Birth anniv of state’s founder Dr YS Parmar celebrated

Our Correspondent

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Nahan, August 4
The 118th birth anniversary of Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar, the founder of Himachal Pradesh and its first Chief Minister, was celebrated with great fervour at his birthplace, Chanhalag in Sirmaur district. The event was jointly organised by the District Language and Culture Department and the Maa Jwala Nagarkoti Temple Development Committee, Chanhalag.

Architect of Himachal

• Dr Parmar is hailed as the architect and founder of Himachal Pradesh
• Dr Parmar was born at Chanalag village, in a prominent family in 1906. His father was the secretary to the then ruler of the Sirmaur princely state
• He did his schooling from Nahan and later, attended Forman Christian College in Lahore. Dr Parmar completed LLB and MA courses from Canning College in Lucknow and in 1944, he obtained a PhD from Lucknow University
• He died on May 2, 1981, at Snowdon Hospital in Shimla

The day commenced with a commemorative walk in the morning and around 150 participants undertook a journey of 2 km, honouring the memory of Dr Parmar. The walk was a reflection of the community’s deep respect and admiration for the leader, who played a pivotal role in shaping the identity of Himachal Pradesh.
Deputy Commissioner of Sirmaur, Sumit Khimta, graced the occasion as the chief guest. He paid floral tributes at the statue of Dr Parmar, followed by a tree plantation ceremony on the temple premises. In his address, DC Khimta highlighted Dr Parmar’s active involvement in the “Praja Mandal” movement and his significant contributions to India’s freedom struggle.
He emphasised that Dr Parmar’s leadership and tireless efforts were instrumental in securing a distinct identity for Himachal Pradesh, preserving the state’s linguistic, artistic and cultural heritage.
“Following the path and ideals laid down by Dr Parmar is the true homage we can pay to him,” the DC remarked, underscoring the importance of continuing Dr Parmar’s legacy.
Local leaders, including Ramesh Shastri, Lana Baga chief Kuldeep Jaswal, Rajinder Singh and others also shared their views on the occasion.
A significant highlight of the celebration was the recognition of Dr Parmar’s family members. The Language and Culture Department honoured his grandson Anand Parmar, his granddaughter-in-law Asha Parmar, their sons Yash Parmar and Jyotir Parmar, along with his granddaughter Devika Parmar.
The event was enlivened by cultural performances from the Hati Cultural Group of Bounal, which performed the traditional ‘Sirmauri nati’ and the Chudeshwar Folk Dance Group, which showcased the Singhatu dance, accompanied by musical instrument performances.
Among the attendees were senior officials, including the Executive Engineer of the PWD, Sarahan; the Deputy Director of the Agriculture Department, Nahan; the Block Development Officer, Sarahan; the Tehsildar, Pachhad; the Lana Baga gram panchayat chief; the CDPO, Sarahan; and the Rajgarh DSP.
The District Language Officer, Kanta Negi, extended heartfelt thanks to all the participants.
The celebration concluded with a community feast organised by the temple development committee.