Monday, September 18, 2006

A Tribute to My Inspiration

Dear Friends,

Today I am writing in an individual capacity. Often I have come to you as a representative of Young India but today I feel that I must share my personal inspiration with you. Over the years I have developed a kinship of sorts with you. Through your encouragement, support and civil opposition. At the very heart of all my initiatives, of which Young India is a critical part, lies the inspired life of one individual - my grandfather, Shri Hardas Sharma. He passed away yesterday. He was 90.

My grandfather was born in April of 1916 in the village of Piprai at the border of the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. He lost his mother at the age 1 due to the plague. At age 12 he ran away from home to join the Indian independence movement. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi he spent his entire adolescence and early adulthood fighting the British. Like many of his generation he suffered through imprisonment and torture. But his spirit could never be broken.

In 1947, when India was about to win independence Mahatma Gandhi called on the Indian National Congress to disband itself to focus on socio-economic issues of the masses. Many heeded the call and quit the party and devoted the rest of their lives to furthering Gandhi's social mission of equality, peace and just economic development. My grandfather was one of them. But this path exacted a severe personal cost from my grandfather.

As the problem of dacoits grew in many parts of India our village too was not spared. Following his principles my grandfather urged commercial establishments in the village to boycott the dacoits. Over a period of time his efforts grew more and more intense and so did the hatred the dacoits had for him. The dacoits in one rampage destroyed every single thing he owned forcing him to flee the village overnight with 7 children. Then began a stretch of unimaginable hardship.

At a time when the girl child in India was considered a burden my grandfather raised one son and eight daughters. Living through deep poverty he produced 3 PhDs and 4 post-graduates. He imbibed a tremendous sense of self-respect in all his children. He taught them to be proud of whom they are not what they have. He instilled the same principles in his grandchildren. He himself never had any formal education beyond the 4th grade but I am yet to meet a person more knowledgeable than him about world affairs, political theory and religion.

I have not known a more religious man. I have also not known a man more welcoming and loving. His religiosity embraced all faiths. He was way ahead of his times. He loved children. All children were dear to him be they from the upper caste, lower caste, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jewish, rich, poor, boy or girl. He vehemently fought discrimination in any shape or form be it in the name of caste, class, religion or gender. Above all, he had a passion for life. He respected life. He maintained excellent health throughout his life through a simple diet and exercise. Every aspect of his life was inspiring. He was also the greatest environmentalist I know. A farmer by occupation he was one with nature.

He passed away with my father beside him in the early hours of September 18th, 2006. He was on a train from his village to New Delhi. He left his body 12 km before the New Delhi station. His body was brought to my home in New Delhi and cremated later in the day. His ashes will be collected on Wednesday and immersed in the Holy Ganges. Some will be taken to Gandhi's Ashram in Wardha, Maharashtra and immersed in a river there. That's where my grandfather met Gandhi. That's where his life changed forever.

I was supposed to meet political and social activists with him on September 30th in our home district of Lalitpur. Now, I shall be speaking at his memorial on that day.
Friends, life is truly a gift and my grandfather cherished it every moment. He showed that simplicity in matter and sophistication in thought is the key to longevity. He always wore hand-spun, a Gandhian trait he followed all throughout his life. Even at the end the sheet that his body was wrapped in for his final journey was hand-spun. And right next to his body was placed a flag of India. This was the flag for which he fought. It meant more than cloth to him. It symbolized the collective aspirations of a nation. His dreams for a great nation and a better humanity will be carried out through all of us. He belonged an incomparable generation of Indians who changed the course of its history by changing the country and , above all, changing themselves.

May my grandfather's soul rest in peace and may we all rededicate ourselves to the missions that we all feel passionate about.

Thanks for reading.

Peace.

Rohit Tripathi
September 18, 2006

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Word are more powerful than any force one can imagine and through your words I, got to know, fell in love and mourn a great man that I never met. May he forever rest in peace and remembered as you did.
P.

Anonymous said...

Word are more powerful than any force one can imagine and through your words I, got to know, fell in love and mourn a great man that I never met. May he forever rest in peace and remembered as you did.
P.