Sanjay Nahar: A Man Who Works in India's MOST troubled zones!

 Sanjay Nahar

 A Man Who Works in India's MOST troubled zones!

By Sanjay Sonawani

          India requires numerous socio-economic reforms, and various individuals are engaged in this effort. However, for the last 70 years, a major issue has remained highly neglected, resulting in a series of terrorist activities and unrest in bordering states, disturbing peace-loving local citizens, affecting their overall life, making them unemployed, and thus causing further unrest that boosts the morale of the separatists. Instead of socio-cultural remedies, political remedies were often used, which ultimately resulted in peace-loving people resorting to terrorism or supporting terrorism because they could hardly receive what moral support they wanted.

          Snjay Nahar is a person who took up the cause of working in India’s most troubled zones. May it be Punjab, Kashmir, or the north-east states, he strived hard to bring peace and connect the otherwise neglected cultures with mainland India, bringing forth their glorious past in the limelight, and their unbreakable historical links with mainland India. Same time, he introduced their cultures to the mainland citizens so that the sense of unity would be strengthened and the dots of common history could be connected. This was a highly needed work for unified India, and Sanjay Nahar most successfully is doing it since the last 45 years.

          We rarely come across someone who, with great zeal, dedicates his life to the people of the terror-stricken bordering regions. Sanjay Nahar has been acting like a peace-maker in the bordering states of India through his NGO named Vande Mataram and Sarhad for the last 45 years, tirelessly, facing three attempts on his life made by antisocial elements.    

          In fact, in the world, wherever there are conflict zones, such ambassadors of peace are needed who can help reduce the tensions while bringing up the sense of humanity. The purpose of this article is to promote such a movement globally so that people would not harbor sentiments of hatred but love to make human life beautiful and bearable.

          Now, if Sanjay Nahar is a globally renowned personality it is because he has provided relief to the countrymen who are suffering from separatist terrorism and negligence of the government machinery in bordering states of India with immense compassion for humanity, educating the orphaned as well as disadvantaged children, and working constructively for the other citizens who are powerless and poor. Same time, he has probed into their history and introduced it to the mainland Indians so that they will come out of preconceived ideas about bordering states.

Punjab of 1984, from where his journey began!

          His journey for peace-making began when the State of Punjab was aflame with a mounting separatist movement. Through his organization, “Vande Mataram,” risking his life, he carried out many peace activities in turbulent Punjab. Almost all political parties, the Police, and social organizations supported Sanjay’s cause wholeheartedly. With all these initiatives, terrorism could be brought to almost zero.

          By the time terrorism in Punjab was subsiding in 1990, Kashmir started facing troubled times. Sanjay founded an organization with a broader vision named Sarhad (Border), and rushed to Kashmir with his colleagues to face new challenges to bring peace and to build unity. Later, he started Sarhad education facilities at Pune to educate the youth who had no facilities or support to get a modern education. So far, numerous students have been provided shelter and education who, now, have found a new way of constructive life, which is a great achievement of Sanjay.

          Now, most of the Indians know that for the past 45 years, he has been working to unite the country by connecting the stressed people of the bordering States. The various social services he has rendered in various fields are so immense that no one will believe that a single person has done all these works. And everyone is aware that such a journey of humanity is not easy in today's human-destructive environment. Taking risks with his life and enduring criticism, a source of positive new ideas always springs from his mind, and he is constantly striving to make every idea a reality. His relentless passion for humanity and connecting people has been the main source of his activism.

Early struggle

          Sanjay was born on 15^th August 1965 in his native Kanhur Pathar village (Tal. Parner, Dist. Ahmednagar). But his childhood and school life were spent in Shirur (Dist. Pune), a once-famous market town. This region is drought-prone prone and though his family possessed lands, since the family was large, the situation was miserable. The situation worsened even more during the famine of  1972.  Because of this worsened condition, his grandfather Bhojraj took him from Knhur Pathar  to Shirur and helped him complete his early education.

