Rich Tributes paid to Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht at Press Club Of India

The former colleague of late Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht, a legend of relentless struggles and a fighter for the peoples’ cause, member of parliament from Almora, Uttarakhand, Pradeep Tamta has hailed Dr. Bisht as a dedicated crusader against corruption, liquor n mining mafia, a committed separate state movement activist and a senior journalist who dedicated his entire life for the common masses and stood for socio political ethics , morality and transparacy in public life thus fighting and struggling relentlessly against all odds. Pradeep Tamta emphasised : late Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht and his thoughts, ideology and dedication for the society n the people of the lowest ebb could not be confined to limited boundaries as his liberal views and pro people actions knew no boundaries against the ruling political establishments since the last five decades or more. The Congress Member of Parliament Pradeep Tamta was addressing mediamen, intellectuals, socio political activists, writers and members of various social organisations at Press club of India premises on 28th September why expressing his richest heartfelt tributes to Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht. Pradeep Tamta, MP who had been with Dr. Bisht for several years before being elected as MLA n MP in various political movements in the hills of Uttarakhand on issues against big dams, corruption, liquor, mining and land mafia and university movements termed Dr. Bisht as a legend of Uttarakhand and the entire forces of struggles for the peoples’ cause who’d devoted n dedicated his entire life for the downtroddens, economically deprived and those at the lowest ebb of the society. The media fraternity garlended the picture of late Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht and kept silence for two minutes in honour of the great leader. Prominent amongst those who spoke and expressed their condolence were Pradeep Tamta, MP RS , Sunil Negi, president, Uttarakhand Journalists Forum, Senior Journalist Umakant Lakhera, Avtar Negi, Charu Tiwari, Shyam Singh Rawat, Habib Akhtar, C.M. Papnai, Dev Singh Rawat, Chandan Dangi, former state minister, Uttarakhand government Dhirendra Pratap, AAP Delhi leader Bachan Singh Dhanola, CPI( ML) Purushottam n Girija Pathak, Professor Prakash Upadhyay, Mahesh Sharma, activist n former jt DG Foreign Trade, UKD leader Pratap Shahi and S. K. Sharma etc. The meeting resolved to start a lecture series in memory of the late journalist and activist Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht once or twice in a year.
It may be recalled that a senior journalist of Jansatta n a relentless fighter Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht breathed his last at the age of 71 on 22nd September at his Almora house after ailing for long.Just few months ago he was addmitted in AIIMS, New Delhi.
Born on 4th February 1947 Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht had been a fire brand journalist and a relentless fighter throughout his life. He was the firy leader of various movement of Uttarakhand viz NASHA NAHI ROZGAAR DO, SAVE THE FOREST MOVEMENT, SEPARATE UTTARAKHAND STATE MOVEMENT, MOVEMENTS FOR FOUNDING GARHWAL N KUMAON UNIVERSITIES, AZAADI KI TEESRI LADAAI AANDOLAN ETC under the banner of Uttarakhand Jan Sangharh Vahini of which he was the founding president n activist. He fought the liquor, land and mining mafia of Uytarakhand through out his life and was also the president of Kumaon University Students Union during the seventies. He completed the historic 800 kilometre Askot to Arakot journey on foot for incessantly 45 days in 1974 with eminent environmentalist Sunder Bahuguna, professor Shekhar Pathak n other to mobilise people for preserving the Uttarakhand himalaya’s ecology n forests. In 1974 Dr. Bisht completed his Phd from JNU Delhi and served as a lecturer in the university finally coming to Uttarakhand to actively participate in various movements on burning issues of the hills. He was jailed number of times but never compromised on principles, values and ethics n the peoples’ cause. He was a teatototaller throughout his life and led a modest life style. Salutes to him. He was in close proximity of Swamy Agnivesh, Megha Patkar, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Sunder Lal Bahuguna, professor Shekhar Pathak and participated in several national level movements on significant burning issues pertaining to environment protection n against big dams.