Obituary : Tribute to ‘A Man of Farmers’

Lucknow: Veteran RSS Pracharak and former national president of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Thakur Sankata Prasad Singh, passed away after a prolonged illness on October 20. He was 94. He was cremated the next day at Bhairakund Ghat on the banks of Gomati. His nephew, Dr Arun, performed the last rites. Kisan Sangh organising secretary Shri Dinesh Kulkarni, general secretary Shri Badrinarayan, national secretary Shri Mohini Mohan Mishra, office secretary Shri Chandrasekhar and many other senior Sangh and Kisan Sangh workers were present on the occassion.
Born on November 21, 1923 at Amali Village under Sonbhadra District, Sankata Prasadji came in contact with Sangh in 1942 when he was studying at Inter College Mirzapur. He became a Pracharak in 1944. He held the responsibility of District and Vibhag Pracharaks in many areas. He worked underground during the Emergency and prepared the ground for starting the Kisan Sangh. Later, he worked as first organising secretary of Kisan Sangh in Uttar Pradesh after 1979. He was national organising
secretary from 1992 to 2005 and then from 2005 to 2009 the national president. He was detected of having cancer in 2004, but even then he continued his
countrywide tour for Kisan Sangh. The workers shaped by him are holding  various important responsibilities in the organisation. Born in an ordinary family he was a Sangh Pracharak for 72 years. He was instrumental in expanding and strengthening the Kisan Sangh work even in remote areas. He motivated the workers to think of nation’s upliftment through the farmers’ upliftment.
UP Governor Ram Naik condoled the death of Shri Singh and visited Keshav Bhawan, where the body was kept, to offer floral tributes. State ministers Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Swati Singh were also present. In his condolence message, Shri Naik said, “Thakur Sankata Prasad Singh was a man of simplicity and had worked for the sake of the farmers and the society. His death has resulted in an irreparable loss in the field of social work.” Condoling his death, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Thakur Sankata Prasad Singh was always ready for social work.” “He had closely worked with the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh for the interests of farmers. His contribution to the organisation will always be remembered,” said Shri Adityanath, who too visited Keshav Bhawan.    n