Jalandhar: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh organized a special function to celebrate 85th birthday of its senior most parcharak Chiranjiv Singh, who is also the chief patron of Rashtariya Sikh Sangat, at Mavlankar Auditorium, Delhi on Monday. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat felicitated Chiranjiv with Rs 85 lakh to mark the occasion who donated donated the amount for research on Sikh history.
Bhagwat showered praises on Chiranjiv and said he always tried to stay from limelight and worked at the ground level. After releasing a book titled ‘Ih Janam Tumhare Lekhe’ authored by Chiranjiv, the RSS chief handed over a bag carrying Rs 85 lakh as to him as a mark of respect. Chiranjiv immediately handed it over to Keshav Samarak Samiti, which works at the RSS office in Jhandewalan.
The money was then transferred to Bhai Mani Singh Gurmat Research and Studies Trust, which has been recently established for studies in Sikhism and preserving old historical texts. Chiranjiv became the RSS Parcharak in 1953 after completing his graduation. Rashtariya Sikh Sangat general secretary Avtar Singh Shastri told TOI that he was senior most parcharak of RSS in terms of tenure. He was among the founders of Sikh Sangat, which was started in 1985, and became its second president in 1990. He also organized Sant Yatra from Guru Gobind Singh’s birthplace Patna to Anandpur Sahib in 1999 to mark 300 years of the foundation of Khalsa.
He played crucial role in expanding the Sikh Sangat. He also made Punjab Kalyan Forum in 1980s during the terrorism days to work for amity and communal harmony in the Punjab and also organized a procession “Brahmkund to Amritkund’ from Haridwar to Amritsar in which several ‘sants'(saints) also participated.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Chiranjiv said Sangh always had great respect for Sikh Gurus. He also said awareness about Sikhism and its teachings should be created in the world. Several senior functionaries of RSS were present on this occasion.