           His father, Kantilal, worked as a Malaria Inspector in the Pune Metropolitan Municipality on a meager salary. His mother ran a household business selling clothes. While at Shirur, though now a member of another large family, he got many things to understand and reflect upon them. From the beginning, there was an atmosphere of social service in their Shirur house. Sanjay's uncle Dhanraj Nahar, a great social reformer, is still remembered as the forefront torchbearer of Shirur. Till now, a prestigious lecture series is held in his name, devoted to social discourses.

          Dhanraj Nahar was visited by all the important state and national-level leaders from Yashwantrao Chavan to Sharad Pawar. Renowned social worker Anna Hazare's initial work started under the guidance of Dhanraj. The house was full of lively social and political discussions and debates. Listening to those discussions and reading books, Sanjay’s independent vision developed. Since his nature was very passionate at first and he was deeply rooted in revolutionary thinking, he often took to the field to fight directly against injustice.

          He was brought to Pune to study at the age of ten. He got admission in Raja Dhanraj High School. The family lived in a ten-foot by ten-foot room in Nana Peth. At that time, the atmosphere in Pune, especially in Nana Peth, was one of religious conflict. Hindu-Muslim riots had become a regular occurrence in this area. He was witnessing the violence since he set foot in Pune. When he reached the age of seventeen, Sanjay could not remain silent in such a violent environment. He searched for ways to express.

          But the problem was, there was not even a board to write his thoughts publicly! With help from his friends, he started a bulletin board in Hindmata Chowk. It was the 1980s, when Dhananjay Jagtap, a right-wing fierce leader of the Hindu Ekta Andolan (Hindu Unity Movement), influenced him. Being in his teens and having rebellious ideas in his mind, he easily could get carried away with the wave of hatred. That time, Sanjay firmly believed that right-wing ideas should be spread and that the injustice done to Hindus should be avenged, and that the Muslims must be punished.  

          But this was not going to be his mindset for a long time. What he had been taught from his childhood and the thought process of the rightists did not match whatsoever. In just one and a half years, Sanjay realized that he was only spreading hatred, and this was not the great martyr Bhagat Singh's teaching. Inspired by the fact that the country had no future without doing constructive work, he abandoned Hindu Ekta Andolan and founded the Vande Mataram organization with select colleagues. He changed his path from fundamentalism to secularism.

          He started the first lecture series in the eastern region through which the idea of peace was spread. His personal persuasive talks with the leaders of both communities helped to bring tension down, and it helped a lot in diluting the atmosphere of hatred in Nana Peth, Pune.

          If this region is now known not as one of Hindu-Muslim hatred but of Hindu-Muslim unity, then Sanjay Nahar has a big role in it.

          The Vande Mataram organization started a flurry of work. It started to open branches. A ‘storm squad’ was also formed against those who molested girls. And when these activities were shaping up, during that time, Punjab started to become restless. At that time, in 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had been tragically assassinated. Public wrath had erupted against the Sikhs, and counter-violent attacks from the militants had begun.

          This was the time we first met. A young man, just about my age, but with the sparkle of dreams in his eyes, came to the Aaj Ka Anand office with a press note that stated Vande Mataram was going to begin a peace march through turbulent Punjab.

          As a journalist, I looked at him with a little doubt. I asked a lot of questions, and then we continued talking over a cup of tea. I felt his unbridled longing and very big dreams to bring peace to the minds of the angered sides.

          Punjab was so inflamed that I really didn't think that anyone from Maharashtra, even if they had sincere feelings and desires, would dare to go there. Holding peace marches was almost impossible as dangers were looming large. The Khalistani terrorism was not limited to the confines of Punjab, but was spreading across the nation, including Pune.

          Basically, there was an atmosphere of terror everywhere, and Punjab was in a state of chaos. Sanjay had to constantly face financial difficulties. (Even today, the situation remains the same, although the scale has changed.) But still, Sanjay Nahar and his twenty activists managed to go to Punjab. It was not easy to move around there. There was no telling where a bullet would come from or a bomb would be thrown, but they fearlessly marched on the streets with shouting slogans of unity and peace.

