Book Review: “Uttarakhand ki Pratibhayen”
Reviewed by Kundan N. Goswami, DST, New Delhi
हिन्दी में पढ़ें : "उत्तराखंड की प्रतिभायें"- पुस्तक चर्चा
The much awaited publication entitled “UTTARAKHAND KI PRATIBHAYEN”, by Chandan Dangi of PAHAR (People’s Association for Himalayan Area Research – Nainital) has finally become a proud possession of many Uttaranchalis. The book provides a deep insight into some of the rarest species of the Devbhoomi, Uttaranchal, who took up the challenges and rose to the hilt despite underlying poverty and a host of unfavorable circumstances.
Shri Chandan Dangi has made a grand beginning by creating this vast repository. The maiden issue of the publication consisting of 350 pages and illustrating life and achievements of about 400 personalities was released at the India International Centre, New Delhi on 21st September, 2003 by a renowned archeologist, Shri M.C. Joshi, Former Director General, Archeological Survey of India at a glittering function that registered wide presence of eminent professionals, intelligentsias, administrators and journalists from the Sacred Land. The function was presided over by Shri M.P. Navani, the first Chairman of the Uttaranchal Public Service Commission & former Secretary, Min of I&B and addressed, inter alia, by renowned journalist Shri Pankaj Bisht and Educationist, Ms. Madhu Joshi. Shri M.C. Joshi, Chief Guest, presented the first issue of this Talent Directory to the 9 year old little genius, Master Parimarjan Negi, who, at this tender age, has already won laurels for his exquisite acumen in the game of chess. The task, which Shri Dangi assigned to himself in bringing out this prized publication, has been most admirably achieved. It is the reflection of his inimitable personal enthusiasm and an undefeated resolve, unfathomable passion coupled with extensive ground work that enabled him to reach these legends scattered across the globe and collect their credentials for all of us to know and draw inspiration from. This took more than 28 months for him to complete this mammoth task. In the book itself, through various quotes and examples, he has successfully driven home the point that one should face the frowns of life, overcome its hard knocks and act with resolute will. As indicated by the author in the preface, it is our will-power alone which takes us closer to our goals. Majority of people literally wander in their lives and simply accept whatever fate brings them. In stark contrast to this, there are a very few who take the odds and challenges head on with impeccable courage, devotion, dedication and determination; and eventually emerge victorious for the whole world to see and emulate. Whether it is the story of Wilma Rudolph, who went on to become the fastest athlete of the world in spite of having suffered from paralysis or the success story of Shri Hari Ram Kohli, an air force personnel, who fell down head-on during an exercise and got crippled. Undeterred by premature retirement by the Force for his disabilities, he picked up the painting brush with his mouth and started drawing shapes and pictures with astonishing perfection, and today, he very proudly finds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. They have proved that odds, adversities or the disabilities cannot deter a person from achieving what he aspires for, provided there is an honest and uncompromising will-power to rise and excel.
Shri Dangi believes that success is the result of failure and each failure poses challenges for us to succeed. Failure, in itself, is not a crime, but low aim is. Many failures have their purposes better than the most brilliant successes and many successes have proved far more ruinous than the most disastrous failures. He opines that people often fail to identify the opportunities that come their way because the opportunities are normally enveloped by difficulties and hardships. Each one of us is bestowed upon with a sublime and godly inspirational power but a few can realize it, and whoever realizes it, emerges victorious. Inspiration sends waves of self-confidence into us and self-confidence is the biggest asset that helps us reach our goals and targets. He also feels that bigger goals require bigger dreams, bigger dreams require bigger efforts and it is these bigger efforts that enable us to reach bigger heights. For him, struggle and hard work are a common phenomenon, talent and qualification are natural and providential and recognizing the talent is a social responsibility.
He feels that money is not all that one needs in life. It has got many virtues with it but on some occasions even the most useful tool of the world is rendered useless since it cannot buy the natural bliss that we so commonly know as bed with sleep, food with appetite, house with a decent family, companions who can be termed as true friends, et. el. He believes that the true service of the humanity is to groom an individual to be the most ideal human being who achieves his goals within the parameters of honesty, morality and objectivity. We must accept the challenges posed by constant failures and tread on the path of success with all the more grit and resolve. Initially, we have to struggle and work hard but slowly the path of development comes into view. Struggle is a continuous process of everybody’s life and the experience that comes from the struggle and hard work often opens up new vistas of success and development. Change is the path of development. Henry Ford, the owner of the biggest car company in the US, was immensely pleased when he saw his workshop being gutted in the fire, thinking that he will have a new design and technology to replace the useless and outdated machinery. Today, it is for the whole world to see that Ford is the number one car company globally.
Purity of thoughts is the easiest way to success. We end up becoming what we think of ourselves, he says. We should always think positive that harms none but brings joy to everyone. Our thoughts change our desires, desires change our ambitions, ambitions change our Karma, Character, Fate and Fate changes everything. I would rather term this wonderful creation as the Treasure Hunt of Uttaranchal. It contains biographical sketches achievements of about 400 living legends of Kumaon and Garhwal and gives a set of crisp information on them, viz. date of birth, place of birth, parental village, district, marital status, spouses, education (starting from elementary level), major achievements, turning point of their lives, present address/Tel/ E-mail, area of specialization and more importantly an inspiring message to the youths.
These personalities, who can be role models for all of us, have gained expertise in almost all departments of life. If I go on naming these personalities, I would be making the reading quite monotonous. We can enlighten ourselves only by going through the book and having an in-depth study. It becomes all the more interesting when we find people from our respective villages making it to this book. The book has amply proved that our knowledge about our own Uttaranchal, or rather our own surroundings, is scant and limited. In totality, the book is a masterly creation capable of providing some novel insights into the persistent hard work, deep commitment, resolute will and the highest order of devotion with which these individuals worked in their respective fields and rose to the commanding heights. It would, undoubtedly, go a long way in realizing the dreams of Chandan Da, a dream of motivating the youths and inculcating the values of hard work, promise, perseverance, and aggressiveness into the younger generations of the Hills and inspire them to emulate the glittering path of succ ess shown by these stalwarts. And this exactly is the vision with which he moved ahead on this long journey 28 months back.
How to get this book.
Book Name : Uttarakhand ki Pratibhayen (Yuwaon ke liye prerna aur paramarsh kee ek koshish)
Author : Chandan Dangi
Publisher :PAHAR , Parikrama, Talla Danda , Nainital – 263002
ISBN :81-86246-22-3
Pages: 350
Price : Rs. 200 in India and $10 outside of India.
Edition : First Edition – 2003
Contact Info:
05942-239162