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Birth Centenary of Udaipur’s 1’st Tourist Guide Author- Mr. Murli Narayan Mathur

Also known as the “Venice of the East,” Udaipur city is surrounded by emerald lakes, the Aravalli Mountains and mesmerizing scenic beauty. Besides its natural glory and amazing architecture, Udaipur is also home to several very important people who have made huge contributions to their respective arenas, be it science, athletics, politics, or the arts! These influential people have made our city proud. The struggles they faced, their morale, and how they built a stellar reputation are just a few of the numerous qualities that anyone may learn from.

The series “People from Udaipur you should know about” frequently praises the accomplishments of these illustrious natives of Udaipur who have achieved the pinnacle of success in their respective fields. One such legendary person was Mr. Murli Narayan Mathur, and in this article, we shall be talking about him and the contribution he made towards society in memory of his 100’th birthday.

People From UDaipur You Should Know About- Murli N Mathur

Early Life

Mr. Murli Narayan Mathur was born on July 10, 1922, in Ajmer city of Rajasthan to Shri. Shobha Narayan Mathur and Smt. Mima Bai Mathur. He completed his school and college education in Ajmer and Jodhpur, respectively. He was a highly qualified person with an M.A in Economics and History. Thereafter, he studied L.L.B to become a lawyer.

He started his career in Udaipur as a teacher in 1945. He then joined Maharana Bhupal Electric Supply Company (Power House) in 1946 and excelled in several roles during his tenure till his retirement. He was a firm believer in the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and wore only Khadi Clothes and based his life on the goal of “Simple Living and High Thinking.”

He was active and working till his last day and passed away on November 22, 1997, at his residence in Panchwati, Udaipur.

Notable Contributions

  • He was the author of the first Tourist Guide Book of Udaipur.
  • He was a reputed historian and had written multiple books on the history of Mewar.
  • He had written 2 books on Maharana Pratap namely ‘Maharana Pratap and his Times’ and ‘Battle of Haldi Ghati’.
  • He was the Chairman of Maharana Pratap Smarak Vikas Samiti for a number of years.
  • He was the Nagar Palika Parshad for two terms: 1951-54 and 1964-67.
  • He was associated with Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Parishad for 35 years and served as the Vice-Chairman until his last day.
  • He was a member of the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Academy from 1981 to 1984 and served as its Vice-Chairman from 1984 to 1987.
  • He was also a member of the Executive Committee of Sangeet Natya Niketan.
  • He was the founding member and Chairman of the Senior Citizens Committee.

Fellowship With Social And Cultural Organizations

  1. Vice President- Maharana Pratap Smarak Samiti
  2. Vice President- Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Parishad
  3. Vice president- Rajasthan Sangeet academy
  4. Vice president- Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal
  5. Executive member-  Sangeet Natya Niketan
  6. President- Panchvati Samiti
  7. Patron- Chitragupta Sabha
  8. Member- INTACH, Mahaveer International
  9. Founder member of the Senior Citizens Council

Awards and Recognition

1.) To honour his contributions to the city, Nagar Nigam Udaipur decided to name a prominent street after his name i.e. the Murli Narayan Mathur Marg. This route is located at RK mall and connects Panchwati with Fatehpura Road.

2.) The Maharana Sangeet Parishad has named an award after his name i.e. the “Murli Narayan Mathur award” that is given to the best artists in the annual “Kumbha Sangeet Samaroh.” The recipients of this award include legendary artists like Pt. Jasraj, Shovna Narayan, Shubha Mudgal, and Grammy Award winners Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Ustaad Rashid Khan, and Ustaad Shujaat.

People like Mr Murli Narayan Mathur are real inspirations to the young generation. His passion and devotion towards art, history, and culture are commendable and a true inspiration to everyone around.

