Know Er. Hem Raj Phonsa in brief on his Birthday 14th June,2022.

Know Er. Hem Raj Phonsa in brief on his Birthday 14th June,2022. A) Born in village Pakhri, presently Tehsil Ramgarh, Distt Samba, nearly 4 kms from INB with Pakistan. My parents revered late Sh. Gillu Ram and Gullan Devi, owned their piece of land, so engaged in agriculture profession. We were 3 brothers and two sisters, three of whom have passed away. However my family had shop in Mori Darwaja Lahore( Pakistan), where my father and elder uncle Late Shri Tillu Ram carried shoe repairing work. They also supported other 30-35 people to earn their livelihood by giving them shelter and job tool kits. B) My village was burnt down in 1947 turmoil by Pak. raiders killing over 1-1/2 dozen people. We mover for shelter in many Kadi - villages of Jammu District and faced unexplainable hardships. Finally, our family decided to migrate to Punjab, so with family I as a child had to foot distance from Samba to Pathankot. We settled in village Kotli Shahpur nearly 5-6 Kms from Gurdaspur. C) Father continued shoe making and I got engaged on animal raring, including some animals of locals. From here my schooling started, which was opposed by village Jatt community farmers, and I was even given beating on way to school by Jatt boys. But my father did not budge his stand to peruse my education. I passed my 3rd primary from Govt. Pry. School Versola . Interestingly I joined my brother Sh. Jabro Ram’s marriage Barat from my enroute school carrying my books along. Here when all other Jatt and a Brahmin student threw out their lunch saying I had polluted their lunch, I too threw out my lunch telling they too have polluted my lunch, so I cannot take your touched meals. D) In around 1953 people started resettling in my village, we too returned. My a times we lost animals as Pakistani robbed them Many nights passed by firring from both sides, my village had been given 4 rifles by government for defence against night robbers. I joined school at Gadwal near Vijaypur Samba, when Vijaypur had not come up and there one house of Mahamdoo ( at point where BDO office stands), on the basis of which present day Vijaypur was called Mamdoo De Kothey. Passed my primary from here and moved to Gho Brahmanana, then having Central Basic ( upto 7th class) school. Them Ramgarh, now tehsil HQ had primary school. Gho Brahmana was 8-10 kms from my village. E) Joined Govt High School with only classes up to 9th.I passed 8th (1957),9th (1959) standing first in both my school. Babu Parmanand, later Governor Haryana and Khazan Chand,later Addl.DC( Rev) and DC( Excise) were also teachers there. Visited Kashmir in 1957 Youth Camp held at Gulmarg. F) Joined G.G.M. Sc College, passed out Intermediate in 1961.Lived in Sc. college Hostel (SC wing),where we were 32 SC students. We had separate kitchen from caste Hindu students. When Khazan Chand was expelled from hostel, we resisted and vacated Hostel at about 10 pm in the night and spent out whole night in Jammu Bazaar, shouting slogans, protesting reached Bhagat Chajju Ram, then Minister met him 3 in the morning, explained him whole matter, and then reached Sri Guri Ravidas Mandir Upper Gumat . In the morning Hostel Surintendent( HOD of Chemistry) Dr. Iqbal was called by Bhagat ji in him place and sorted out matter. Expulsion orders of Khazan Chand were withdrawn. G) Joined the Regional Engineering College Srinagar in 1961 and passed out as first SC engineering Graduate in 1966. For joining REC needed Rs 600/-were borrowed by my father from Dhanu Ram of Koulpur, my cousin and One good hearted Brahmin of Taroor, having land in my village . H) Tried to help everybody who joined REC from our SC communities and Medical college with Dr. ( later Brigadar) S.D.Kaloopia, now dead, alias Sanju Mal. Our major financial hurdle got resolved when on our initiative our leader Bhagat Chajju Ram,Babu Milkhi Ram, Babu Parmanand, Ch. Guran Ditta,Jagat Ram Arayan and Bhagat Mangat Ram IAS( Director SW Fare) approached government of G.M Bakashi PM who granted Scholarship and Education Loan facilities, earlier SC students could get only one faciliity. Out of my personal saving I paid full hostel and mess outstanding fee of one student to enable him to take examination and I never asked for refund. I) I joined as Tech. Assisstant in July 1968 and retired in 1998 Executive Engineer. Mind you there were no reservation facilities to SCs in services and I served without any reservation facility. Served in whole of state (now UT) except Leh and