Ashok Singhal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
There’s a lovely saying, “वृक्ष कबहुँ नहिं फल भखै, नदी न संचै नीर। परमारथ के कारने, साधुन धरा शरीर।” It means the tree doesn’t devour its personal fruit, nor does the river retain its waters. Each exist for the advantage of others. Our saints and seers have lengthy taught us {that a} life dedicated to the welfare of these round us acquires a that means far better than particular person achievement. If there’s one individual in whom this spirit was always mirrored, it was Shri Ashok Singhal Ji.
Beginning 27 September, we mark his delivery centenary to rejoice an excellent persona who introduced collectively non secular pursuit, cultural awakening and a long time of devoted organisational work.
I contemplate it a privilege that I had innumerable alternatives to work together with Ashok Ji and obtain his affection. One of many earliest cases dates again to 1981, after I was a younger karyakarta going in regards to the organisational duties given to me. I obtained a handwritten letter from him. Naturally, it was a noteworthy second for me. He talked about an essential upcoming programme and gave just a few duties to be executed.
Tough travels
Over a number of a long time, I noticed him work day and night time. He would undertake lengthy and sometimes tough travels to the remotest of areas. He was notably enthusiastic about travelling throughout tribal areas of Gujarat. His thoughts was always working, fascinated with what extra one can do for these on the margins of society.
Each time any a part of the nation was affected by a pure catastrophe, Ashok Ji was both among the many first to succeed in there himself or amongst these guiding karyakartas to assist these affected. My very own expertise with him within the aftermath of the 2001 Kutch earthquake was unforgettable.
This spirit of compassion and look after others is one thing that got here to Ashok Ji very early in his life. He hailed from a really illustrious and affluent household. His father, Shri Mahavir Ji, was a distinguished administrator. One in all his brothers, Shri BP Singhal Ji, went on to develop into a police officer and later a Member of Parliament. One other brother, Shri VP Singhal Ji, was the Chief Secretary of Tripura when the state was simply shaped. Different relations succeeded on this planet of commerce and agriculture. However from a younger age, Ashok Ji was drawn to one thing else altogether… the revival of Bharat and bringing glory to Maa Bharti’s youngsters.
Cultural ethos
Rising up in Prayagraj, Ashok Ji would sit for hours on the banks of the Sangam. The river naturally him, however so did the individuals who got here, corresponding to saints, seers and devotees. It nurtured an understanding of India’s cultural ethos and strengthened his intention to do one thing for society. This want to stay for others drew him to the RSS. He embraced each accountability that got here his manner with enthusiasm, self-discipline and a way of obligation.
Shri Ashok Singhal Ji nurtured establishments and actions by way of persistence and laborious work. He was blessed with a formidable voice and an oratory that would maintain a whole gathering in its spell. Equally noteworthy was his look after fellow karyakartas. Anybody who got here into contact with him couldn’t assist however marvel at his outstanding simplicity. He shared a deep bond with the Sant Samaj and commanded immense respect amongst saints and seers throughout the nation. They valued his counsel and listened to him with nice regard.
My thoughts goes again to 2 cases which introduced out the legendary persona of Shri Ashok Singhal Ji. The primary was in 1993, when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad organised a conference within the US to mark 100 years since Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago deal with. The imaginative and prescient to host such a convention abroad, the planning and the bringing collectively of numerous stakeholders revealed the organisational genius of Ashok Ji.
The second occasion is from the yr 2000. The World Hindu Convention was organised in Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago. I may see how his presence ignited a lot enthusiasm amongst different delegates. After my deal with, his phrases of appreciation have been a really transferring expertise for me. I noticed but once more how his encouragement stuffed each karyakarta with a lot vitality.
Pivotal function
No point out of Shri Ashok Singhal Ji is full with out recalling his pivotal function within the Ram Janmabhoomi Motion. Who can overlook his deal with on the Boat Membership Rally in 1991? Or the defining picture of an injured and bleeding Ashok Ji on the peak of the motion.
At this time, if there’s a grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, it’s due to stalwarts like him who selflessly immersed themselves within the effort to make it potential. He would have been the happiest individual on seeing the Ram Mandir take form in Ayodhya.
Shri Ashok Singhal Ji was blessed with outstanding readability of thought and one space the place it was clearly seen was his perception that our society must be harmonious, that the message of brotherhood needs to be reaffirmed. He labored in the direction of strengthening social unity and equality.
He firmly believed that there may very well be no distinction of any variety in society and that each particular person deserved equal dignity and respect. It was his thought that the primary brick of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya can be laid by Shri Kameshwar Choupal Ji, a grassroots VHP karyakarta from Bihar who hailed from the marginalised sections of society. At a Dharm Sansad in Kashi, he determined that the Dom Raja can be honoured and went on to work with him as a part of numerous group efforts.
Past nation-building, Shri Ashok Singhal Ji had two areas that have been very near his coronary heart: training (particularly Vedic training) and music. Because the MP from Varanasi, I really feel very proud that town I symbolize, the everlasting Kashi, has performed its half in Shri Ashok Singhal Ji’s life.
Fundamental training
He was educated at BHU and was additionally identified to be a superb pupil. He was carefully related to the Ekal Vidyalaya initiative, which labored to increase fundamental training to distant villages, particularly amongst tribal communities. He was a voracious reader in addition to a superb listener and he all the time instructed youthful karyakartas to learn as a lot as potential.
Those that knew Ashok Ji carefully knew how effectively he sang! I recall conferences in Nagpur, the place he would sing the Ekal Geet, leaving everybody mesmerised and setting the tone for the assembly. A video of him stunning everybody and singing “हे मातृभूमि मेरी, हे पितृभूमि मेरी” throughout his ninetieth birthday celebrations in 2015 went viral.
On his delivery centenary, allow us to make sure that extra kids find out about his greatness. And allow us to renew our pledge to understand his desires for our nation and our folks.
Printed on September 27, 2026