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People

उस उदयपुरवासी की कहानी जिसनें 1971 के पाकिस्तानी हवाई हमले में लिया था हिस्सा

पाकिस्तानी आतंक की खबर सुनकर आज भी इस उदयपुरवासी का खून खौल जाता है. वीर चक्र विजेता 83 वर्षीय दुर्गाशंकर पालीवाल भारतीय रेलवे के वही पायलट है जिन्होंने 1971 के पाकिस्तानी हवाई हमले में काफी महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाई थी. दुर्गाशंकर ने भारतीय सेना को  सीमा के उस पार जाकर असलहा और बारूद पहुचानें का काम किया था. उस समय भारतीय सेना ने पाकिस्तानी सीमा में करीब 30 किलोमीटर तक कब्ज़ा कर लिया था और जब सेना का असलहा ख़त्म होने को आया था तब और असलहा उपलब्ध कराने की ज़िम्मेदारी दुर्गाशंकर पालीवाल को दी गई थी.

Source: Oneindia Hindi

इस दौरान दुर्गाशंकर को 25 बोगियों वाली ट्रेन लेकर पाकिस्तानी सीमा में दाख़िल करना था. वे बाड़मेर के पास मुनाबाव रेलवे स्टेशन और पाकिस्तान के खोखरापर से होते हुए, परचे की बेरी रेलवे स्टेशन तक पहुँचे. उस समय रेलवे ट्रैक टूटा हुआ था तो करीब 10 किलोमीटर का ट्रैक रातों रात बनाया गया. दिनांक 11 दिसम्बर 1971 को दुर्गाशंकर बारूद से भरी हुई ट्रेन लेकर पाकिस्तान की सीमा में दाखिल कर गए.

पाकिस्तानी सीमा में खोखरापर से कुछ ही दूरी पर दुर्गाशंकर को एक विमान दिखा जो की उनकी ट्रेन पर नज़र रख रहा था. ज़रा सी देरी में वो विमान फिर से पाकिस्तान की ओर लौट गया. लेकिन वह विमान खतरा भांप चुका था और सुबह 6 बजे छह मिराज विमान मौके पर पहुंच कर बमबारी करने लगे. इन विमानों ने दुर्गाशंकर की ट्रेन को घेर लिया था लेकिन वे एक पल के लिए भी नहीं घबराए. उन्होंने अपनी ट्रेन की रफ़्तार बढ़ा दी और सिंध हैदराबाद की ओर जाने लगे. पाकिस्तानी विमानों ने कई बम गिराए लेकिन ट्रेन को नुक्सान ना पंहुचा पाए.

Source: Rajasthan patrika

इसी तरह से विमानों में भी बम ख़त्म हो गए और रीलोड करने के लिए वे सिंध हैदराबाद की ओर उड़ान भरते हुए निकल गए. इस समय दुर्गाशंकर ने काफी अक्लमंदी और फूर्ति का इस्तेमाल करते हुए वे रिवर्स में ट्रेन को 25 किलोमीटर तब खींच ले गए. उन्होंने पर्चे की बेरी में अपने बटालियन को भी इस घटना की सूचना दे दी. पूरे बटालियन ने करीब 15 मिनट में पूरी ट्रेन का माल खाली कर दिया और एंटी एयरक्राफ्ट मिसाइल रिलोड कर दी.

वहां से लौटते हुए फिर से पाकिस्तानी विमानों ने ट्रेन का पीछा किया और खोखरापर से 5 किलोमीटर से पहले रेल लाइन पर एक हज़ार पौंड का बेम फेंका. बम से निकलती हुई चिंगारियों से दुर्गाशंकर का हाथ और मुँह भी जल गया था लेकिन उसकी परवाह किये बिना उन्होंने अपनी कोहनियों से ट्रेन चलाना जारी रखा. बमबारी के कारण रेल ट्रैक टूट चुका था जिसके बाद दुर्गाशंकर हाथ में बन्दूक लेकर ट्रेन से निकल गए और करीब 2 किलोमीटर आगे उन्होंने भारतीय वायुसेना का हेलीकॉप्टर को इशारा कर उतरवाया और अधिकारी को सूचना दे दी.

