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श्याम मदान
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SHYAM MADAN
LIFELONG MEMORY

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Dedicated as Tribute to

Late Mrs. Harbans Kaur

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PREFACE

In 35 years of my familiarity with Shyam Madan, there is hardly a

moment I could recall when I saw him angry about something. He has
always believed in keeping his life simple and sober, and has never given
in to complexities. For him, ‘human service’ has always taken a higher
pedestal than ‘idol worship’. He is always ready to help others and has
always been committed to social service. He always manages to connect
with the heart of every person he meets, and because of this, he is so
loved and his nature has always been appreciated. He possesses such a
great ability to embed his image in the hearts of the people that it is
almost impossible for them to forget him. No wonder at the age of 80, he
is still in such good terms of friendship with someone who used to play
with him all day long during their childhood. Being friends with someone
for such a long time truly signifies his devotion to the human value. Not
only in friendships, but he has also played his role in family relationships
with utmost sincerity. Being an obedient son, gave full respect to the
elders of the house. He played the responsibility of being the elder
brother and always gave equal status to his life partner. In the role of the
father, he gave immense affection to his daughters, sons-in-laws and
their children.

Through this book, Shri Shyam Madan ji has made a commendable effort
to write down the ups and downs of his life journey, and his
unforgettable experiences through his memories. I have absolute faith
that his writing will prove to be a source of inspiration for our children
and further generations.
Dr. Vijay Chawla

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CHEERFUL FEELING

22 December 2017. This date brought very pleasant news for me as my

lovely grand-daughter gave birth to a baby girl. Suddenly I realized that
this was the beginning of my family’s fourth generation. Regardless of my
growing age, I was enjoying my amazingly growing family which was
quite exciting and joyful for me. As I was relishing this moment of
tremendous happiness with other people, suddenly I started walking
down the memory lane of my late wife Harbans. The one person who
supported me at every step in my life while she was with me had every
right to hear about this news first. Sadly, I had to do this without her. The
news of Arti becoming a Grand-Mother and Gauri becoming a Mother
brought back so many memories of the years gone by. Those golden days
in the city of Bhopal were right on top of my head.

Harbans coming into my life, my lovely daughters Bharti, Arti and Kirti
playing right in the courtyard of our house, their entire childhood- I
started remembering it all. How our life moves forward, giving us new
experiences at every turn, and so many sweet memories. As I go back
and forth, I could remember my childhood in the streets of Pakistan.

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UNDIVIDED INDIA

I was born on May 13, 1940, in the undivided Indian city of Khanewal,
district Multan. I still remember that I used to go with my father to his
grain shop, played in the park nearby, and also celebrated all the
Festivals of those times. On the occasion of one of the most famous
festivals of Punjab- 'Lohri', a folk song was sung, playing the tradition of
collecting wood from house to house. The lyrics of that folk song were as
follows –

“ लोई-लोई लक्कड़ दिवा, जीवे तेरा प्यो ते प्रा, िो िादियााँ, िो रमबे, हक ुं ार मारे चम्बे,
नाइयाुं िे दिछाव्ड़े दिद्दड बैठा कम्बे, टोर भाई टोर साडा शहर है लाहोर, साडी तदलयााँ िैयााँ ठर,
साडी मााँ मरेसी घर ”

At the age of five, our mother, whose fainting memories are still on my
mind, passed away. Considering my sisters’ and my age, in 1946, our
father considered it reasonable to have a second marriage. We received
immense affection and belonging from this mother. Till her last breath,
she taught us and paved the way for us to have a respectable life ahead.
Even all my brothers and sisters, and I left no stone unturned in giving
them love and respect.

My mother’s difficult time began just one year after their marriage, when
she faced many difficulties, arising out of the India-Pakistan partition,
with the responsibility of her children along with it. At that time, I was
only seven years old, but I remember certain bits of that tragedy till date.

In 1947, India and Pakistan were partitioned. We all know what a tragedy
it was for us at that time. We came here from Pakistan after facing a lot
of troubles. Many homes were ruined and many people were displaced,
all right in front of my eyes. Leaving everything in Pakistan, coming here
and wandering for years; the time before the partition and the time after
are the memories still fresh.