          When Vijay Kumar Chopra, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Punjab Kesari, was amazed by the daring of the youths of Maharashtra for a nationalistic vision, he invited them and, at first sight, scolded them, "Have you come here to die? First, go back home..."

          But, Bhagat Singh in his mind, how could Sanjay listen to him? From there, he went to Jallianwala Baugh and took an oath with his colleagues to take out a peace march for humanity and unity, and he took out that march on the streets.

          During this peace march, many extraordinary experiences were across. They had to face dangers. They had to face opposition from angry Sikh youth. Nahar, despite his high-handed mindset, endured the opposition with all humility.

           In one village, while he was taking out a peace march with slogans like “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, an old Sardarji said, “In a village where for generations a man from every family has been in the army, how dare you try to teach them patriotism? How many of your families are or were in the army?”

No slogans: Act!

          Everyone looked at each other in embarrassment. It was then that Sanjay realized how hollow talking about patriotism and emotional slogans are and that if one really wants to serve the country, one should do some constructive work by going to the root of the issues. He decided to broaden his path.

          In fact, since then, Sanjay Nahar started following the path of Mahatma Gandhi. This transformation was extraordinary. After that, Sanjay Nahar went to Punjab many times. He kept taking out peace marches. The Director General of Police J. F. Ribeiro, and S.S. Virk started mentioning Nahar everywhere as a messenger of peace. Gradually, Punjab became peaceful. He met Durga Bhabhi (Bhagat Singh’s associate) in her final days to seek her blessings for his cause.

          During his activities, he fought many intrigues and arranged a meeting between Jaincharya Sushilmuni and Professor Darshan Singh Ragi, which culminated in the historic Rajiv Gandhi-Longowal  Pact.

          When a major flood hit Punjab in 1987, Sanjay Nahar and his colleagues rushed to Punjab again to assist the rescue operation. While saving the lives of a Sikh family in this rescue operation, Dattatreya Gaikwad, a colleague, sacrificed his life. Sikh leaders Jeevan Singh Umrananagal and Sardar Beant Singh also praised this incredible courage and humanitarian work.

          Once in Punjab, when he went to the Golden Temple, some terrorists started looking for him with guns and swords. This was a test of immense courage. Sanjay Nahar opened talks with them, calmed them down, and managed to save the lives of his colleagues and himself by giving a message of humanity to the terrorists. By then, the people of Punjab were already recognizing him as a messenger of peace, but many political leaders representing different ideologies, Chief Ministers of many states, and even the Prime Ministers like Dr. Manmohan Sing and Narendra Modi praised him. Veteran journalist Vijay Kumar Chopra considers him like his son.

All India Marathi Literary Meet at Ghuman, Punjab

          During his Punjab visit, he went to Saint Namdev Maharaj's shrine (Gurudvara) located at Ghuman village. This great saint, who came from Maharashtra seven hundred years ago, conquered Punjab with his immense love for humanity, which even Alexander could not conquer with his armed forces. This great national saint was the first to visit the lands of Punjab and was worshipped by every Punjabi person since then. How happy the people of Ghuman were that this man, who came from the land of Namdev Baba, was serving Punjab today. At that time, an idea came to Nahar's mind. Why should he not organize the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (All India Marathi Literary Meet) at Ghuman to pay respect to saint Namdeo? This could be the best idea to freshen up old ties between the two states!

           Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan is an annual literary festival of Marathi people, where thousands of writers and lakhs of readers gather. As he came to Maharashtra started approaching the organizing body of this annual event. Initially, there was huge opposition to holding a literary meet outside of Maharashtra, and that too a faraway state.  

          But Sanjay relentlessly crossed all the hurdles, and finally, it was decided to organize the Marathi literary meet in Ghuman under the presidency of a great literary figure of Maharashtra, Dr. Sadanand More. The event was highly successful, which rejuvenated the seven-hundred-year legacy of Punjab-Maharashtra friendship.  

