ANNAI SHIVARAJ MEENAMBAL, MADAM (1902-1992)

ANNAI SHIVARAJ MEENAMBAL, MADAM (1902-1992) (Remembering the Visionary Woman Associate Of Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar on her 29th Mahaprivirvan falling tomorrow the 30th November 2020) By: Er. H. R. Phonsa Miss Meenambal was daughter of Mr. Pillai Vasudeo Govindraju, a native of Vallore in Madras, an Adi- Dravida Dalit. Mr. Vasudeo was engaged in business in Burma and was also for some time a member of the Madras Corporation. Then he was nominated as member of the Legislative Council of Madras from 1923 to 1926. Miss Meenambal was born to Mr. Pillai Vasudeo Govindraju on 26th December 1902 at Rangoon in Burma ( Now Republic of the Union of Myanmar). She passed her matriculation from Madurai Pillai High School, Rangoon founded by her father in 1900. When she came back to Madras in 1918, she got married to Rao Bahadur N. Shivraj, a renowned Dalit leader of the South India and a staunch supporter of Baba Sahib Dr. Ambedkar. Mrs. Meenambal Shivaraj was among the first Scheduled Caste women to receive the honour of being a member of Madras Corporation. She was also elected by the university Senate to represent Madras University in the Corporation. She was a very active and faithful member of the Scheduled Castes Federation formed in 1942 by Baba sahib after dissolving ILP. The Shivraj couple was perhaps the most trusted followers of Dr. Baba Sahib B.R. Ambedkar. Mrs. Meenambal Shivaraj advised the women folk of depressed classes to educate their children, infuse confidence and good character in them. She advised them to liberate themselves from casteism, unclean jobs and domination. Being women activist Mrs. Shivaraj presided over the women's conference of Scheduled Castes Federation, held at Madras on 23rd September 1944 and the All India SCF Women's Conference held at Bombay on 6th may 1945. These two conferences were addressed by Dr. Baba saheb Dr. Ambedkar and Rao Bahadur N. Shivaraj . She unsuccessfully contested the first general elections held in 1952 for the Madras Legislative Assembly, then for Madras Legislative Council in 1952 as SCF candidate and finally she contested for Madras Legislative Assembly as a congress candidate in 1967. Her husband Rao Bahadur N. Shivaraj contested for Lok Sabha Seat in1952, 1957,1962 from the Chengalpatty, Madras( Now Tamil Nadu State ). But he won in the second general elections held in 1957 on RPI ticket for the Lok Sabha seat for Chengalpatty T.N (G and SC) constituency and got elected. The lucky Anni Meenambal Rao Bahadur Shivraj coplewere blessed with two sons and two daughters. They gave them good education. Their son Mr. Dayashakar, IPS (Retd.) looked after Madam Anni Meenambal in her old age as her husband N. Shivraj had passed away on 29th September 1964. She died on 30th November 1992 at a ripe age of 92 years. She shall be long remembered as a dedicated Dalit Women leader. Material Source: Dalit Movement in India and its Leaders(1 857-1956) by R.K. Kshirsagar M.D Publications New Delhi 1994 • Dr.Ambedkar and His Associates By Er.H.R. Phonsa • Wikipedia,google महोदया एनाई शिवराज मीनमबल (1902-1992) (बाबा साहेब डॉ। अम्बेडकर के विजनरी महिला सहयोगी को याद करते हुए उनके 29 वें महापर्व में कल 30 नवंबर 2020 को पड़ने वाले कार्यक्रम): द्वारा: एन. हैम राज फोंसा दिनांक 29-11-2020 मिस मीनमबल मद्रास के वल्लोर की मूल निवासी श्री पिल्लई वासुदेव गोविंदराजू की बेटी थीं, जो एक आदिवासी दलित थीं। श्री वासुदेव बर्मा में व्यवसाय से जुड़े थे और कुछ समय के लिए मद्रास निगम के सदस्य भी थे। फिर उन्हें 1923 से 1926 तक मद्रास की विधान परिषद के सदस्य के रूप में नामित किया गया था। मिस मीनाम्बल का जन्म श्री पिल्लई वासुदेव गोविंदराजू के साथ 26 दिसंबर 1902 को बर्मा (अब म्यांमार गणराज्य के गणराज्य) में रंगून में हुआ था। उन्होंने मदुरै पिल्लई हाई स्कूल से अपना