“The painful journey of the train, filled up with humans like sheep and
goats. People were falling from the train, starving and suffering from that
inexplicable thirst. "

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The journey from Multan to Atari was supposed to be completed in just 5

hours, but at that time, it took 40 long hours to complete it. Without
eating anything, I was sitting on the roof of the train among other
people. Many people fell by the train right in front of us. Suddenly, there
came a moment when I lost my balance as well and started slipping. I
thought this was it, but God had a different plan. Some unknown person
pulled me back and I survived. One way or another, we reached Lahore
station. Every moment, there was a war going on between life and death,
but when we reached Atari station in India, our hearts came back to life.
Seeing thousands of Hindus and Sikh volunteers standing there waiting to
help us, our hopes of surviving were then strengthened. There were prior
arrangements of refugee camps for us. Later, we reached Jalandhar. Our
father found a gentleman who broke the lock of a house and arranged for
us to live. Together, all of us cleaned the place and started living. Though,
seeing the inappropriate atmosphere of the city, my father was very
disappointed and started worrying about the future of their children. He
started having thoughts like “How will my children learn in a place like
this?” He got scared and decided to go to Delhi at our Aunt’s Place.

Seeing the future so bleak and full of uncertainty, our life looked like a
undetermined kite and there was no way out. Even after reaching Delhi
station, we could not go to the main city due to the curfew imposed for
three days and orders to shoot on sight prevailing in the city. We had to
remain at the station itself. As I was walking along with my father on the
platform, he noticed a train ready to depart. He asked a gentleman
nearby about the destination of the train. The gentleman politely told us
that the train was leaving for Jaipur. My father thought for a while and
then immediately asked us to pack the luggage. My mother added that
we have some relatives in Jaipur who might help us.

We got a room in Jhalani's mansion in Jaipur at a rent of three rupees

and fifty paisa per month. After getting basic necessities sorted, my
father headed in search of work. Gradually, the situation started
improving. Business began to take off. We bought a house after some
time and my father admitted all of us to school. In time, our family grew
and we became six siblings.

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FAMILY HARMONY

After finishing my schooling in Jaipur, I went to Bhopal to do engineering.

After completing my degree, I got a job in Bharat Heavy Electricals
Limited (BHEL). As a part of my job, I was fortunate to have got the
opportunity to visit some of the big government factories in South India,
which was an immense learning experience. My father’s business in
Jaipur was also doing well.

In 1965, I got married to 'Harbans Dhingra', an educated and cultured

woman who used to do a government job in Bhopal. Her Father was a
revolutionary, who fought for the Independence with Shaheed Bhagat
Singh. After our marriage, she started studying further and also managed
the family with household works paralleled. My first daughter Bharti
came into our life in 1966 and in 1967, the second daughter Arti was
born. I was living a happy life with my two daughters and my wife, but
there were some unseen future scenarios.

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In 1970, I suddenly got news from Jaipur that my father was unwell for
some time then. My wife and I got ready to leave for Jaipur forever
because both my brothers were still studying in school there. Though, the
decision of Harbans leaving her government job and move to Jaipur was
bothering me as I had this doubt about whether she would be able to get
another job or not. Contrary to my thinking, my wife decided to leave her
job immediately and got ready to serve her mother-in-law in this difficult
time. Before coming to Jaipur and taking over father's business, another
job was offered to me in the Central Government after I went to resign
from Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. eventually; I preferred working with
my father.

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On 13 March 1971, I was given a farewell party and came to Jaipur with
my family. In order to set up my own business along with working on my
father’s, I planned to set up an 'Automatic Pulses Processing Plant' at
Govind Marg, Adarsh Nagar. I started managing a pulses mill and my
younger brother took over the father's business at an early age along
with his studies. It has always been my endeavor to do my business with
full ethics and integrity, and I did so. I have never used unfair methods in
the race to earn money, nor have I mistreated the merchants and
employees associated with me. Gradually, everything went on well in the
new beginning of life, and our business started to grow with the support
of the whole family.

In 1970, my third daughter, Kirti was born. My wife contributed a lot in

handling the family and the children. She considered family’s choice as
paramount. She never prioritized her desires and wishes over her
families. As a daughter of a freedom fighter, it was natural to instill in her
a sense of patriotism. At the same time, her behavior was very tender
and simple.

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Along with being very vigilant towards health, eating punctually became
part of her daily routine. She also gave affection to my younger brothers
like their mother and also managed their weddings with full fervor. Our
joint family seemed like an ideal family through mutual coordination, in
which my three daughters also got immense affection from the family
members. Thus it can be said that she had all the qualities of an ideal
homemaker. Apart from doing all the household chores, she was also a
good teacher of Sanskrit and various other subjects, so she taught many
children for free at our home itself.