Source: News18

दुर्गाशंकर को अपनी वीरता और अदम्य साहस का परिचय देने के लिए, तत्कालीन राष्ट्रपति वीवी गिरी द्वारा वीर चक्र से सम्मानित किया गया था.

Source: News 18

पुलवामा हमले के बारे में दुर्गाशंकर का कहना है की भारत ने पाकिस्तान को अभी भी पूरी तरह से जवाब नहीं दिया है. वे कहते है उनमे अब भी इतना जोश है की वे बॉर्डर पर जाने को तैयार है और सरकार के हुक्म पर देश के लिए कुछ भी करने को तैयार है.

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News

Fatehsagar and Pichola soon to have ‘No-Selfie Zones’

A meeting was hosted by District Tourism Development Committee in the collectorate premises on Tuesday. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss various steps that needed to be taken to improve the conditions of various tourist attractions in Udaipur. Tourism Industry is one of the biggest business sectors for the Udaipurites and needs reforms to strengthen its roots.

Steps like regular police patrolling, improving traffic conditions around the tourist spots were discussed at length. Common accident-prone spots at popular tourist attractions like Fatehsagar, Badi, Sajjangarh Fort, Gangaur Ghat, Jagdish Mandir, Fatehsagar, Ambrai, Rani Road will soon be declared as no-selfie zone due to safety concerns. The meeting was led by Additional District Collector Sanjay Kumar and Udaipur’s Mayor Chandra Singh Kothari, District Traffic Administrator Kalpana Sharma along with other officials attended the meeting.

The Heritage Walk which is closed from the past 2 years was also discussed and steps to restart it was one of the major discussion points. The mayor is in discussion with officials from the Udaipur Guide Association to restart the Heritage Walk at the earliest.

Udaipur is well known for its tourism industry and the government is taking various steps from time to time for its betterment.

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People

Bhanu Kumar Shastri | People from Udaipur You Should Know About

Our city – Udaipur is completely filled with beauty in and out. And this beauty is not reflected in just its history, culture and its places, but also in its people. There are some gem of the people belonging from Udaipur who, with their hard work and success, have not just made the city but the entire nation proud.

But sadly, with time we tend to forget the accomplishment of such people of the city. The series ‘People from Udaipur you should know about’ tends to glorify the journey of these famous and triumphant people from Udaipur who have become an epitome of success in their lives.

 

Bhanu Kumar Shastri

Bhanu Kumar Shastri was the founding member of Bhartiya Jana Sangh and a Member of Parliament from Udaipur in the year 1977. He was also the chairman of the Khadi Board and at this time he was one of the oldest leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Bhanu Kumar Shastri was one of the remains of the last generation of the Bhartiya Jana Sangh, who was also senior to people like LK Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Source: Deepak Sukhadia

Shastri was born on October 29, 1925, in the Sindh region of Hyderabad (now in Pakistan) to a famous astrologer, Pt. Giridhar Lal Sharma. After the tragedy of the Indo-Pak partition, he came to Udaipur and decided to dedicate his life working here. He has been an important contributor in the politics of the Mewar region. Shastri is considered as a leader with a simple life and high thinking ability. Living with this simplicity throughout his life, he became a synonym of sanctity and also worked for education and political awareness in the tribal area.

His political career has been vast. He has been the President of the corporation and boards along with the rank of former MP and Cabinet minister. In his long journey of the Jan Sangh from being a volunteer to being in the parliament, he got the opportunity of discussion and co-operation on various aspects with heroes like Pandit Deendayal, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Jagannathrao Joshi, Sundarsinh Bhandari, Golwalkar (Guruji), Bal Thackeray, Deoras, Eknath Ranade and Madhavrao Mulle.

Source: Amar Ujala

Bhanu contested against the then Chief Minister Mohanlal Sukhdiya in the 1967 assembly elections. After the election, he filed a petition in the High Court. On receiving a verdict against him from the high court, he approached the Supreme Court. After becoming a Sangh volunteer in 1942, he became the founding member of the Jana Sangh in 1951.

