahe Tak, Parijat Prakashan, 1970
  • Yudh Ke Aas Pass, Star Pocket Books, 1972
  • Gandhi Ke Desh Se, Lenin Ke Desh Mein, Star Pocket Books, 1974
  • Kitna Kya Ankaha (Hindi), Parijat Prakashan, 1974
  • Emergency: Kya Sachh, Kya Jhooth (Hindi), Delhi Printers, 1977
  • Emergency: Fact and Fiction. Delhi Printers, 1978
  • Kuchh Batein, Kuchh Log (Hindi), Poorvodaya Prakashan, 1978
  • Ek Din Apna Bhi (Hindi), 1980
  • Hindi Sahitya Katipaya More (Hindi), 1980
  • Samaya; Asamaya (Hindi), 1980
  • Baat Jo Bolegi, (Hindi), 1982
  • Paas Se Dekhne Ka Sukh (Hindi), Parijat Prakashan, 1983
  • Jo Chhor Gaye Veh Bhi Rahenge (Hindi), Anurag Prakashan, 1986
  • Bheegi Dharti Ki Sondhi Gandh (Hindi), Parijat Prakashan, 1990
  • Parivesh Ka Sukh (Hindi), Parijat Prakashan, 1991
  • Rajniti Ki Dhoop, Sahitya Ki Chhanva (Hindi), Parijat Prakashan, 1992
  • Dhara Ke Isa Para, Dhara Ke Usa Para (Hindi), Prabhat Prakashan, 1994
  • Surbhit Smritiyan (Hindi), Prabhat Prakashan. 1994, ISBN 81-7315-034-6
  • Yeh Kahani Nahin (Hindi), Prabhat Prakashan. 1994, ISBN 81-7315-033-8
  • Gandhi's First Step: Champaran Movement. B.R. Pub. Corp., 1994, ISBN 8170188342
  • Mahatma Gandhi: Pratham Darshan, Pratham Anubhuti (Hindi), Prabhat Prakashan, 1994
  • Mahatma Gandhi: Satya Se Satyagrah Tak (Hindi), Abhiruchi Prakashan, 1994
  • Gandhi Aur Ahinsak Andollan (Hindi), Kitab Ghar, 1995, ISBN 8170162572
  • Khile Gulab Ki Pankhuri (Hindi), Sri Almora Book Depot, 1995, ISBN 818586590
  • Bihar : Ek Sanstkritik Vaibhav (Hindi). Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd. 1999. ISBN 8171822940.

Edited Works

  • Pandit Motilal Nehru, a Great Patriot, with D. C. Goswami, R. K. Nayak. National Forum of Lawyers and Legal Aid, 1976
  • Acharya Hazari Prasad Dwivedi Smriti Dharohar (Hindi), Muktakantha Prakashan, 1979
  • Dr. Karan Singh: Ek Saumya Vyaktitva (Hindi), 1981
  • Yaad Ek Yayavar Ki (Hindi), Parijat Prakashan, 1988

Further reading

  • Mere Sahchar (Hindi) by Kanan Bala Singh. Pārijat Prakashan, Patna, 2001.
  • Indradhanushi Yaden (Hindi). Prabhat Prakashan. 1998. ISBN 8173152284.

References

  1. ^ Lok Sabha Results 1972[1], Members of the Fifth Lok Sabha[2]
  2. ^ Alphabetical List of All Members of Rajya Sabha Since 1952[3]
  3. ^ Biographical Sketches of Rajya Sabha Members 1952-2003 [4]
  4. ^ "Obituary References". Parliament of India. Monday, 27th November 1995 Part II. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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