In 1979, my brother Ramesh married a worthy girl named Ritu, and in

1984, younger brother Suresh got married to Kamal. Ramesh and Ritu
had a son 'Rohit' and a daughter 'Pallavi'. Suresh and his wife 'Kamal' had
two daughters Shilpi and Tanvi and a son who they named Dev. Life
continued and they built a good reputation with their businesses in the
professional world. The love of the three brothers never fell.

My three daughters completed their education and as they got suitable

groom for themselves, they were tied in the eternal and pure bond of
love; marriage.

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My eldest daughter Bharti got married to Vijay Chawla in 1985, Arti got
married to Anil Arora in 1989, and the youngest of three - Kirti got
married to Akhil Arora in 1991. The trio has one daughter and one son
each. All the children after completing their studies are busy in their
suitable respective jobs and occupations.

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My younger brother Ramesh's son Rohit was married to a quite talented

girl Shelley. He has a son Shaurya Veer, and daughter Samaira. Shelley
and Rohit have not only kept the joint family in a strong bond, but also
make our entire family an ideal one. I really admire their tenacity to keep
this whole family together firmly. At all times, Shelley has given immense
love and affection to my three daughters. She has always been
considered a daughter rather than a daughter-in-law. Shaurya and
Samaira also gave me immense affection.

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About 12 years ago, I decided to gather every member of our family for
my birthday as it was a time when everyone got much occupied with
their respective careers. This campaign was successful to a great extent
as it was a wonderful time spent.

Every year since then, the whole family gathers for spending some
quality time in new resorts. Seeing everyone joyful and relaxed really
makes me feel blessed. It’s a great satisfaction for me to contribute
towards the happiness of my dear ones.

Santosh is an important part of our home, who has

given full support to my entire family as his own
and has always been alert to my health. Not only
this, Santosh has also given full support in house-
hold works and has always been our well-wisher.

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श्याम मदान
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Nothing can be said about who we meet in life and how and when we
meet, and how some strangers get such an important place in our life in
such a short span of time.

Dr. CP Sharma, being a kind, noble and intelligent woman, became as

loving as my sister very soon. Her daughter 'Abha' lives in Edinburgh,
Scotland. I consider Abha as my fourth daughter. She is quite sensitive by
nature. In fact, she too bears all the responsibilities of being a daughter
to me. She shares every little thing that happens in her life with me, and
values every advice given by me.

Furthermore, I have received immense affection and respect from the

son of Dr. CP Sharma Saurabh and daughter-in-law Kritika. Gradually they
became a part of our life and our family.

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

After being satisfied with such a blessed family, my interest in social

work also started growing. I was fortunate to have got the opportunity of
becoming the "General Secretary'' of the Jaipur Dal Mill Association in
1975. In 1977, I was appointed to the Executive Committee in the
Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. In 1977 got a place in Rama
Krishna Middle School Executive Committee, Adarsh Nagar. Even after
making the best contributions to my family and business, I remained
actively involved in social work. My wife Harbans was also a pioneer in
social service. She educated the children of economically backward
classes and did many supporting services for the needy women. Along
with family responsibilities, the responsibility of social service was also
well fulfilled.

In 1984, I was appointed as the President of the Lions Club. In 1985, I was
appointed as the Zone Chairman. In 1990, I was given the opportunity to
join and work in the service functions by serving as District Governor. I
also forwarded my hand in organizing many blood donation camps, tree
plantations, and medical camps. Out of all these projects, the most
important one for me was the operation project under which more than
125 camps were set up in small villages.

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I was honored by the President of Lions International for this charitable

work. In 1994, I got an opportunity to go to Nepal for the meeting of the
management committee of Lions Club International.

In 1995, as a member of the executive committee of the Productivity

Council of India, I got an opportunity to go to Nepal. We formally
inspected the Guwahati Refinery. In this work, apart from me, there were
16 other delegates, who were experts from different fields. On this tour,
we visited the rhinoceros park of Kanjiranga and a lot of picturesque
places in Shillong.

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In 1995, I was elected to the post of Chairman in the Craft Council of

Rajasthan, which is affiliated to the Crafts Council of India. I had the
opportunity to work in this Organization for about 15 years, in which we
worked on several schemes to support various groups of craftsmen and
artisans. Organizing exhibitions, training programs and
survey/documentation of many handicrafts in big cities were integral to
this council. Economic cooperation was also provided to the craftsmen by
the Ministry of Development, Government of India for all these schemes.