Source: Patrika

Shastri spent 40 months of his life in jail. During this time, he came to parole for his sister’s wedding and went back to jail immediately. From being the councilor of Udaipur’s City Corporation to Deputy Chairman, from MLA to MP, nobody could ever question Shastri’s honest and ideological life. During the time of emergency which began from 25 June 1975, he was the state president of the Jan Sangh. He died on 24th February 2018 due to long period of illness leaving behind his footprints of a simple yet strong life.

Do you have feedback regarding the article? Or have something to share of your own? Write to me at

juhee@udaipurblog.com

We would love to feature your story

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Jamnalal Jethi | People from Udaipur You Should Know About

Our city – Udaipur is completely filled with beauty in and out. And this beauty is not reflected in just its history, culture and its places, but also in its people. There are some gem of the people belonging from Udaipur who, with their hard work and success, have not just made the city but the entire nation proud.

But sadly, with time we tend to forget the accomplishment of such people of the city. The series ‘People from Udaipur you should know about’ tends to glorify the journey of these famous and triumphant people from Udaipur who have become an epitome of success in their lives.

 

Jamnalal Jethi

Jethi community has been known for its wrestling business or better known as ‘Pehelwani’ since the city was under the regime of kings and queens. There are still many ‘Akhada’ in the city belonging to the Jethi community such as the one at Chandpole and Gangaur Ghat. But it looked like, that wasn’t something which Jamnalal had decided for himself.

Jamnalal Jethi was born in the year 1932 in Udaipur. Many people back then wanted a secured life and a safe future but Jamnalal had something else in his mind. Being born in a slave country, he always wanted to do something for his country. At a very young age, he became a part of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh).

1947 was the year of independence for India but Goa was still seized by the Portuguese. This was the time when Jamnalal’s brother gave him a tea stall and suggested to earn his livelihood by the same. But the fire of independence and the feeling of patriotism made him sell this stall and with the little amount he got from it, he left for Goa in the year 1950 without informing anyone in his family and leaving his wife and 3 children behind. As a matter of fact, he was a mere 23-year-old boy when he took this crucial decision of his life.

He was the only one from Udaipur who participated in the Goa Liberation Movement. There were numerous challenges and hardships awaiting him there.

The rage rose up to such a level that the Portuguese started firing on all the agitators. During this while, Jamnalal also got hit by a bullet on his shoulder. While all of his co-agitators were taken to the crematorium, Jamnalal was taken to the hospital.

His family was completely unaware about the entire episode until he returned to Udaipur. He was welcomed by the citizens with utmost pride and honor at Jagdish Chowk. It was then that his family came to know about his whereabouts while he was missing.

Jamnalal Jethi awarded by the then Vice President of India, Bheru Singh Shekhawat

His dream got fulfilled in the year 1961 when Goa was liberated from the control of Portuguese.

On his return, he joined PWD and made his own house at Chandpole. His bravery and courage were even recognized by UIT which awarded him with a piece of land in Hiranmagri as a token of respect.

All the freedom fighters of Goa Andolan

On 16th September 2018, 85-year-old Jamnalal Jethi passed away and his last rites were performed with state honors in which many renowned personalities including the then Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria were present.

He left behind his two sons and a daughter and several stories for his grandchildren to cherish. ‘My grandfather was such a patriot that he named me after his country’ says Bharat Jethi, his only grandson.

People like Jamnalal Jethi turns out to be an inspiration to all the citizens of Udaipur. Leaving behind all the worldly pleasures, Jamnalal’s spirit and dedication to liberate his nation has been commendable.

Do you have any feedback regarding the article? Or have any story you want to share with us? Then drop a mail to me at

Juhee@udaipurblog.com

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Brij Narayan | People from Udaipur You Should Know About

Our city – Udaipur is completely filled with beauty in and out. And this beauty is not reflected in just its history, culture and its places, but also in its people. There are some gem of the people belonging from Udaipur who, with their hard work and success, have not just made the city but the entire nation proud.

