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CHANDIGARH: Noted Writer and Journalist Mr. Khushwant Singh has said that the growth of intolerance and fundamentalism of all religions disturbs him. He called upon the people and the youth to combat this menace as the society is to develop and grow as a progressive, peaceful and secular society.
Mr Khushwant Singh expressed these views through a written text at a seminar in Panjab University, Chandigarh. Writer, Journalist and Khushwant Singh’s son Rahul Singh represented his father and read the text. The seminar “Khushwant Singh: The Writer, Historian and Journalist” was organized by PU Department of English and Cultural Studies to felicitate and celebrate the genius of Khushwant Singh, who has entered the centenary Birth Year on 2nd February 2014. Earlier PU had conferred the Degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) to its alumnus Khushwant Singh in 2011, for his tremendous contribution to Literature and Journalism. It was in continuation of the spirit in which the Honoris Causa was bestowed on Khushwant Singh, that this seminar was held. Various speakers took time to highlight the myriad and complex shades of the creativity of Khushwant Singh.
In his message, Mr Khushwant Singh said that he has hopes in our new young generation, who are better educated and more aware of what is going on in the world. Cell phones, twitter, facebook, of which I know nothing and which come under the umbrella of social media, are I believe helping in this process, he added. In his unique style Mr Khushwant Singh thanked the PU Department of English and Cultural Studies for devoting a whole day to discuss him and his writings. There are many more eminent writers than me who deserve the honour more. I am a mere scribbler whose scribbles some people like and enjoy, he further added.
Without mentioning the recent Delhi incident involving young Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Taniam, Mr Khushwant Singh said that ‘Look at the disgraceful way those from the north-east, our fellow Indians, are treated in some parts of the country, even today, made fun of and discriminated against.’ He said that India is such a wonderfully varied, vibrant and colourful nation that we should all feel privileged to be Indians. I certainly do, despite the many frustrations and shortcomings that we face, he added.
Mr Khushwant Singh described Education and Welfare of the Girl Child as the two areas of his most concern. He also mentioned about the importance of ecology and the environment. Taking on the superstitions, Mr Khushwant Singh said that the ‘so-called Godmen, astrologers, faith healers and the like, are constantly making fools of us’. He said that Worship is not Work; it is Work that is Worship. We spend too much time in worthless rituals and are prey to superstition, he noted. Mr Khushwant Singh said that his main aim in his writings has been to inform, provoke and occasionally raise a laugh. He said that we take ourselves much too seriously and there is also a great deal of humbug and hypocrisy around.
Mr Khushwant Singh described himself as an agnostic, yet a proud Sikh. He said that he believed strongly in the sense of Sikh identity, of Sikhs retaining their symbols of the turban, long hair and the beard. Sikh leadership should discuss and ponder over that majority of Sikhs have discarded these symbols of Sikh identity. Without that, I am convinced, the Sikh religion will eventually die out and perhaps merge with Hinduism, he added.
Mr Khushwant Singh also mentioned the message of Abou Ben Adhem poem that we should Love our fellow human beings. Loving your Lord, no matter of which religion is less important, he emphasized. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rahul Singh said that Khushwant Singh was not a very good student; he got third division in studies. He said that Mr Khushwant Singh was a politically naďve and foolish who spoke from the heart. He became close to Mrs. Indra Gandhia but championed the cause of Maneka Gandhi after the death of Mr Sanjay Gandhi. Later, he fell out with the same Maneka. He also mentioned various incidents involving Mr Morarji Desai with Mr Khushwant Singh.
Mr Rahul Singh said that Mr Khushwant Singh is a Master in entertaining and provoking. He mentioned various incidents regarding Mr Khushwant Singh’s with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), West Bengal assembly and L K Advani. Mr Khushwant Singh walked with kings yet have a common touch, he added. He regarded English as first language Paying tributes to Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia & Khushwant Singh on their common birthday, PU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Arun Grover recalled their contribution. He traced the relation between PU and The Tribune, at the same time acknowledging Khushwant Singh’s contribution to literature, history and journalism. He called upon students, researchers and teachers to work hard to achieve the target set by President of getting
into top two hundred universities of the world.
Introducing Khushwant Singh to the audience, the coordinator of the seminar, Prof. Pratibha Nagpal told that Khushwant Singh’s works range from political commentary to contemporary satire, from translations of Sikh religious texts and writing Urdu poetry to writing of short and long fiction. Known for his incisive wit and deep rooted secularism, Singh ruffled the feathers of many conservative and traditional readers. Prof. Indu Banga in her paper threw light on various aspects of Punjabi and regional nationalism and Sikh identity, Hindu-Sikh relations and also on Sikh history as documented in the historical works of Khushwant Singh. Vanadana Shukla spoke about her personal experiences that she shared with Khushwant Singh and also threw light on his continuous relevance in the contemporary time. With all his seriousness and sense of humor, he was nothing less than a master of fusion. Chairperson Prof. Harpreet Pruthi concluded the session with her remarks. In the second session “With Malice towards One and All”, there was a panel discussion with Gulzar Singh Sandhu, Prof. Kapil Kapoor, and Prof. Sharda Kaushik participating in it. Going down the memory lane, Mr Sandhu shared his personal experiences with Khushwant Singh. Prof. Sharada Kaushik in her paper emphasized on different aspects of translations and Khushwant Singh’s views on the art of translation. In his incisive address, Prof. Kapil Kapoor, the chair of the session, appreciated Khushwant Singh for adopting classical methodology of teaching by way of entertainment. Singh belonged to that early sect of writers who made the Indian writing in English accessible to a wider audience. But he is different in this sense that he comes out as a chronicler of events with remarkable objectivity. PU VC Prof. Arun Grover also presented a memento to Mr. Rahul Singh on behalf of university as an expression of gratitude. Prof. Syal expressed vote of thanks at the end.
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