Furthermore, I became the Chairman of Jaipur Dal Mill Association. While

holding this position, the Government of India received appreciation
from the Planning Commission of India, keeping my contribution in
pulses production in record. According to my suggestions given to the
Planning Commission, the waste that comes out at the time of processing
pulses, if taken into account, can significantly increase the production of
pulses and the large amount of foreign exchange that is incurred in the
import of pulses, can be controlled. The Central Government wrote these
letters to many state governments, stating my suggestions, and urged
these states to follow them.

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In 2000, I got an opportunity to serve in the Bharat Vikas Parishad. Under

that, I had many social responsibility projects like providing the essential
goods to the needy people in the schools, and economically backward
students of the slums and disadvantaged areas. Gradually, I became the
chairman of the Development Council Branch and also served as the
General Secretary and further, Provincial President of the Rajasthan
province.

In the year 2000, when I was 60, I decided to retire from my business.
Introspecting about my life, I realized that my family responsibilities
were fulfilled. All the three daughters were married and both younger
brothers took over their respective businesses. Still, it was not at all easy
to completely close the Dal Mill; neither for me, nor for my employees. I
completed this task by forgiving all the borrowings of the traders and by
giving six months’ advance salary to all my employees.

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It was decided to build a shopping complex in the place of this Dal Mill,
with which I can start getting pension in the form of rent for my living.
Moreover, I started investing in real estate as well.

After my retirement, life became a bit slow-paced as I felt relieved from

certain roles, but there was still a void in my life that nothing else could
fill. My wife Harbans left me so early that I was left in vain.

Her health deteriorated due to the side effects of a simple headache

medicine taken by her. Even after such relentless efforts, she could not
be saved. She took her last breath at Santokba Durlabhji Memorial
Hospital on the midnight of 6 February 1994.

After the death of Harbans ji, there was monotony in my life because I
was dependent on her to a great extent. Suddenly I started feeling like I
was alone. I started worrying about my three daughters. For a moment,
I felt that their maternal home would be no more the same for them. It
was very difficult for me to do all this alone. But life became easier with
the support of the whole family. My younger brother's wife Ritu not only
took care of me but also gave immense affection and love to my
daughters. Ritu is a person who has never hurt anyone, never got angry,
always respected elders, has great affection for children and welcomed
the guest in the house with full devotion, whether that guest is one of
our relatives’ relative. She never exposed her tiredness and troubles
from her face, always cared for others and gave them a sense of
belonging. Such a simple, easygoing, gentle, tolerant Ritu played the role
of a mother despite being my daughter's age. She not only took care of
me, but also gave immense affection to Bharti, Arti and Kirti. They have
not felt the lack of mother till today. Ritu and Ramesh also get full credit
for the honor of all the three sons-in-law in this house.

Ramesh may not express his feelings easily, but is so sure that every
small and big decision of Ritu’s is accepted by him. He supports Ritu in
every step and also encourages her from time to time. The rituals of
keeping a joint family together are seen in very few families. In this era,
they have set a new example and uphold the ideals of joint family with
full devotion.

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Mr. Khanchand Madan (my father) has always been my inspiration since
my childhood. He was a religious and Karma Yogi as well as an idealistic
human being. He died after fighting paralysis for 9 long years. In his last
time, he only remembered the name of Lord ‘Rama’. We made every
effort in the medical field for his health improvement but could not
succeed. I had always imbibed his ideals and education, and have tried
my best to follow them.

Over a period of time, I made my presence in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak

Sangh (RSS) and participated in exercise and sports programs.

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TRAVELOGUE

Now that I have described my basic life and all the people who have been
a part of it, let me put some light over my travel history, especially on the
places abroad.

United Kingdom

In 2004, I was invited by Abha to visit Scotland and stay with her family
for a few days. I reached Edinburgh with Dr. CP Sharma and Dr. Vijay
Chawla (my eldest son-in-law). I can never forget the love and belonging
that I got during my stay of almost 40 days. Those days are included in
golden days of my life which make me feel very happy and nostalgic. Not
only did Abha make me visit the country, but she also introduced me to
her friends living there due to which we got an opportunity to get to
know their culture closely. Abha and Harman, being the great host, took
us to a new place every day and made our stay memorable.

