Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza was deeply rooted in the spiritual and cultural traditions of the country and always believed in shared humanity that transcended individual differences. He always promoted interconnectedness, inclusivity and peaceful coexistence and harmony among different faiths, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said in Srinagar on November 1. He was speaking at an international seminar on the iconic writer in the summer capital of Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir.
It may be mentioned here that Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza wrote the dialogues of the immensely popular tele-serial Mahabharat produced by B. R. Chopra. It made its debut on Indian television in October 1988 and its 94 episodes were aired. Chopra’s son Ravi Chopra was the Director of the serial. Its script was written by Pandit Narendra Sharma and Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza, who was rated as one of the top Hindi/Urdu poets of his time.
At the inaugural function, Mr Sinha said that our sole aim is to foster peace and prosperity to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisioned. For holistic development, we must blend tradition with technology and focus on modern advancements in developmental journey to ensure equal opportunities to all, he said.
In his address to well-known literary personalities from India and abroad, he said that Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza was undoubtedly one of the greatest writers of his time and earned a hallowed name for himself in India’s literary history. “Dr Rahi Masoom Raza was deeply rooted in the spiritual and cultural traditions of the country and always believed in shared humanity that transcended Individual differences. He always promoted interconnectedness, inclusivity and peaceful coexistence and harmony among different faiths,” Mr Sinha said.
He said that the tangible and intangible legacy of Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza is priceless and a beacon of light to young generations. “I believe the rich legacy of Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza will guide our society toward progress and prosperity by providing valuable ideas, ideals and fostering shared identity and social cohesion”, he said.
Mr Sinha highlighted numerous important tasks before society and the nation today and called for strong national identity and the revival of wisdom of our priceless heritage to spur all-round development. “Our cultural heritage can foster collective identity, build resilience and solidarity among diverse groups to drive economic growth. We must learn from the past to gain self-confidence and let the historical lessons, wisdom, ideals guide us towards future opportunities for growth and innovation”, he said.
The LG said that for holistic development, we must blend tradition with technology and focus on modern advancements in developmental journey to ensure equal opportunities to all. “Our sole aim is to foster peace and prosperity to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat,” he further said. The three day international seminar will culminate on Monday evening, Principal Secretary, Culture Department, B M Sharma said. As part of the proceedings spread over three days, at least three dozen eminent poets and authors will speak on Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza. On Sunday, a mushiara at Tagore Hall is being organised at which spectators will get time to hear the latest ghazals of these poets.
Professor Nilofer Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Professor Naveen Chandra Lohani, Vice Chancellor, Uttarakhand Open University; Sameer Anjaan, Film Lyricist; Brij Mohan Sharma, Principal Secretary, Culture department; Asif Azmi, Director IDEA Communications and Convenor of the Seminar; Professor Pervez Ahmed, Dean, Student Welfare Department; University of Kashmir; senior officials, prominent literary personalities and youth in large number attended the inaugural session at University of Kashmir.
