Off to a better world, Jassowal leaves admirers in tears

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 23

Hundreds bade adieu to their beloved cultural stalwart Jagdev Singh Jassowal with moist eyes today.

Flowers were showered when his body was brought to the cremation ground amid slogans of “Sabhyachar da Baba Bohad Amar Rahe’. The pathway to the cremation ground was all filled with admirers of Jassowal.

People from different walks of life, including administrators, Vice-Chancellors, literary personalities and most of all prominent names in art, literature, music and culture had come to bid the adieu.

Actor Jaswinder Bhalla, Manjit Roopowalia, Dev Tharikewala, Inderjit Nikku, Bal Mukand Sharma, Ravinder Grewal, Harjit Harman, Chancellor of Central University of Punjab Dr Sardara Singh Johl, Vice-Chancellor of Guru Kashi University JS Dhaliwal, former lieutenant governor of Puducherry, Iqbal Singh, Punjab Agro Industries chairman Amrik Singh Aliwal, former president of the Punjabi Sahit Akademi Gurbhajan Singh Gill, apart from Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal and many more prominent personalities, paid floral tributes.

Bhalla said he was like a godfather to artists and singers of Punjab. “He helped, supported and promoted hundreds of artists. He not only loved them as an artist, but also developed familial relation with them and was always there whenever they needed him,” he said. “People used to know me only in the university, but it was because of him that my album Chhankata came into the market in 1988. Both Bal Mukand Sharma and I, apart from several other artists, are loved by one and all, solely because of the love and support Jassowal gave us,” said Bhalla. Gill said Jassowal was a man of many dimensions, who would have the political insight, cultural concern, literary bent, who valued and saved heritage and yet had a futuristic eye. “Such men are not born everyday,” he said. Not only was he a person of immense worth for culture, but he was a man who was loved by all and loved everyone, he said.

Other admirers said he was the man of dynamism and had amazing concern as he was heading several social and cultural organisations even in this ripe age.