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After 15 days, Vijay had to come back to India to look after his business
whereas I had taken a visa for Schengen, and decided to go to Paris with
Harman. For some reason, Harman could not go with me because of his
official purpose. While walking through a market in London, I saw a
travel agency, to which I inquired about the tour going to Paris. Realizing
the fact that I was travelling alone, the idea of going with a tour came to
my mind. After thinking for a while, I requested the agent to confirm my
booking in a tour going after two days.

Paris

At the age of 64, going to an unknown country with no understanding of

the language was a very selective experience in itself. Today was the day
to meet the people with whom I had booked the tour. Today was the day
to travel with some unknown people on the un-destined journey.

Finally, that journey started. On the bus, I saw a Gujarati family, who
were 15 to 20 people together chatting and playing with each other.
Looking at them, I started feeling lonely. I stood up from the corner of
the bus, and approached them by clapping and said, "Please forgive me, I
have made a mistake by coming here. All of you are traveling with your
whole family, but I am left alone. In such a situation it would not be
possible for me to travel in this long journey.” Hearing this, those
gentlemen, showing great consideration, made me sit with them and
started talking to me. They were then treating me as their family
member. We were playing and having fun. The journey became blissful.

Paris is a very beautiful city which cannot be described in words. I got a

lot of love from this Gujarati family throughout the journey. There were
some challenges due to language, but with everyone's support, we
overcame them.

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Mumbai - Lakshadweep Star Cruise

The first cruise of my life in 2007 was a thrilling experience. The giant
ship standing at Mumbai Port and the whole world inhabited is no less
than a wonder. I went on this trip with Vijay and his entire family. Sitting
in the open air and watching the sea waves is one of the most precious
moments of my life.

Mauritius

In 2007, a delegation from Mauritius came to India for yoga training at

Delhi Indian Institute of Yoga. Being the Chairman of the Jaipur unit of
the Indian Yoga Institute, it was my responsibility to make them visit
Jaipur, which I did with all my dedication. Everyone expressed their
happiness, after visiting the cultural heritage of Jaipur, by inviting me to
visit Mauritius soon.

In 2008, Mr. Baburam Chawla, Mr. P.D. Madan, Sardar Shri Naunihal
Singh, and I had the opportunity to visit Mauritius with the aim of
promoting Yoga. We were welcomed by the people with great respect.
They came to pick us up at the airport by traveling a distance of 75 kms.
On our way back, we were told about the culture and history of the
place. Bhojpuri and French were their national languages.

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We found that everyone was happy with the government and there were
many facilities provided such as free treatment in hospitals, free
education of any kind, free bus travel for students, and pension for all
senior citizens, etc.

Our journey till 'Lalmati' was quite exciting and enlightening. In our stay,
we were given a full two room apartment which was fully furnished.
After resting for some time, everyone had a meal together and planned
for the next few days.

Mauritius is a very quiet and violence free country, which has more than
40 beautiful beaches. Every day, we would go out for an excursion after
taking breakfast in the morning. In the evening, we used to complete the
day by sharing knowledge on spirituality and involvement in yoga
practice. We had precious days laughing and enjoying them and they will
always be remembered. By singing and dancing, they gave us the
memorable farewell celebration on the eve of our departure night.

Entire South India

October - November 2009

Mr. Ved Kataria, Dr. Desraj Parnami, Mr. P.D. Madan and myself decided
to travel all over South India. We started our journey by train from Jaipur
to complete the tour that included places like Anand, Baroda, Goa,
Cochin Kerala, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Rameswaram, Bangalore and
Mysore. 26 days later we reached back to Jaipur via Hyderabad.

In the second phase of my life journey, I took many exciting trips with my
daughters' families.

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Kerala

In 2013, we organized a family trip to go to Kerala with all the three

daughters and their children. Kerala’s scenic beauty, sea and greenery is
always mesmerizing. We hired a motor boat to celebrate the sacred
festival of Raksha-Bandhan with all the rituals on the boat itself. I was
much cherished to see all the children rejoicing. That whole journey will
always be memorable for all the children and me.

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Singapore - Langkawi Gemini Star Cruise

2016 was the second best experience with my daughters and all their
children. This time the giant cruise traveled from Singapore to Malaysia.
This experience was even more comfortable and enjoyable because this
time my younger brother's wife 'Ritu' and his daughter 'Pallavi' were also
with us.

