Urdu Book Review
Tribute to a titan
Reviewed by Amar Nath Wadehra

Ek Shakhs Ek Duniya
Edited by Kashmiri Lal Zakir
Haryana Urdu Akademi. Pages: 102 + 10 plates. Rs. 150

In order to understand Chaudhary Ranbir Singh Hooda, who expired on February1, 2009, one will have to take a look at the values he inherited from his father Chaudhary Matu Ram, who had made significant contribution towards improving conditions in the rural areas. Although he was educated only up to Class IV, Matu Ram worked tirelessly to promote education in his community and social reforms such as removing obscurantism, improving the status of women and making his community politically aware. He was almost deported for helping Bhagat Singh’s uncle Ajit Singh.

Matu Ram’s twin decisions of joining Arya Samaj and resigning his government job in order to become a fulltime freedom fighter had a long term effect on his descendants’ worldview. He was a man of convictions. When, after converting to Arya Samaj, he began wearing the sacred thread, janeyu, it posed a direct challenge to the local orthodoxy. When some of them came to arm-twist him into giving up the janeyu he dared them to take it off his neck. Nobody took up the challenge. His son, Ranbir Singh, was a staunch Gandhian with a mind of his own.

When Ranbir Singh was to join Satyagraha Matu Ram fell sick. However, Ranbir went ahead and participated in the Satyagraha. Matu Ram, contrary to a traditional father’s expected reaction, expressed pride over his son’s ability to take independent decisions.

Ranbir wore khadi all his life. In 1941, a rich woman freedom activist was sentenced to jail in Bombay. He was present when the woman, who was wearing a valuable pearl necklace and other jewellery, was being taken to the prison. She noticed the khadi-clad Ranbir and beckoned him to come near her. When he did so, she handed her jewellery to him, requesting him to deliver it to her family at a given address. Surprised, Ranbir asked her how could she trust a stranger like him. She replied, "Because you are wearing khadi." This reply reinforced his faith in khadi as a symbol of honesty and truth.

Ranbir became a role model for India’s budding politicians. Though born in an enslaved India, he was of a fiercely independent nature. He jumped into the freedom movement at a very young age and was imprisoned in 1941 for joining the Satyagraha. He participated in the Quit India Movement with great gusto, and was sent to the Sialkot jail.

When he came out of jail in 1945, he was kept under strict police restrictions and had to report to the police station every week. He defied the restrictions and participated in the Congress-led freedom struggle. He raised his voice in favour of poor and marginal farmers. In 1946, he headed the Kisan Sabha’s district unit. His contribution in the field of education had been quite substantial. In Rohtak, he founded the Subhash High School. In 1947, when Mewat’s Muslims were leaving for Pakistan, Ranbir invited Gandhiji, who successfully persuaded them to stay on. He also took great interest in the Arya Samaj activities.

He was a member of India’s Constituent Assembly. In 1952, he won the Lok Sabha elections. During 1962-66, he was the MLA from Punjab’s Kalanaur constituency and became a minister. His portfolios included water and electricity. He was a member of the newly formed state of Haryana’s Legislative Assembly during 1966-72. In 1972, he became a member of the Rajya Sabha and was elected Deputy Leader of the CPP. Kashmiri Lal Zakir has done a great job in bringing out this collection of essays on Ranbir Singh, who had made an enduring contribution to Haryana’s all-round development, especially education, power generation and roads. The various essays in this collection touch different facets of this titan of yesteryear.

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