RECOGNITION OF RENOWNED POET JANAB SHRI AZAD JULLUNDHARY Miss Takshila Chumber editor@ambedkartimes.com

A multi language Shiromani poet and community's very well known honorable personality Janab Shri Azad Jullundhary Sahib was honored by the FIJI RETIREE CLUB ASSOCIATION on October 26th, 2008 in the Golden Peacock Banquet, 3681 Prelate Blvd , Fremont , California . Many prominent leaders, businessmen and respected residents of the area gathered in the hall at 6:00 in the evening. The following members of the club arranged this colorful program. Shri Des Raj Sandhu, Shri Dev Raj Sandhu, Shri Mulkh Raj Damaria, Shri Sohan Singh Damaria, Shri Hardev Singh Sandhu, Shri Ram Murti Saroay, and Shri Teja Singh Khera. The well-known speakers, CPA Shri Amrik Chand Lakha, Shri Ram Murti Saroay and Shri O.P. Balley spoke very highly of Janab Shri Azad Jullundhary for his literary and community services. Shri Balvir Thind, a follower of Sahib Shri Guru Ravidass Ji and Dr. Ambedkar helped a lot to make this program successful. This program was very well-organized started at 6:00pm and ended at 11:00 pm with music and poetry of Janab Azad Jullundhary.


Janab Shri Azad Jullundhary was born on January 12th, 1933 in village Bara Pind, District Jalandhar, Punjab. He passed his high school from Ramgarhia High School. Phagwara ( Kapurthala) Punjab in the year 1948 with best student award from Maharaja Kapurthala Shri Jagjit Singh Ahaluwalia and Giani Zail Singh, Minister of Education and revenue in Pepsu. He joined central Govt. of India in the year 1950 while staying in New Delhi. Janab Azad Sahib was/is the member of many Literary and religious organizations. He wrote songs for films as well as for private singers. He wrote many Geets and Gazals for Sufi societies and ashrams. Wherever he was needed, he was there for community service. He wrote almost 20 books of poetry in different languages


In the year 1978, he retired from Indian Govt. Service and settled permanently in California, USA along with his wife, Late Gurmeet Kaur, daughter Kusum Azad and son Mr. R. K. Azad. In the USA he is also helping many literary and religious societies. He, with Giani Jang Singh Jee established a Punjabi Sahit …………trust in the year 2008, which is working very well with the help of Dr. Gurmeet Sidhu, a Chief Editor of the Trust. He was honored with Shiromani Kavi in the year of 1999 by the Punjabi Sahit Sabha, Bay Area and Milpitas of California. He started writing poetry at the age of eleven and still writing at 75. Instead of going for higher education in technology, Shri Azad Ji opted art, culture and literature which he is using mostly for community services. He is a very good counselor if anybody talks to him about the adverse circumstances in his/her life.


On 13th December, 1997 he wrote a very good English poem on Christmas Eve and New Year and sent to Mr. Bill Clinton at that time, President of the USA. After three weeks on January 8th, 1998, Mr. Bill Clinton sent a wonderful letter to Shri Azad Jullundhary from White House which I am reproducing here.

Janab Shri Azad Jullundhary Sahib is an idol of many young students. Miss Hena Kaur Rai, grand daughter of Late Sardar Ratan Singh Jee Rai, (who was a best friend of Azad Ji) has written a beautiful essay regarding Janab Azad Ji and sent along with application form for further studies. I am also reproducing that essay here. It is not possible to say or describe the literary and community services ………..by Shri Azad Jullundhary in a few pages. There is a long history of 70 years of community services behind. He is writing his autobiography, a book of at least 500 pages, which will be available to the readers in the year 2009.

So, it was a pleasure meeting with Mr. Azad Jullundhary at his residence. I have learned a lot from him and glad to have a well known and knowledgeable personality on this planet not only in one community but he is proud of all communities. I prey to the Almighty for long life of Janab Shri Azad Jullundhary Ji, so that he may continue writing and serving the community in future also.

A Perfect Role Model

Miss Hena Kaur Rai

A desire to become a successful human being, respectful daughter, and role model sister pushes me to strive everyday to give my all, and there is one person who has pushed and inspired me to do so. When I was just an infant, my grandfather passed away, but as I grew older, I began to develop a relationship with another grandfather-like figure. His name is Azad Jullundhary, a well-known Indian poet, and my grandfather’s best friend. I call him Azad Baba Ji, a title normally reserved for family. He treats me as his own granddaughter and I look up to him for advice, inspiration, and simply the protection that a grandfather gives.