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Bali

In 2018, I got an opportunity to visit Bali, Indonesia with Vibha, Viral and
Somya. Keeping in mind the convenience, the children had already
booked a car, days before the tour started, which we got from Bali
airport without a driver. For seven days, the car remained with us. Bali is
the only city in the entire Muslim country predominantly resided by
Hindus.

We had rented a house on a farm, far from the city, which also had a
swimming pool, luxury room, garage and kitchen where we stayed for
two nights. That experience was very new and wonderful for all of us. We
stayed so close to nature, and even got an opportunity to know the
people living there. After completing the journey happily, we came back
but it seems that the mind is still wandering there.

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Royal Caribbean Cruise (Singapore - Malaysia - Thailand)

2019 - USA cruise company - Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, one
of the 10 largest ships in the world, arrived in Singapore to depart for
Malaysia and Thailand. I had already been on a cruise ship twice before,
but the experience of this multi-storied cruise was something I had never
had before.

After spending four days in the city of Singapore, the cruise made two
more trips to Phuket and Penang, the cities of Thailand and Malaysia.
Apart from Viral and Somya, their friends Prateek and Radha with their
baby girl Radhika, were also with us. We did the entire local sightseeing
of Singapore by metro rail. This experience was quite delightful for me. I
got a chance to know people’s lifestyle while travelling with them in the
metro. Radha and Prateek, being the friends of my grandchildren, took
great care of me and gave me utmost regard. I was also captivated by
their cheerful nature.

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SPIRITUAL ASPECT

It seems that the foundation of my spiritual education was placed at the

age of 5-6 years. After the death of our mother, Bua ji and Fufa ji raised
us who also lived in the same House in Khanewal, Multan. I received
spiritual knowledge from Fufa ji who was an ardent devotee of Shri
Krishna. He used to teach me ‘Gayatri Mantra’ and narrate me the story
of ‘Ramayana, Mahabharata’ and each of the characters associated with
it. I used to listen with curiosity and attention, understand and
remember everything. By the age of six, I had learnt ‘Hanuman Chalisa’
by heart. After the partition of India and Pakistan, my father gave me the
knowledge about various subjects and taught me the rituals of our family
traditions which appeared to be very useful in life. After some time, I
joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, where I got education in
patriotism, sports and yoga.

I also took formal training in yoga school by visiting Rishikesh and

practicing ‘yoga asana’ for years. In 1980, I got an opportunity to join a
branch of the Indian Institute of Yoga. In one of their practice camps, I
was made aware of Maharishi Patanjali's compilation of Yoga sutras in
which he told us eight parts for complete welfare and physical, mental
and spiritual purification. They explained a path of yoga with organs. I
got to know that Ashtanga yoga (yoga with eight limbs) should not be
understood as a path with eight different steps; it is an eight-dimensional
passage in which the eight dimensions are practiced simultaneously.
These eight parts of yoga are: Yama, Niyam, Asana, Pranayama,
Pratyahara, Dharna, Dhyaan and Samadhi. I believe that my interest in
yoga practice has been due to the spiritual atmosphere in my culture and
family.

In a short period of time, I was made the head of the Indian Institute of
Yoga. In Jaipur, we opened more than 16 branches. I completed my
training in spirituality and yoga by going to many different camps related
to it. In 1984, I started a yoga class at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park. I was
the chairman of the Bhagat Singh park committee for 6 continuous years.
All my colleagues, in yoga class, have had stood by me with full

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dedication and support. We have even completed many trips to

Rajasthan together.

Whatever happens to us in life, I believe, God has had some purpose

behind it. I experienced this when my wife Harbans ji died at a very
young age. Along with a feeling of loneliness, I was surrounded by many
negative thoughts. I went to listen to lectures of many saints, and started
practicing yoga. I also tried to keep my mind calm and comfortable. But
in-spite of all these, my heart was not happy at all. Living my life without
my true partner, who supported me in all circumstances, has never been
an easy task.

Meanwhile, I got an opportunity to join the Shri Ram Chandra Mission,

which has many branches all over the world. After taking initiation there,
I started focusing on yoga and meditation. I have started following their
lessons in my life by maintaining the balance of spiritual life along with
this worldly life. I was deeply impressed by their ideology which says that
it is not necessary to sacrifice worldly things in order to bring spirituality
and spiritual practice into your life. You can be spiritual even while
leading a family life. I also read the literature of Ram Chandra Mission in
detail to fulfill the curiosities of spirituality. Also, I understood the
importance of meditation they perform. I continue to participate in their
meditation every Sunday morning at the Ashram itself.