मैट्रिक पास किया, रंगून की स्थापना उनके पिता ने 1900 में की थी। जब वह 1919 में मद्रास वापस आए, उन्होंने दक्षिण भारत के प्रसिद्ध दलित नेता और बाबा साहिब डॉ। अंबेडकर के कट्टर समर्थक राव बहादुर एन शिवराज से शादी कर ली। श्रीमती मीनम्बल शिवराज मद्रास निगम की सदस्य होने का सम्मान प्राप्त करने वाली पहली अनुसूचित जाति की महिलाओं में थीं। वह विश्वविद्यालय सीनेट द्वारा निगम में मद्रास विश्वविद्यालय का प्रतिनिधित्व करने के लिए भी चुना गया था। वह 1942 में बाबा साहब द्वारा ILP को भंग करने के बाद गठित अनुसूचित जाति महासंघ का एक बहुत सक्रिय और वफादार सदस्य था। शिवराज दंपति शायद डॉ। बाबा साहिब बी आर के सबसे भरोसेमंद अनुयायी थे। अम्बेडकर। श्रीमती मीनमबल शिवराज ने उदास वर्ग की महिला लोक को सलाह दी कि वे अपने बच्चों को शिक्षित करें, उनमें आत्मविश्वास और अच्छे चरित्र का संचार करें। उसने उन्हें खुद को जातिवाद, अशुद्ध नौकरियों और वर्चस्व से मुक्त करने की सलाह दी। 23 सितंबर 1944 को मद्रास में आयोजित अनुसूचित जाति महासंघ के महिला सम्मेलन की अध्यक्षता महिला कार्यकर्ता श्रीमती शिवराज कर रही थीं और 6 मई 1945 को बंबई में अखिल भारतीय एससीएफ महिला सम्मेलन आयोजित किया गया था। इन दो सम्मेलनों को बाबा साहेब डॉ. अंबेडकर और राव बहादुर एन. शिवराज संबोधित किया था । उन्होंने 1952 में मद्रास विधान सभा के लिए पहली बार आम चुनाव लड़ा, फिर 1952 में मद्रास विधान परिषद के लिए एससीएफ के उम्मीदवार के रूप में और आखिरकार उन्होंने 1967 में कांग्रेस प्रत्याशी के रूप में मद्रास विधान सभा के लिए चुनाव लड़ा। उनके पति राव बहादुर एन। शिवराज ने उनके लिए चुनाव लड़ा। लोकसभा सीट in1952, 1957,1962 चेंगलपट्टी, मद्रास (अब तमिलनाडु राज्य) से। लेकिन वह 1957 में चेंगलपट्टी टी। एन (जी और एससी) निर्वाचन क्षेत्र के लिए लोकसभा सीट के लिए आरपीआई के टिकट पर हुए दूसरे आम चुनावों में जीते और निर्वाचित हुए। भाग्यशाली अनीनी मीनमबल राव बहादुर शिवराज कोपलेवेरे ने दो बेटों और दो बेटियों के साथ आशीर्वाद दिया। उन्होंने उन्हें अच्छी शिक्षा दी। उनके बेटे श्री दयाशंकर, IPS (सेवानिवृत्त) ने अपने बुढ़ापे में मैडम अन्नी मीनाम्बल की देखभाल की, क्योंकि उनके पति एन। शिवराज का 29 सितंबर 1964 को निधन हो गया था। 30 नवंबर 1992 को 92 वर्ष की आयु में उनकी मृत्यु हो गई। उन्हें समर्पित दलित महिला नेता के रूप में लंबे समय तक याद किया जाएगा। Material Source: Dalit Movement in India and its Leaders(1 857-1956) by R.K. Kshirsagar M.D Publications New Delhi 1994 • Dr.Ambedkar and His Associates By Er.H.R. Phonsa • Wikipedia,google •

Mohd Maqbool Sherwani,A savior Of Kashmir

Mohd Maqbool Sherwani,A savior Of Kashmir ( Let all Indians Salute Sherwani on his 74th Martyrdom which fell on 7th November,2020 ) A rare martyr, who was nailed with a pole/wall by Pakistani Kabaliyees( Raiders),who entered Kashmir,as by that time Maharaja Hari Singh had not signed Instrument of Accession, which he signed with a delay of 73 days after India attained freedom on 15th August.1947. Mr. Sherwani was a Muslim young man of 19 years when he attained Martyrdom. He was resident of Baramulla town and was engaged as a shopkeeper. He was Indian, secular by heart and deed. He was a worker and follower of Sheikh Mohd. Abdulla’s National Conference party , which was opposed to fall in line the designs of Muslim League, despite being Muslim. After entering Jammu and Kashmir loaded like cattle in lorries and trucks, tall, strong and shabby looking tribesmen entirely plundered the beautiful city of Baramulla on October 26. The attack was so lethal that only 3,000 citizens of Baramulla out of a total population of 14,000 were said to have survived--a fact that Akbar Khan, a Pakistani commander and main perpetrator of the attack, has himself agreed to in his book ‘Raiders in Kashmir’. Sherwani is said rode his motorcycle On Oct26, 1947 and went around the Baramulla town telling Kabaliyees not to advance towards Srinagar as Indian troops had reached the outskirts of Baramulla. Sherwani held public meetings in villages on his motorcycle to unify them and collectively take