          It did not stop here. He started efforts to build a “Bhasha Bhavan” at Ghuman itself for the comparative study and research of Indian languages. The motive was that languages have been a medium of connection between the regions of the country and have an ancient legacy that must be studied. Now the foundation has been laid, and soon a very important knowledge center of the country will take shape.

          It was not going to stop here. If cultural history were to be repeated, it would be necessary to hoist the flag of Punjabi culture in Maharashtra as well. From there, he organized the first World Punjabi Literature Conference in Pune. It was a grand success. He brought to light the cultural history of Punjab and Maharashtra by publishing a very beautiful coffee-table book on Punjab in a very beautiful format.

In the Kashmir

          Around  1990, a new disaster erupted in the country. Kashmir began raging with violence. The whole country was shocked. The flames of hatred started being spewed from both sides. Sanjay Nahar could sit still.

          In this turbulent atmosphere, he set out again to establish peace. Be it Kashmiri Pandits or Muslim citizens who were swept away by violence, he started giving a message of peace. Risking his life again, he even entered the areas where the terrorist hideouts were suspected by the army. It was an impossible task for an outside person. He held meetings with local leaders of all factions and walked fearlessly through terror-ridden regions of Kashmir.

          He later wrote a book titled “Udhvast Kashmir” (Collapsed Kashmir) on his experiences that threw light on the plight of Kashmir, which presented the humanitarian aspect of the Kashmir issue.

Formation of Sarhad

          As soon as he realized that the neighboring countries had an interest in keeping India’s borders always tense, he decided to give a broad message to all the bordering states, including Kashmir, and to connect them with the mainland, and established the organization Sarhad in 1995.

          He kept visiting Kashmir continuously. He kept interacting with political leaders, heads of terrorist groups, journalists, and the general public. He met with the army officials. Many terrorists even plotted to blow him up there. He skillfully managed to escape unhurt.

          When Anna Hazare was at the peak of his fame, he was also taken there and persuaded to give a message of peace. When it was decided to implement the ‘ideal village’concept in Kashmir, Sanjay Nahar prepared a model that would be independent and suitable to the needs of Kashmir.

          During interaction with the locals, he realized that the important issue was education and employment. He took up the cause of education.

Establishment of the Sarhad Education facility

          The issue of the education of the children of families killed in terrorism has become serious. The economy of Kashmir was in doldrums. Tourism was in decline. Due to the curfews, the schools used to shut down for weeks. It was impossible to get a normal education. The new generation preferred to throw stones at the system.

          Sanjay realized that the solution was in proper and uninterrupted education. He decided to start from Kashmir.

          Dardpora village is known as the village of widows. Many made short films on it, won awards, earned money, but did not feel like doing anything directly for them.

          Sanjay Nahar built a school at Dardapora with the help of Sakal Foundation and started spreading a message with a slogan “Har Ghar School...Ghar Ghar School”.

          While this movement was on, considering the turbulent situation in Kashmir at that time, Sanjay Nahar decided to set up a high school and college in Pune itself for the children of Kashmir and other bordering states who had been orphaned by terrorist acts and were in a miserable condition.

          Due to the deterioration of the economy, many could not afford education. Sanjay adopted 105 Kashmiri children. This was also a race against the evil tendencies in society.

          Terrorism is not only about guns or violence. It also comes down to the ideological level; there is a kind of terrorist who uses all the mischievous ways to discourage those who are eager to do something new. In fact, Sanjay Nahar has been troubled the most by such “intellectual” terrorists till now. But he has acquired the skill of ignoring them and moving towards his goal with determination.

          When Sanjay Nahar brought a batch of 500 Kashmiri children to Pune, there was a cry that "these children will be converted". But the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad not only ignored such nonsense propaganda, but when an earthquake occurred in Kashmir, he called Nahar for help. In a program, Azad recently praised him as “India’s Governor in Kashmir”.