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I was whole-heartedly impressed by my elder son-in-law Vijay's father,

Shri Baburam Chawla, who used to do ‘Satsang’ and teach yoga to all his
followers daily. He also had a great knowledge of Ayurveda, which is why
he used to give free consultation of Ayurvedic medicines for the
treatment of many diseases. I also started learning about his spiritual
knowledge and the art of living. He also cherished my company. Our long
discussions started on many topics of spirituality and meditation. It was
certain that he understood the art of living in worldly life very well. Being
with him, I also tried my best to follow it in my lifestyle. Here, I would
also like to mention some of his sayings and teachings that can be useful
and inspiring for everyone -

• Living like a Saint in your household is the greatest austerity.

• The lower the desires and expectations in life, the lesser will be the
misery.

• Anxiety makes a person sick, thinking provides health.

• God is one, everything else is zero. If zero remains later, the value of
everything will increase. Always put God first.

• Honestly earned money always gives happiness, and money earned by

fraud always causes misery.

• Hands raised for service are purer than hands raised for prayer.

• Good conduct and moral values are the greatest prayers.

• The first rank of happiness is in the family.

One day, a person asked me - “After so many days and years which you
have spent learning spirituality and meditation, what have you earned?”
I spontaneously said “Nothing, however let me tell you what all I lost”
Shri Baburam Ji, who was sitting near me, got up by praising me and said,

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this is true that we can lose Anger, Depression, Anxiety, Insecurity, fear
of old age and death, etc just by the meditation.

Shri Baburam Chawla ji, was not in his stable mental state in his last days.
He was not able to say anything or identify anyone. Though, a few
moments before his last breath, he recognized me and called me by my
name. A few moments later, he left us all. Vijay lost his father but I lost
my brother, guide and dear friend. I learned many knowledgeable things
from him and tried to make my life meaningful by following them. Even
today they are like a pleasant feeling in my memories. It has been my
pleasure that I can spread all the knowledge further which I got from him
and these lessons have been my continuous striving paths with which I
feel my inner peace.

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As everyone knows about the functioning of the Arya Samaj and the
usefulness of the ‘havan’ done by them regularly, I also got an
opportunity to join the organization. I am the part of ‘havan’ now which
is done for the purification of the atmosphere and it continues regularly
even today.

Shri Satyamev Samvedi ji is the head of the Arya Samaj - Jaipur as well as
the founder of the Vedic Girls School and College, who contributed his
priceless efforts in the propagation of Arya Samaj ideology in Jaipur city.
He is praised throughout the country for the outstanding work done by
him in the Arya Samaj towards its promotion and dissemination. By
providing free education to the girls from poor families, he has always
looked forward to their bright future. The day he proposed to appoint me
as the administrator of Vedic Girls College, I gladly accepted it because I
have always been interested in social works done out of selflessness. This
is the reason why I decided to stay on the post of Administrator as an
honorary without any salary.

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Most revered Shri K. L. Jain (Honorary General Secretary - Rajasthan

Chamber of Commerce and Industries) met me as my idol, with whom I
have spent 40 years as an Additional Secretary.

Together we participated in many social service programs and tried to

provide all possible help to the weaker section of the society. As
everyone knows, Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce is an association of
industrialists and businessmen, which works for their interests. While
holding the post of general secretary, Mr. K.L. Jain performed his duty
with full devotion and dedication. I was very much inspired by him and
started to serve with him in the Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce. I got
immense affection and respect, for which I will always be grateful to him.

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FRIENDSHIP BOND

In 1957, a few of my friends decided to spend every Sunday evening

together. I am very happy to mention here that the meeting of those
‘comrades’ is still going on till today. Even today we meet and do
something entertaining. I love making new friends, talking to them on
every subject and supporting each other. This is why I have got very
sincere friends in my life.

If I do not mention my friend Mr. Hansraj Khurana in my life travelogue,

it would be a great injustice. How can I forget the person with whom I
have spent my whole life sharing my grief and happiness? The one who
has always extended a helping hand without any question, who has
never worried about whether it was day or night for helping me and
whose whole family has always respected me.

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Hansraj ji is a very simple and sociable person by nature. He has a very

positive outlook towards things. Even at the age of 80, his behavior
reflects the innocence of a child. We practice yoga together, do social
work through the Bharat Vikas Parishad and discuss almost any subject of
interest. We both had a very friendly relationship for years, but five years
ago we decided to convert this relationship into kinship. After getting my
grand-daughter 'Gauri' and Hansraj's grand-son 'Ayush' married, we now
became close relatives and much more than being friends.