Kargil. In served in Power Dept, Local Bodies, JDA, PWD( R&B) Police. After my transfer from PWD ( R&B ) Billawar to Rajoiuri, a deputation of Billawar tehsil met PWD, Minister and asked him to return them their Engineer. When the Minister asked who was their engineer, they gave my name. During my posting in Billawar, I got opened 35 Kms of Roads to traffic, Speeded up long held up works like, Naj Bridge, Sukrala Mechhedi Road, Krishan Pur Katli Road, Completed Suspenssion Bridge at Katli, Started construction of suspension bridge at Kaloran . J) In my posting in JDA, nearly 14 years, Trikuta Nagar colony ( New),speeding works in Roop nagaar, EWS, Nanak Nagar. Got constructed first Flat Sabed ( 130’x70’) hall for transport deptt, near Kranti Hotel. K) Had the privilege to be first Civil Engineer to look after design and construction works of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas Buildings in J&K, This also included RSSB Satsang building Shahidi Chowk ( 4o’x80’RCC Hall) with allied structures, Keran centers, besides other centre buildings from Doda to Kathua, Ramgarh to Nanadpur, Arniya, Rajouri etc. L) Remained associated with construction of Guru Ravi Dass Temple Krishana Nagar,Jammu from day one of its conceiving and construction. Structural designing of Satsang Hall was mine. M) I am associated with construction and working of the Bhartiya Dalit Sahitya Akademy, J&K Jammu, which was conceived by Babu Parmanand , who served its founding president. I am all India spokesman of BDSA, an all-India literary body with branched in all Indian States, UT’s and in some foreign countries. N) I have written two books . First book( English) is Dr.Ambedkar and His Associates and second Hindi book Sadguru Sain Ji Maharaj, jivan aur Shikshya( co- author) N) I have been awarded i)Dr. Ambedkar National Award 2012 (ii)Dr.B.R.Ambedkar StateAward ( J&K State) 1994 (ii) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Distinguished Service Award 2003 iii( Babu Jagjivan Ram centenary state( J&K) Award iv) Dr B.R. Ambedkar Plaque of Honour 2009 ,2011 v) Ashoka Mitra Award 2012 vi) Dr. Ambedkar Award 2014 S/C,S/T& OBC employees Association of JU. vii) Mahatma Gandhi Centaury Award 2022 by GGF O) I have to my credit Over 150 published articles in dailies and monthly magazines on varied subjects. P) Writer of Blog spots, “Dalit Vision”, “Deprived Classes” and “Dalit Society” having over 120 Essays and over 2,00,000 views. I have in my kitty large number of Un- published,but typed essays on Dalit icons, Dalit Problems and suggested solutions. My personal library has over 600 books. Q) I was married to Shrimati Savita Kumari D/O Lala Munshi Ram of Jalander in 1971. Our marriage was with out dowery and it was only one day celebration. We are blessed with three sons, who are engineers ,are married and settled in their lives, with one in California, USA and other in Calgary, Canada. I and my wife have visited USA twice. R) I have remained a regular writer of essays on Engineering problems and presented them in Institution of Engineer’s meeting auditorium . S) I am MIE and Chartered Engineer, Life member IRC, besides Life Member of the Institution of Valuers. T) I am founding President of the Institution Of Valuer (IOV) J&K Chapter and remained its Chairman for over six years. I am also empaneled valuer of WT(I-Tax) and some Banks and established M/S Zenith Design Consultants, a Structural Design consultancy. I wrote a paper of over 550 pages on Construction and Maintenance of Rural Roads for World Bank. Paper got World Bank approval and most of works executed as planned in it in J&K U) I have appeared in many Radio and DD Jammu programs to present talks on different subjects. V) I am presently engaged in writing addition material to get issed Second Edition of my Book “ Dr.Ambedkar And His Associates”. A group of my friends arranged a function in Gyan-Palace Gangial Jammu to celebrate my Birthday,I remain endebted to them all incl.Adv.Ashok Basotra,Adv.Anil Boudh,Sat Pal ( Ret .Addl. Secretary), Sham Lal (Retd) PNB with Romesh Sarangal owner of Banquet Hall and many more. This is too much an honor which I normally do not claim to possess. I am up loading this on my Blogspot Dalit Vision for those who care to read it. I am available at hrphonsa@gmail.com zenithrs@yahoo.com Mobile:9419134060 Land Line ----------+911912432712 Thanks all friends who joined today’s function and also those who conveyed their good wished through different means. Indebted: Er. H. R. Phonsa 63/5 Nanak Nagar Jammu ,