          Sanjay Nahar took children orphaned by terrorism not only from Kashmir but also from all the bordering states under his wing. In this, he got valuable support from his wife, Sushma Nahar,  and Shailesh Wadekar, who devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the work of the Sarhad. Kashmiri people call Sushma Nahar “Mother of Kashmir”.  Anuj Nahar is taking the cause of Sarhad further, being a torchbearer of the new generation.

          The educational activities of the Sarhad have been appreciated by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and all the top leaders of the country. In his book “Bonding with Kashmir”, he has written extensively on the struggle-filled work in Kashmir. Readers should definitely read it. You will definitely experience reading a thriller.

The Pune-Kashmir Friendship

          The Pune-Kashmir Friendship Chowk was built in Pune due to his tireless efforts. He initiated the country's first 'Sister City Agreement' between Pune Municipal Corporation and Srinagar Municipal Corporation, and initiated mutual cooperation. He created the organization "ASH" to ensure that not only is education a means of success, but also that people suffering from financial problems should have a source of income. He also tried to provide a market for the handicrafts made in Kashmir and Assam in Maharashtra.

          During the unprecedented curfew after the abrogation of Article 370, when there was a risk of apples and other fruits rotting and being destroyed, as not a single truck could leave Kashmir, he rushed to get special permissions and set up sales centers in Pune and other places in Maharashtra and sold twenty-two trucks of agricultural produce on a no-profit-no-loss basis. This benefited the Kashmiri farmers who were in distress. The country's attention was drawn to the plight of the farmers there.

          A country is a country of its people, and if they are not happy, geographical borders become meaningless. Nahar thought about the welfare of the people.

Pune Model

          After the abrogation of Article 370, there was a wave of thoughts in the country that now, we can also buy a plot there, we can make a second home, the government will give concessions, and then we can set up any industry there. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi went to Dubai and appealed to the world community to “set up industries in Kashmir”.

          In such a situation, Sanjay presented the “Pune Model” on what type of industries should come to Kashmir, in what way, and how the participation of local citizens is necessary. At least sixteen proposals were made, including Pune University and Dr. Shailesh Pagariya’s Arham Foundation, suggesting that they should set up educational institutions in Kashmir in that way. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire nation had come to a standstill. Now the process has been restarted.

          Pune Model became an accurate solution to the economic problems and the feeling of being neglected in Kashmir. The country's renowned economists also took the Pune model to heart because the idea that entrepreneurs should give priority to environment-friendly industries, educational institutions, studios for film production, herbal medicine, and fruit processing, with partnership with the locals and their cooperation, was a key element of it. Without harming the environment, geographical location, resources, and local culture, was in line with the geography, environment, culture, and mentality of Kashmir must be upheld.

Kashmiri Film Festival  & Kargil Marathon

          But even through that, by organizing the Kashmiri Film Festival in Pune itself, he conveyed to the mainstream people how Kashmiri talents view themselves and the world. This was the first such film festival of Kashmir held in the world.

          It was a great help in understanding that Kashmir and the Kashmiri people are not the way we think about Kashmir. In Kashmir, whether it is the Kargil Marathon held at a height of thirteen and a half feet with the help of the army and police or the ambulance facilities provided in remote areas, there is no area where Sanjay Nahar is not present. He also emphasized on the fact that tourism in the border areas was rapidly connecting the country.

          By publishing Marathi-English publications of the culture and history of the country, be it the forgotten history of a great emperor like Lalitaditya, the Rajtarangini of Kalhana and other Rajataranginis, or Abhinav Gupta to Lalleded, he brought it before the Marathi and English readers and explained that Kashmir is like this and its history is five thousand years old, and it cannot be ignored because it is an integral part of Indian culture. Not only this, he also made music a means of connecting people by presenting songs like Saint Dnyaneshwar's Pasayadan to Saint Tukaram & Namdev's Abhangs (devotional songs) in Marathi from the young singer of Kashmir, Shamima Akhtar. Marathi brothers and countrymen wholeheartedly supported this initiative of Sarhad Music.

