Pingalwara society remembers its founder on his 23rd death anniversary

Neha Saini

Tribune news Service

Amritsar, August 5

The 23rd death anniversary of Bhagat Puran Singh was observed by organising a series of social welfare activities which include medical and blood donation camps, besides exhibition of handicrafts made by the inmates of Pingalwara. The annual exhibition-cum-sale of items made by special children and destitute women at the society’s premises serve as source of income for these inmates.

The items such as painted bed covers, cushions, toys made of plaster of paris, coloured candles, sketches, garlands were displayed at the exhibition here. Pingalwara Society chairperson, Dr Inderjit Kaur, said the exhibition had motivated them to become financially independent and encourage creative talent of children. The exhibition one-day exhibition generates an income between Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 every year.

In a special exhibition by the physiotherapy centre at Pingalwara, advanced prosthetics were put on display. Patients at the prosthetic centre of Pingalwara were also given information about advanced cosmetic and rehab procedure provided free of cost.

In a special ceremony, the All India Pingalwara Society also bestowed its annual Bhagat Puran Singh Samman for philanthropy. The recipients of this year’s award were two individuals, who established institutions that empower and educate the needy to bring them to mainstream. The two winners —Pakistani artist Khadim Hussain Warsi of Waris Shah Foundation and Lucknow-based social activist Shaista Ambar — share the same ideology of breaking social stereotypes and empowering the neglected.

Shaista, president of the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) has established the NGO that works with Muslim women, helping them gain education, financial independence and social standing. Standing against fundamentalism, she continues to fight for women rights and feels that women deserve equal social standing. While addressing the gathering at the ceremony, she said, “Every woman, irrespective of her religion, should be allowed to live and enjoy her rights. Problem is that most women are not allowed to be aware of it.” She has managed to challenge stereotypes by building a mosque for women in a remote town near Lucknow.

Khadim Hussain Warsi, on the other hand, has been spreading the message of peace and brotherhood through sufi kalam. Believing that the world needs to embrace love to save humanity, Warsi said he had been travelling to various cities in India, singing for peace.

The Pingalwara society also released a book on methodology of organic farming and its benefits. Setting an example with its Bhagat Puran Singh organic farm at Manawala, the move is a part of an awareness and education campaign to encourage natural farming techniques. Rajvir Singh, farming and animal husbandry expert at Pingalwara, said,

“Punjab’s farmer needs to adopt natural farming as agriculture has to be revived. We have proved year after year that natural farming gives better results without any harm to the land or its productivity.”

Pingalwara also celebrated the win of its special Olympian Dolly, who won two bronze medals at the World Special Summer Olympics in the USA. Dolly came back to a rousing welcome and is now an inspiration for many others, who aspire to overcome their disability and aim for the skies.