But sadly, with time we tend to forget the accomplishment of such people of the city. The series ‘People from Udaipur you should know about’ tends to glorify the journey of these famous and triumphant people from Udaipur who have become an epitome of success in their lives.

 

Brij Narayan

Brij Narayan is a renowned name in the field of Indian classical music. He is the eldest son and disciple of the world-acclaimed Sarangi maestro Pandit Ram Narayan. Born on 25 April 1952 in Udaipur, Brij Narayan was fascinated by the sound of Sarod right from his young age. He graduated from the University of Mumbai in 1972 after which he also worked on several movies while touring Africa, Europe, and America.

Source: YouTube

The powerful musicality and adaptability of his father to a range of ‘Gharanas’ (musical styles) gave the opportunity to Brij Narayan to develop his own original style. As a matter of fact, Narayan hailed from a family with musical expertise with his Uncle, Chatur Lal being a Tabla player and father being a sarangi player.

Over his long career, Shri Brij Narayan performed in many esteemed music festivals in India as well as abroad including the celebration of the Munich Olympics; and in the University of Pennsylvania, USA. He composed music for many films and has many recordings to his credit including a collaboration with Zakir Hussain. He has also been featured as an artist in a film by Dinkar Rao named as Magic in Fingers for Films Division of India, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. In 1978, he played in a movie ‘Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki’ and composed music for the movie Bengali Night by Nicholas Klotz starring Hugh Grant.

Source: The Hindu

Awards and Recognition

Shri Brij Narayan has received many titles and awards for his contribution to Hindustani instrumental music which includes the President’s Gold Medal in All India Radio Music Competition (1967), the Dagar Gharana Award by the Mewar Foundation (1996), and the Marwar Sangeet Ratna Award (2012). He also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Hindustani instrumental music – Sarod in the year 2015.


Currently, Narayan lives in Mumbai along with his family. His son Harsh Narayan plays sarangi since 1997. Narayan also works for Pt Ram Narayan Foundation in Mumbai which offers a scholarship to Sarangi students.

Do you have feedback regarding the article? Or have something to share of your own? Write to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com, we would love to feature your story.

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Kalu Lal Shrimali | People from Udaipur You Should Know About

Our city – Udaipur is completely filled with beauty in and out. And this beauty is not reflected in just its history, culture and its places, but also in its people. There are some gem of the people belonging from Udaipur who, with their hard work and success, have not just made the city but the entire nation proud.

But sadly, with time we tend to forget the accomplishment of such people of the city. The series ‘People from Udaipur you should know about’ tends to glorify the journey of these famous and triumphant people from Udaipur who have become an epitome of success in their lives.

Source: wikipedia

Kalu Lal Shrimali

Kalu Lal Shrimali, who is also known by the initials K.L. Shrimali, was born in Udaipur in December 1909. He was the Union Education minister for the Government of India and also a renowned parliamentarian and an educationist.

He had his education from Banaras Hindu University, Calcutta University, and Columbia University, New York.

Dr. Kalu Shrimali served as Minister of education in the Union Council of Ministers from the from May 1955 to August 1963. He also represented the state of Rajasthan for entire 10 years between April 1952 to April 1962. Dr. Shrimali was also associated with various educational and various social welfare organizations. He was also the editor of ‘Jan Shikshan’ which is a monthly educational magazine and had a number of publications.

In the year 1976, Dr. Shrimali was awarded Padma Vibushan for his huge contribution to education.

On 5th January 2000, K.L. Shrimali passed away at the age of 90 in the city of Udaipur. Dr. Shrimali was the cabinet minister who had served under the first Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

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Jagat Singh Mehta | People from Udaipur You Should Know About

Our city – Udaipur is completely filled with beauty in and out. And this beauty is not reflected in just its history, culture and its places, but also in its people. There are some gem of the people belonging from Udaipur who, with their hard work and success, have not just made the city but the entire nation proud.