Although Azad Baba Ji began his life with humble circumstances, he overcame them and obtained a well-recognized position in India’s government. His poetry, which was just a hobby at first, has been used as famous song lyrics in songs by Bhupinder and Matali, and in popular Indian films. Despite his fame, he does not ask for anything except an elder’s respect. He visits my family once a month and I cherish every moment I spend with him. He is so successful, yet never flaunting, and tries to connect to our modern lives as much as he can; always wanting to learn more though he is so knowledgeable already. Every time I see him I learn something new about him.

Baba Ji always says to work, not for praise, but for your own satisfaction, and respect eventually follows. This past summer, I began to realize what he means. While I was volunteering at Kaiser, I overheard my senior co-worker evaluate me to my manager. Cheryl shared that she admired my cheerful charisma, and how I was always prompt and never left tasks open-ended. I had not realized that I had been performing so well. That day, I discovered that becoming successful for your own satisfaction eventually leads people to see the success in you, and respect you for your work.

I asked Azad Baba Ji how he became so successful, and he said there is no limit to success. He continues to strive for success because he views it as a journey, not a destination. This man entered my life through the friendship with my grandfather, and has created a permanent spot in my heart. He possesses four qualities that I wish to develop on in the future: hard work, determination, a persistent striving to learn, and a commitment to oneself to be a good human being and give back to society. He has set the dreams I desire to achieve. His talks with me fermented by belief that life is a big challenge, and the best way to approach life is to respect and appreciate everything around you.

Posted on December 30, 2008

PUNJABI LITERATURE PUBLICATION TRUST IS RELEASING THREE NEW
BOOKS IN 2009

Sacramento: Punjabi Literature Publication Trust is pleased to announce that it will be releasing three newly published books in 2009. First book is by Azad Jullundhary. This book contains Urdu Ghazals type set in Punjabi font. The second book is by Late Jung Singh Ji Giani and Azad Jullundhary and contains religious and historical poetry. The third book published by the Trust is a re_ publication of a book by Santokh Singh Dhir. All three of these books were edited by Trust's Chief Editor, Dr. Gurumel Singh Sidhu.

Picture: During a recent visit to Chetna Parkashan ( Trust's selected publisher) about the progress check of books under publication, Trust President Kuljit S Rai is the founder sitting with ( left to right) Satish Gulati ( Proprieter Chetna Parkashan), Kuljit S Rai, Dev Tharikewala ( famous Punjabi song writer) and Tejinder Pal Singh Nagra (Namberdar VPO Sangat Pur, Phagwara) Punjab.

Posted on December 30, 2008

Harkesh Sandhu M.D.

Every now and then some where in this world, human beings suffer due to man made, or natural disasters. In the third world countries, everyday, poor children and elderly struggle for basic survival, food, health, and education. The number of destitute children and elderly people is on the rise as economic stresses increase day by day. A small token of love, affection, and wealth can go a long way to help the unfortunate in our society.

The organization whose seed were sowed by the Tsunami disaster and words from Dr. Harkesh Sandhu’s daughter “ Daddy just don’t sit do something, something different than just giving money “ lead to birth of Sahaita organization registration of under 501 c 3 IRS code in month of Feb, 2005. Sahaita has no political, Religious, Race and Caste based affiliation as for us every human being should be treated the same. Although we try to serve those who really need help and are poor but sometime it is difficult to judge and if someone declares he or she has nothing we still try to help as much as we can.

Sahaita organization has three branches: Sahaita Inc. in USA the parent organization, Sahaita Foundation in Canada and Sahaita India. Our web site is www.sahaita.com and all information is available on this website.

Sahaita’s Vision:- "That the children in our society are happy, healthy and well educated, That the elderly in our society can live with dignity and self-respect”

Sahaita’s Mission:- "Hold and support a frail hand; Bring smile on an innocent sad face; Afford dignity to the less fortunate” Sahaita’s work: Our work basically consist of Care of Elderly and Children

In the last three years of its existence the organization has held nearly 30 medical camps in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and nearly 20 health awareness clinics in Northern California . Last one year we did Sunday clinic at Fremont Gurdwara to guide and educate Punjabi community members regarding various diseases especially Diabetes, Hypertension and Heart diseases. Just doing basic teaching sometimes can go a long way in relieving the anxiety of the elderly. Some of the camps are sponsored by NRI’s and others financed by Sahaita organization.

