Dr. Ganga Prasad Vimal paid homage and remembered

Eminent literateur, academician, author of several books, thinker, poet and gentlemen to the hilt whose entire life was dedicated for the promotion and preservation of Hindi and the regional dialects and literature and issues related to water, forests, and land of Uttarakhand Dr. Ganga Prasad Vimal was remembered by his followers, friends, family members, disciples, well-wishers and the near and dear ones at Garhwal Bhawan in a condolence meeting convened by Garhwal Hiteshini Sabha, New Delhi.

Dr. Ganga Prasad Vimal sadly met with an accident recently in Columbo and left for his heavenly abode with his daughter Kanupriya and a 20-year-old grandson Shreyas. The hugest tragedy indeed left a myriad number of his well-wishers, family members, and friends in tears.

His last rights were performed at Lodhi Road crematorium along with his daughter and grandson after four days of their death in Columbo. The entire family, his close relative and the literary world was in tears as 85-year-old Dr. Vimal was an extremely popular figure of Uttarakhand as well as India, especially in the literary circles. At today’s condolence meeting attended by several prominent personalities including his grandson who came from the USA paid their rich tributes to this great and towering personality of Uttarakhand and India.

Prominent amongst those who spoke on this occasion and paid their heartfelt tributes to this towering personality were eminent author and literateur and Padam Shri Shyam Singh Shashi, his grandson from America Nikhil, prominent writer, and critic Pradeep Pant, Associate professor of Delhi University Dr. Harendra Aswal, Former Secretary of Hindi academy Harisuman Bisht, Dr. Kusum Nautiyal, Vimalji’s disciple of JNU Upendra, DU’s Associate Professor Pushplata Bhatt, Author Hema Uniyal, Eminent literateur Pooran Chand Kandpal, Dr. Rekha Vyas, Dr. Suniti Rawat, President of Uttarakhand Journalist Forum Sunil Negi, author Ramesh Ghildiyal, Garhwal Hiteshini Sabha president Mohabbat Singh Rana and Dr. Surya Prakash Semwal, etc. Every speaker narrated their experiences while being in the company of Dr. Vimal and also deliberated about his towering personality as an author, thinker, literateur, professor in JNU and about his several books written on various subjects of paramount significance. A somber, down to earth gentleman Dr. Vimal was indeed a great personality of Uttarakhand in Delhi known nationally as an eminent literateur for his outstanding contribution to the literary world.

Grandson Nikhil

I was also fortunate enough as Dr. Vimal released my translated book on Uttarakhand’s ecological disaster of 2013 June titled HAVOC IN HEAVEN in New Delhi. It was indeed a great privilege for a novice like me.

He was a voracious reader and an eloquent speaker as well who had been a long-time professor in JNU and the Director of Central Hindi Directorate in Government of India. May God rest his soul in peace. The condolence meeting was ably conducted by the secretary of Garhwal Hiteshini Sabha Dr. Pawan Maithani.