HP Govt. PR deptt. has released few rare photographs of Himachal’s creator: Dr. YS Parmar.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar, Founder of Himachal Pradesh would continue to be remembered for many reasons especially for accomplishing the formidable task to give much deserved shape and status to the State. He is popularly known as Architect of Himachal and would continue to be known as such. He was also a seasoned parliamentarian able administrator and ardent lover of Pahari language and culture.
Dr. Parmar above all was a Statesman to reckon with. He worked relentlessly and with missionary zeal for the upliftment of hill people and the down-trodden. He had the honour of being a Member of the Constituent Assembly and played an instrumental role in carving out separate State, out of the 31 odd princely hill States. He had great regards for Nehru family. The Nehru family right from Pt. Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi, had soft -corner for Himachal Pradesh due to Dr. Parmar’s personal rapport with this family.
Dr. Parmar was a seasoned parliamentarian and above all an affectionate leader of masses. He can be compared with ‘ Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel’ as he also accomplished for the State, what Patel did for the country. He was a popular leader and people of the State always looked up to him for his guidance. He was held in high esteem not only by the people of the State but the rest of India as well for the rare qualities of head and heart. The attainment of Statehood was a long struggle and arduous task which he accomplished in a peaceful and constitutional way. It was only Dr. Parmar’s prestige in the estimation of Prime Minister that fetched this status to Himachal. He realised the importance of science as the main instrument of social change and used modern knowledge and technology in the service of people of the Pradesh. Dr. Parmar was a keen horticulturist and a farmer by heart. It was due to his love for horticulture that apple cultivation has made such phenomenal progress in Himachal Pradesh. He always favoured the uniform development of the Pradesh.
Like the Himalayas, whose worthy son he was, Dr. Parmar possessed a multi-dimensional personality. He preferred hill cultural traditions and felt proud of being a Pahari. He preferred Pahari food, customs , culture and traditions. He 2 always said that “Pahari people has to be a hard workers,so we should also work hard”and he himself was very hard worker. The honesty and simplicity were apparent in his life. He had no lust for wealth and power. He served the people of the Pradesh earnestly and with dedication. As a social reformer, he would be known for his deeds which he initiated for the progress of the masses in general SCs / STs in particular. Dr. Parmar was a visionary and had a clear concept about the welfare of the hill areas. He strived hard to inculcate a sense of pride and respect in his people by giving them economic strength through such developmental schemes as were conducive to their social and cultural growth in tune with their life style. It was because of his dynamic personality that State has now a network of roads, a large number of educational institutions and centers for health care. The Tourism industry has come to stay as an important economic factor besides growing of fruits and off-season vegetables because of his for farsightedness. His greatest contributions was expansion of the Pradesh and to set new developmental records by integrating it.
Dr. Parmar can be compared to Pt.Nehru for his dream to build Himachal. Under his leadership the dream of modern Himachal Pradesh was realized. What Himachal Pradesh is today and what it will be tomorrow was woven round Dr. Parmar’s life and struggle. It was through this great of man of action that the history of the youngest State of Indian union has been made. It is our moral duty to remember the architect of Himachal, Dr. Y.S. Parmar, on this day with all reverence, not only for achieving State-hood for us but also for the hard work and spirited interest he took in the progress of the Pradesh. He had a deep understanding of the life and problem of hill people and due to his efforts a special cell was created in the Planning Commission for plans of Hill States. It was Dr. Parmar who had given separate identity to this Hill State and due to this reason, the Pradesh witnessed unprecedented development. Himachal Pradesh crossed numerous milestones since attaining statehood on 25th January, 1971, when it was declared as the 18th State of the Union of India. New records in development have been created in various fields since then. The deep and abiding concern of Dr. Parmar for the development of the State and the protection of the Himalayan Environment will serve as beacon light to all who believe in preserving the ecological balance of the region. Forestry and environmental conservation was his first love and that is why he founded, the Himalayan Forest Farming and Environmental Conservation Society. He also introduced three dimensional forest policies to meet out the timber, wood, fuel etc. related day to day needs of the people.
Dr. Parmar also stood for harnessing the hydel power potential of the State on massive scale. For prosperity of the State, he also enforced revolutionary land reform laws in the Pradesh and abolished the zamindari system, which resulted in improvement of the condition of the farmers in the State. His farsightedness had given birth to new social life. Some hilly areas of Punjab State were also merged into Himachal Pradesh in 1966 on the basis of culture and similarity of the Pradesh due to which the present shape and status came into existence.
At the time of formation of Himachal Pradesh most of the population were living below poverty line and uniform development and economic upliftment of the people of the Pradesh that took place during last five decades, the Pradesh today has become a role model of development in the country. Himachal Pradesh started its journey as a backward State but today Himachal Pradesh has wide road network, educational and Health institutions and other basic public facilities to the people of the Pradesh. Cent-percent electrification of the Pradesh has also been ensured way- back in 1987-88. The emotional integration of the State was a dream of Dr. Parmar which was realized during the tenure of successive congress Governments. Dr. Parmar also upheld the high decorum of State Vidhan Sabha during his Chief Ministership. He stressed for safeguarding the interest of the people of the Pradesh and real tribute to Dr. Y.S Parmar, would be to follow his principles and foot-prints.
An IT professional for 17 years, based in the US since the last 12 years. Founded NGO My Himachal and then Himachal Media Pvt. Ltd.. A Himachali forever. Always trying to bring together people whose hearts beat for the state.