The most important part of my life journey is all my friends, without

whose cooperation and companionship, life seems dull.

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ENDLESS LIFE

I have made you aware of the fond memories and experiences of my

journey so far. God has been very kind to me that my family always stood
by me in my grief and happiness. My daughters, my sons-in-law, my
beloved grandchildren and their partners, all gave me a lot of respect. I
thank all of them from the depths of the heart, who run to my one voice.
Though, no matter how much I thank my younger brother Ramesh and
Ritu, it will never be enough. All the persons in my life who have never
let me feel alone. Today I consider myself the luckiest person in the
world. Not only my family, but my friends and some people I know,
despite having no blood relations, have supported me in every joy and
sorrow of my life.

I am extremely grateful to God that despite all the ups and downs in my
life, I got a place with ample amounts of facilities and happiness. I not
only got to see my grandchildren growing up, all laughing and playing,
but I also got that rare golden opportunity by the almighty to see the
faces of my great-grandchildren. I guess that if there is a measure of a
man’s life, I have gone quite higher up on the scale, and I couldn’t be
more thankful that I did.

Actually ‘life’ is endless. The river flows like pure water and continues to
move from generations to generation. Sometimes it rejoices, sometimes
it thrills. Look at the pleasant feeling with which I started this book is
exactly the same feeling while writing the last lines of this book. Because
I got the same good news that my Bharti's daughter Vibha gave a birth to
beloved ‘Inaya’. These happy moments give fullness to my life and are
added to my memories involuntarily. If possible, I will bring you new
memories in the second edition of this book.

‘Ishra to Inaya’

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‘Inaya’

26 April 2020

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 46

1963 - Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Bhopal.

1963 - Job in Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) in Water Turbine and Rate
Department.
1971 - Launched its own industry pulses processing automated plant in Jaipur.
1975 - Appointed as 'General Secretary' of Jaipur Dal Millers Association (JDMA).
1976 - Member of 'Management Committee' of Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce
and Industries (RCCI).
1978 - Promoted as 'President' of Jaipur Dal Millers Association (JDMA).
1980- Appointed as 'General Secretary' of Rajasthan Dal Mill Owners Association
(RDMOA).
1980- Charter Vice President of Lions Club Jaipur.
1984 - President at Lions Club Jaipur.
1985- 'Zone Chairman' in Lions Club International District 323E1.
1985- 'President' in Craft Council of Rajasthan.
1986 - Worked as 'Managing Committee Member' in Ram Krishna Secondary
School.
1987 - Appointed as the Region Chairman of Lions Club.
1990 - Served as 'Joint Secretary' in Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce and
Industries (RCCI).
1990- 'National Coordinator' of Lions Club (C.S.F).
1990 - Lions Club International honoured with 'President Award'.
1995 - Attends International Conference of Lions Club.
1995- Paper presentation in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and
appreciation by the government.
2000- Attended the meeting of Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and
Industries, New Delhi.
2003 - Attended RBI Core Committee meeting on behalf of RCCI.
2004- Served as 'Additional Secretary' in the Chamber of Commerce and
Industries (RCCI).
2007 - Training of Yoga and Pranayama in Mauritius.
2011 - Appointed as 'State Secretary-General' of the Development Council of
India.
2012 - Appointed as 'State President' of Bharat Vikas Parishad (Raj. North East).
2012- Worked as 'Honorary Administrator' of the Vedic girl P.G. College.

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With love and blessings of

Late Sh. Khan Chand Madan & Late Smt. Shanti Devi

Your creation is reflected in writing a story and a book of poems, your

communication skills in writing a book on a personality. But in writing
your own life travelogue, the whole world of your memories is reflected.
It is more difficult than I thought to adjust those lived moments to today's
memories. God has immense grace on me that I have got a very good
memory in my inheritance, due to which I was able to present my life
travelogue to you in a very easy manner. My parents taught me a life
lesson that helped me live a wonderful life. They taught me discipline,
hard work, courtesy and always respecting others. They stood by me in
all my struggles.

Younger’s of my family also gave me immense affection and respect

which I am grateful for, as they always put an extra effort in supporting
me throughout my life journey. I really don't know where I could have
been, if they hadn't given me the love I desperately needed at every age.

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