Shri Sundarlal Bahuguna with Smt Rama Rauta at Shimla in 1996
A Tribute to the Guru and Mentor of Our Save Ganga Movement, Shri Sundarlal Bahugunaji.
Shri Sundarlal Bahuguna ji was a great noble soul and a true Gandhian Himalayan& Ganga environmental activist. He was my Mentor. I met him first time at Shimla in 1996, when as the Chief Co-ordinator of the Women Cell of IIAS, Shimla and Vice President of Himalayan Women's Organization, Shimla, we were raising a movement for the protection and preservation of environment in Himanchal Pradesh. He said" You work for mother Ganga. She needs you.", He gave me gangajal and said, "Promise me that you will work for Ganga." I asked him, "How can I work from Pune when we go back to Pune after one year?" He said, "Mother Ganga will show you the way." He gave me rupees one hundred one to work for the cause of mother Ganga. Again we met at Rajghat, where he gave gangajal and asked before smadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, "Promise me that you will work for Ganga. First you visit Ganga and understand her problems." We came pune and created National Women's Organization in 1998 to work for the protection and promotion of mother Nature, women and Gandhian thought. In Pune on 2nd October 1998 at Gandhi National Memorial Society, Agakhan Palace, after an Ahimsa rally, organized by us and led by Dr Sushila Nayar and Smt Shobhna Tai Ranade, it was decided to create a Save Ganga Movement for making mother Ganga Aviral and Nirmal.
Then we arranged our first programme at Kanpur, where Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna ji, Dr. Kanchanlata Sabbarwal, Shri Satish Mahana, Dr. S.C Rai, Dr. Vinod Tare and many other distinguished persons participated. We decided there to have a Save Ganga and Save Himalaya yatra from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar in different phases to create save Ganga & save Himalayas awareness through meetings and seminars. Shri Sunder lal Bahuguna ji always guided and participated on his own expenditure in our various Save Programmes. Smt Tara Gandhi Bhattacharya ji, grand daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, became chairperson of our movement. Many eminent Scientists like Dr. Govind Swarup, Dr. Jayant Narlikar, Dr Vijay Bhatkar, Prof. Yash Pal, Dr. P. Pushpangadan, Director NBRI, Lucknow, Dr PK Seth, Director, ITRC, Lucknow, Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, DG, CSRI, etc., spiritual leaders H.H Swami Tejomayanandaji, Word Head of Chinmaya Mission, H.H. Swami Nikhilanandji, Rgional Head, New Delhi, H.H Dada J.P Vaswani, Head, Sadhu Vaswani Mission, Pune, Renowned yoga guru Rev.BKS Iyenger ji, HH Swami Avimukteshwranandji, Vidya Math, Varanasi, Rev Swami Chidanand ji, Parmarth Niketan, Rev. Lokesh Munni, Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti, Rev. Pranav Pandya, Shanti Kunj, HH Vincent M Concessao, Rev. Archbishop of Delhi, HH Maulana Wahiuddin, New Delhi, Rev. Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Rev Maulana Luqman Qasimi Tarapuri, HH Swami Bhakti Rasamitraji, ISKN, Mumbai, Karnataka,HH Swami Agnivesh ji, Bandhua Mukti Morcha, New Delhi, M.C.Mehta , Dr. Veerbhadra Mishra, Head, Sankat Mochan, Shri S.N Goyankaji, Vipasana, Research Institute, Dr .Samprasd Vinod, Pune, Dr A.K. Marchent, Bahi Group, Delhi, etc., and many Gandhians, like Dr T. N Suba Rao, Shri Tushar Gandhi ji, Smt Usha Mehta, Smt. Nirmal Deshpande, Smt. Mohini Giri, etc., joined our movement and helped for its success. Dr. G.D Agarwal joined us after 2007, when he became a completely devoted Ganga activist.
Scientists from ITRC, Lucknow, Gopal Krishna, NBRI, Lucknow, Dr U.N.Rai, NEERI, Nagpur, Dr. T.K.Ghosh always participated in our save Ganga programmes.
Shri Sundarlal Bahuguna ji passed away on the auspicious occasion of Divine Mother Sita's birthday. May God and Divine Mother help the departed soul to go in the path of Moksha. To pay tribute to the great noble soul and Ganga Activist, let all like-minded persons resolve solomnly to work for the rejuvenation and preservation of mother Ganga and her source the Himalayas through creating the necessary awareness for a Gandhian Mass Satyagraha movement for this great noble cause. Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of Truth and Non-violence of our age, shows us the way. We must know that rejuvenation and preservation of our great river mothers and their sources our great mountains and forests is absolutely necessary for ensuring permanent food, water and air security to our masses, both urban and rural, future generations and the dumb and deaf life-world.
Note: I am sure, I have not mentioned many distinguished persons here, who have contributed to our Save Ganga Movement.
I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
With love and prayers
Smt. Rama Rauta
President, National Women's Organization, Pune
Founder, Save Ganga Movement
