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Press Release

"India's diversity is like the colours of a rainbow. Its charm and beauty would be diminished, if one were removed,”. - Shaheed Nanak Singh.
www.shaheednanaksingh.com

The Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation Memorial Lecture 2017 was delivered by the Honourable Vice President of India, His Excellency Shri Hamid Ansari and was held at the Vice President’s House on the 20th July 2017.

This lecture was a milestone event with the Foundation receiving the great honour of an endorsement from the Honourable Vice President of India H.E Shri Hamid Ansari. The subject was ‘The Legacy of Freedom Fighters’ and was attended by several distinguished guests. To name a few - Shri Mahashay Dharmpal (proprietor of MDH Spices), Shri K V Reddy (MP), Shri Vijay Jolly (senior BJP spokesperson and former MLA), Shri Tarlochan Singh (former MP), Brigadier S.S Sahni (retd.), Shri Rajkumar Gupta (Action) and Advocate Manoj Chauhan. The trustees Gp Capt DV Arora and CA Alok Goel were also present along with Shri Nayaz Qazi, special advisor to Smt Salma Ansari and Dr Rami Ranger CBE.

The Vice President, provided the edifice for the expansion of the Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation’s vision and mission. The welcome address was delivered by the youngest son of the Shaheed who is also the founder and Chairman of the Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation. Dr Rami Ranger CBE welcomed his honoured guest and his wife, Smt. Salma Ansari and said that he was most humbled that the Honourable Vice President had accepted to deliver the lecture and mentioned how even today religious tolerance for social cohesion was a prerequisite for civil society.

Dr Rami Ranger CBE, spoke of the Foundation’s ‘principal mission’ which was the unity of India and also to honour those who honour India. The Foundation also honours all those who work for religious tolerance in India.

The Honourable Vice President H.E Shri Hamid Ansari is one of India’s most erudite, experienced and knowledgeable individuals and he provided an insightful reminder of the sacrifices made for the motherland ‘India’ and its people by freedom fighters. The lecture on the “Legacy of Freedom Fighters’ was met with a resounding applause and an opportunity for reflection by the guests. His humbling words encapsulated both Shaheed Nanak Singh and the Foundation that had been setup in his memory; the Vice President said “Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation has done yeoman service to the cause of preserving and recalling the memory of a brave freedom fighter and an exceptional human being. Shaheed Nanak Singh was a prominent leader during the independence movement, he not only agitated for freedom but also worked for maintaining communal harmony in the face of the divide and rule policy of the British. He ardently opposed the partition of Indian and his life holds valuable lessons for contemporary India. The legacy of Shaheed Nanak Singh is part of the legacy of the brave and inspiring men and women who fought to make India free". (click here to view Vice president’s speech ).

The vote of thanks was given by Advocate Manoj Chauhan who said that today was a proud day and everyone at the Foundation was humbled with the greatness of the Vice President and his words of wisdom delivered through the lecture. Special thanks were given to his wife, Smt. Salma Ansari for all the help and support to the Foundation and to Dr Rami Ranger CBE, for his vision, passion and commitment to India. In closing he thanked all the guests and the office of the Vice President for their undivided support, guidance and assistance in the organisation of the Memorial Lecture.

Shaheed Nanak Singh stood for India’s unity in 1947 and paid the ultimate price, his life, for opposing the division of India on the basis of religion. He advocated that we must always consider ourselves to be first and foremost Indians and then choose to follow a religion for our peace of mind.

He believed that the unity of India must come first for our own strength and development as a nation. Regrettably, he was assassinated whilst trying to save 600 students of DAV School, Multan, who had taken out a procession against the division of India but got caught up in communal riots. Nanak Singh whilst saving the students, which he did, was killed by religious fanatics who could not understand his vision of a united India free from rivalry.

The Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation advocates that we must learn from the past to build on our future and as a result, each year a lecture is delivered by a prominent Indian to promote his vision of unity, harmony and religious tolerance for a better India.

Please click on the photographs to download high resolution images.

Dr Rami Ranger CBE, Chairman of the Foundation felicitating and welcoming H.E Shri Hamid Ansari, Hon. Vice President of India.
Ms. Neha Berlia felicitating and welcoming Smt. Salma Ansari
Shri Alok Goel felicitating and welcoming Brigadier Saranjeet Singh Sahani Group Captain D.V Arora felicitating and welcoming Shri Tarlochan Singh
Shri Sandeep Singh felicitating and welcoming Dr Rami Ranger CBE, Chairman of the Foundation
Advocate Manoj Chauhan delivering vote of thanks
Honourable Vice President of India, H. E. Shri Hamid Ansari delivering the keynote lecture
Mahashay Dharmpal ji MDH and Guests at the event.
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