During our camps we have examined over 30000 patients and we have seen how just the basic illnesses are being neglected. People are just ignorant or being misguided by the quacks and undocumented so called doctors. How people spend all the money on seeing the doctors, unwanted tests sometimes and at the end have no money left to buy the medications. Most of the patients that come to our medical camps are ones who cannot afford two meals a day and how can they pay for medical bills. Dr. Rajinder Singh who is the backbone of our “Gift Of Vision Program” has done thousands of Cataract surgeries and other minor eye surgeries and we are indebted to his greatness and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the poor elderly folks.

Our second major project is “ Gift of Hope ” under which we are helping over 100 children who are either orphans, disabled, belonging to disabled parents, abandoned or have no financial resources for education or care. We have two institutions where we are involved:

1. Bal Ghar at Talwandi Dham near Mullanpur where we are sponsoring children for education and care and it is a model institute where the love and affection given to children is beyond description. This has basic infrastructure provided by Sant Bhuriwale and his disciples.

2. Bal Bhawan in Sarabha nagar, Ludhiana where we are more involved and it is an institution run under Red Cross. Three years ago they ran into financial problem and were in news so we are supporting it. The children here are split between those who are Deaf and Mute and some children whose parents are disabled or mentally compromised and cannot take care of them. From time to time we get children from other institutions who are closed or temporary closed. We have just opened a new school at the premises for these children as the Government school’s education was despicable. This is a big project and Sahaita India is looking after this.

3. Sahaita is also helping other facilities who from time to time need help and among them an Institution at Padialla near Kurali, Punjab Home for Helpless, Mentally/Physically Disabled Orphan, Missing, Old Age, Widows and Unclaimed is worth mentioning. This project has Sahaita foundation Canada’s blessings under Dr. Upninderjit Singh (Dr. Jogi)

Posted on December 19, 2008

	“SIKHS IN AMERICA” DVD APPROVED

Onkar Singh Bindra

In addition to textbooks, California Department of Education (CDE) approves Supplemental Instructional Materials (SIM) for use in the public schools, after a review for social content. The approved materials remain on the SIM list for six years and may be seen at the web site of the CDE: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/ap2/lcsearch.asp . The CDE has found the classroom version of the DVD” Sikhs in America ” to be in compliance with the social content requirements of the California Education Code. So, they have approved it for being shown to students of grades 6-12.

It is copyrighted by KVIE Public Television, Sacramento , California (www.kvie.org/viewfinder). Produced in their viewfinder series, it captures social life, family life, spiritual life and economic and work life of the Sikhs in 26 minutes. The DVD also has two extras; “ Understanding Sikhism ”, a 19-minute teaching session, and a 3-minute “ Meet the Sikhs ”. The latter was produced by the KVIE in 2005 and was approved by the CDE as a SIM in 2006. Meet the Sikhs can be seen on the internet at www.youtube.com .

It must be mentioned that the CDE has previously approved the following as Supplemental Instructional Materials.

1. “ The Sikh Next Door: Celebrating America’s Diversity in the Classroom ”: It is approved for grades 6-12. For details see www.sikhnextdoor.org .

2. “ The Boy with Long Hair ”, a coloring book has been approved for grades K-3. It is a fascinating true story of a Sikh boy who initially felt left out at a new school, but eventually succeeded in winning a lot of friends. Written by Ms. Pushpinder Singh, it is

Copyrighted by the Sikh Foundation, 580 College Avenue , Palo Alto , CA 94306 (www.sikhfoundation.org).

Use of these valuable Supplemental Instructional Materials in the schools will help the school kids learn about the Sikhs. Therefore, it is necessary to inform the teachers about the existence of the said CDE-approved Supplemental Instructional Materials. Further, it is highly desirable that California Sikhs write to the Principal of the neighborhood school and the Superintendent of their School District to promote the use of the above-mentioned CDE-approved Supplemental Instructional Materials.

Please note that School Districts can purchase these materials using Proposition 20 Lottery Funds, or any Instructional Materials Funding Realignment Program (IMFRP) funds remaining after the school districts have purchased their required instructional materials like textbooks. It is also important that copies of these are available in all public libraries. Readers, please request your local librarian to order these. If the Librarian or your School District is short of funds to purchase the said materials, please consider buying these and gifting the same to them. Each Elementary School should have at least four copies of “ The Boy with Long Hair ”, one for each class of KG through Gr. 3. Two of copies of the “ Sikhs in America ” and one copy of “ The Sikh Next Door ” will do for each school or library. This will be a very valuable Sewa of the Panth , perhaps more valuable than the Sewa of providing free food and drinks during our Nagar Kirtans in California . (For questions, contact: osbindra@yahoo.com ; Ph. 916-858-2650)

Posted on December 19, 2008