But sadly, with time we tend to forget the accomplishment of such people of the city. The series ‘People from Udaipur you should know about’ tends to glorify the journey of these famous and triumphant people from Udaipur who have become an epitome of success in their lives.

 

Jagat Singh Mehta

Source: UdaipurTimes

Jagat Singh Mehta, son of Mohan Singh Mehta was born on 17th July 1922 in Udaipur, Rajasthan. He was an Indian Politician and diplomat who also served as Foreign Secretary of India for a period of 3 years from 1976 to 1979.

His school education involved five years of study at Vidya Bhawan School which is known all over the country for its value education. After that, he went to the UK to complete his O-level and A-level schooling in a Quaker School of reading. He pursued MA and BA in English Literature from Allahabad University. He had a bucket full of experience by the time he joined Indian Navy as an officer.

In the Indian Foreign service, Mr. Mehta served in Berne, London, Bonn, Peking, and Der-es-Salaam. Among all of these, his assignment in Peking as the Charge d’Affaires en pied was the most successful. One of the greatest achievements of his life was the report on India’s boundary question with China that was prepared under his leadership.

Source: News18

While talking about the achievements, another one would be his entourage of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in his ride through Tibet into Bhutan which also initiated the special relations of India and Bhutan.

After Mrs. Gandhi removed him from the government, he re-entered the academic world where he became the scholar first at Harvard University and then joined the LBJ School at the University of Texas, USA as a distinguished professor and fellow at Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, D.C. in the year 1981.

Source: Amazon

Jagat’s famous publications include Militarization in the Third World (1985), The March of Folly in Afghanistan (2002), and Negotiating for India (2006).

In the year 2002, Jagat Singh Mehta received the third highest civilian award, Padma Bhushan.

Mr. Mehta passed away on March 6, 2014. He lived an extremely rich, diversified and purposeful life. He has left a legacy which will be followed by the present as well as the future generations.

Do you have feedback regarding the article? Or have something to share of your own? Write to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com

We would love to feature your story.
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Udaipur’s Vikramaditya Chaufla and Prashant Sen at Racketlon Thailand Open Challenger

Udaipur’s Vikramaditya Chaufla and Prashant Sen made the country proud by winning the bronze medal in men’s elite doubles at the Racketlon Thailand Open Challenger held from 4thto 6th January 2019. Mr. Chaufla and Mr. Sen competed against players from Europe and Asia in the tournament. Racketlon is an intense combination sport that tests the players in four disciplines – badminton, tennis, squash and table tennis.

Prashant Sen at the extreme right and Vikramaditya beside him

In his debut Racketlon appearance, Mr. Chaufla also squared off in the singles against Danish player Jesper Hougaard who is ranked 14th in the world. Mr. Chaufla defeated Mr. Hougaard in badminton and gave a grueling competition in squash but eventually ceded victory after a close contest.

 

Mr. Chaufla has previously represented the country in the World University Championship of Badminton in Seoul and in a highly anticipated appearance; he is scheduled to compete in the World Championship of Racketlon at Germany in November. He is also set to open his own Badminton academy in Udaipur and bring his international expertise in the sport to train the city’s youth.

Do you have any suggestions regarding the article or an interesting story you want to share with us? Then mail me at juhee@udaipurblog.com

We would love to feature your story!

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Govind From Udaipur who Turned his Disability into Strength

In your entire life, did you ever come across a thought that ‘I won’t be able to do it’? If you have, then this article will definitely change your perception towards life.

The story revolves around a boy named Govind Kharol, who is 25-years-old, born in an ordinary family in Udaipur. Like every other kid, Govind was expected to join a school, find a job and spend his life in the human race we all are a part of. But as easy as it sounds to us, as challenging it was for Govind.

He was born with a differently abled body with no right arm and partially developed left arm with just two fingers which is the reason why these ordinary things turned out to be a challenge for him. As he grew up, he realized that he was different which lead him to a struggle to get admission in a regular school. The usual advice that he used to get from the authorities was that he should get admission to a special school where he could get ‘proper attention’. But this wasn’t enough to shake his confidence. And finally, at the age of 5, he got admission in a regular school.