          He has already taken the initiative in starting a Book Village at Aragam village of Bandipora District, Kashmir, and is in the process of making picturesque Lolab Valley a Valley of Knowledge. The idea is that Kashmir was a seat of knowledge in the past the same tradition should be rejuvenated.

North-East States

          Sanjay Nahar also did immense work in the North-Eastern states. In 1987, when the Assam Gana Parishad movement was at its peak, Nahar contacted AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahant and started efforts to connect the Assamese people with the mainland and make them truly national. In order to counter the divisive attitude in the Bodo community, he joined hands with the All Bodo Students Union and took a cooperative stance.

          As a result, in 2015, the first batch of eighteen Bodo students arrived in Pune for education in the border region. The inspiring history of Lachit Borphukan, known as the Shivaji of Assam, was presented to the Marathi people.

Another assassination attempt

          A few years ago, in 2018, there was another attempt to assassinate Sanjay Nahar by sending a postal bomb. The Maharashtra government has not yet found the mastermind of that conspiracy, and it is not known whether Maharashtra has ever raised its voice about it. And he is not afraid of such attempts, as he had told on a news channel that he has forgiven all those who harbor ill sentiments against him.

Marathi and Prakrit: Classical language status!

          Language is an important means of human expression. Just as there is a proposal to start a Bhasha Bhavan in Punjab, he strived hard to receive classical language status for the Marathi and the Prakrit languages from the central government. The demand was pending for a long time. Sanjay’s efforts finally yielded success, and both languages were adorned with the classical language status.

          In short, Sanjay Nahar became a link connecting the Border States and the mainland country in every way. That became his obsession, and we are seeing its sweet fruits. Connecting people is his only dream.

Marathi Literary Meet in New Delhi

          After Ghuman (Punjab) he had decided to organize Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (All India Marathi Literary Meet) at Delhi. Like Ghuman, many opponents arose and attempted to foil his invitation. His idea behind holding a literary meet in Delhi was to take otherwise neglected Marathi literature to the national forum. Delhi, being the capital of India, was an ideal location for holding such a meet so that the rich literary tradition and the present literary gems could be showcased before the nation, and the countrymen would be acquainted with the culture of Maharashtra. But for many years, the meet at Delhi was stalled. Finally, in the year 2025, the idea was accepted by the organizing body. Sanjay took the role of host and, tirelessly, equipped with his team, worked to make this event memorable.

          It yielded excellent fruits. Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi inaugurated the event. Veteran leader from Maharashtra, Mr. Sharad Pawar was the President of the Welcome Committee. A veteran author and researcher of Marathi folk literature, Dr. Tara Bhavalkar, was elected to preside over this literary meet. Many seminars were organized in which many issues regarding the literary and socio-cultural issues were discussed.  This event became a milestone in the historical series of 98 literary meets and another achievement of Sanjay Nahar.

 

Awards to pay respect to the legends, a lecture series’

 

          To pay respect to the great personalities of the past, he had started many awards and lecture series in their name. The Saint Namdeo award is given to the prominent living personalities of Punjab to pay respect to Maharashtra since 1993. The Bhupen Hajarika National Award was instituted in the year 2012. Lalitaditya Memorial speech has been ongoing since 2022. All the awards and lecture series conducted by Sanjay Nahar through Sarhad is an attempt to spread the message of unity and peace.

          People of Maharashtra got to know many heroic personalities of the past who belonged to the states about which only vague knowledge prevailed. In a way, this widened the vision and people who started to look far beyond their otherwise limited horizons. There are many other things he keeps on doing tirelessly with the only objective to connect the people harmoniously.

          Sanjay Nahar is creating a new way of teaching life by giving a new form to the philosophy of Mahavir, Buddha, and Gandhiji through living, by connecting divided minds. His philosophy of life is influenced by the ancient Saman (Shraman) tradition, which preaches non-violence with many other noble values.

 

-Sanjay Sonwani