on the raiders. Seeing a local citizen on the deserted road, the raiders asked him for the route to Srinagar airport. The idea of Pakistan was to capture Srinagar Airport as it was the only means for urgent procurements and deployment of the Indian army in case of immediate warfare. Controlling the Srinagar airport meant cutting off the valley from the rest of India. But Sherwani played a skilled trick by displayed his supper presence of mind and in a convincing tone,he misguided the raiders and suggested to them a wrong path that was going to lead them to nowhere. He also led them for some distance astray. However, after wandering on the wrong path for some time and realizing about being misguided, the Kabaliyees returned back to find Sherwani and punish him for the delay. Sherwani was in Sumbal, 35 km away from Baramulla when raiders found him, abducted and brought him back to Baramulla to set an example for the Indian patriots. The raiders stressed Sherwani to get saved his life by uttering “ Pakistan Zindabad”, which this true son of the soil refused. He was nailed alive to a post through the palms and the chest at Baramulla crossing and as many as 14 bullets were pumped into his body. Finally, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the agreement of accession on 26 October and New Delhi sent the Indian Army to Kashmir the very next day. In the morning of 27 October 1947, soldiers of the Sikh Regiment landed at Srinagar airport after being airlifted from Gurgaon base. Dewan Ranjit Rai, who was martyred in the war with raiders, was commanding the unit. When the Indian army reached Srinagar, it was received warmly by the Kashmiris. Three days after his martyrdom, his body was brought down the post by the army on reaching Baramulla. To a larger extent, due to Sherwani’s role, the famous Shalateng battle near Srinagar was fought to eliminate the enemy. He got crucified and attained martyrdom for the honour of his motherland and the people. Alas! Such heroes stand totally forgotten and neglected. A famous Kashmiri journalist Sofi Ghulam Mohammad shared the anecdote and recalled “when they entered the city, there were cheers. They were garlanded.” He also recalled the slogans raised by Kashmiris like “You invaders beware, we Kashmiris are ready to fight you’ and “Long live Hindu-Sikh-Muslim unity”. Kashiri people also designed a slogan “ Sheikh Sahib Ka Kya Arshad,Hindu-Muslim-Sikh Ahtad”. Meaning what sheikh sahib Said, “Unity to Hindu, Muslim and Sikhs”. Locals share the incident of how he, along with Sherwani’s supporters, disrupted a public rally of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Baramulla on 25 July 1944. Sherwani celebrated the pluralistic culture of Kashmir. Locals also share stories highlighting his efforts to promote harmony and religious tolerance. As the clouds of war gathered, the National Conference organised militias composed of local volunteers to defend the Valley, including the Women’s Self-defense Corps. In Srinagar and Baramulla, these militias are remembered as the Salamati Fauj, meaning army for safety a In memory of this selfless son of mother India,the park along the right bank( Towards Mohinder Nagar) of Canal Jammu,was named after Sherwani as “ Sherwani Park”. The Left bank of canal was named after another Kashmir Saviour Hero Brigadier Rajinder Singh who too lost his life defending his motherland. A befitting memorial of all such Martyrs need be erected in Jammu to keep their sacrifices stories even alive in the minds of our young generations. Let us all SALUTE Sherwani Sahib on his 74th Martyrdom which falls on 7th November,2020. Er. H.R.Phonsa, Jammu Contact: hrphonsa@gmail.com Mob: 9419134060 Dated 7-11-2020 Souce of Material 1.Daily Excelsior Dated (27-10-2013) 2. Google/Wikipedia