Initially, he was very shy and kept to himself but being good at studies, he turned out to be a dear student to all the teachers.

One day some people from Shikshantar came to his school. Govind became quite fascinated with the way of creative learning they offered blended with interesting games. He then visited Shikshantar and the first question he was asked was “What is your dream? What do you want to be in your life?” The question left him clueless and acted as a turning point in his life as this was the first time when someone asked him a question like this.

Govind’s interest lied in filmmaking. After attending a few filmmaking workshops, he made his first film ‘Sher Ka Zukham’ with the Shikshantar team. His film was highly appreciated which motivated him to continue it as a profession.

In the phase of growing up, Govind faced numerous challenges. After crossing the hurdle of education, he applied for a job. At first, he got selected based on his resume but as soon as the recruiter saw him, the first statement that left his mouth was ‘You won’t be able to do it’. He tried to convince the recruiter to let him try for once, but he was asked to leave. The entire episode shattered him.

He decided to rejoin Shikshantar and pursue his filmmaking venture only to realize that this is what actually makes him happy. He bought his own laptop and a camera from his personal savings and also opened a studio which was a big achievement for him.

 

The sport that turned his disability into power

Since childhood, he had admired the sport of cycling. He used to see people his age could easily ride a cycle. For several times, the thought to learn bicycling crossed his mind but the question was how would he do it! It made him distressed to know that he couldn’t do a thing as ordinary as riding a bicycle. But somewhere in his mind, it made him more determined to learn it.

In the beginning, he was not able to apply brakes in his cycle and had to use his legs to stop it. He realized that he had to get it modified. He knocked the door of several shops in Udaipur who could help him with the modification. After numerous attempts, one of them modified his bicycle and placed the brakes near the front tyre of the cycle. This made it very easy for him to operate the bicycle and travel great distances without any hurdle. He used to go to distant places with his friends on the bicycle. It made him passionate about the sport.

So much that he went on a journey of 1700 km from Udaipur to Bangalore all alone. It all began is December 2017 when for the first time he was going to travel such a huge distance that too away from his family, his parents. The news of the cycle journey came as a shock to his family and relatives. Everyone resisted him to go on this expedition of his. But on 5th December 2017, just when he was about to leave, his friends and family gathered outside his house to bid him goodbye.

This passion of his’ raised several questions in people’s mind. They used to ask him ‘why do you do this? How do you do this? Don’t you get scared?’

But to all these questions he had just one answer that  ‘If I get scared this time, then I won’t be able to do anything, ever’.

After this expedition, there was no looking back for him. In August 2018, he went for another cycling trip from Manali to KhardungLa. KhardungLa is considered to be the world’s highest Motorable pass. The route of this trip is 550 km long but is at an altitude of 18000 ft. which makes it very difficult. ‘Some paths were very narrow and difficult for me’ he says but in the end his passion didn’t let him quit and the most challenging 11-day journey came to an end with lots of learnings and memories for him to cherish.

 

When Camera became his friend

Govind says that he had a peculiar interest in photography. He used to shoot some videos and photos from his mobile phone wherever he used to go. After some time he thought that it was the time to move on to the next level of photography which was the camera.

He narrates the story of his first camera experience. He says ‘the first time I held a camera, I thought that I won’t be able to operate it. I met several filmmakers in Shikshantar. They taught me multiple things about an angle, shot, and frame in a camera. It further generated my interest in filmmaking. In this way, I learned to edit, and filmmaking.

Govind is popular by the name ‘Bindaas’ as his personality. Every Sunday morning, a group of around 15-17 cyclists comes together along with ‘Bindas Govind’ to share the passion for cycling. This group is known as ‘Bindaas cyclists’.

Govind is a perfect example of passion and dedication. If you are determined to do something, nothing can ever stop you.

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