SPOTLIGHT |
Pran Nath Kaul |
ith more than 2 decades of selfless service in supporting the educational requirements of the displaced Kashmiri Hindu community, Mr. Pran Kaul has dedicated his life to the upliftment of our underprivileged community members. It is a pleasure for Shehjar to bring a person with such incredible public service credentials to share his views and experiences with our readership. |
Interview with Shehjar
Mr. Kaul, please accept our gratitude for more than 2 decades of your service in supporting the educational requirements of the displaced Kashmiri Hindu community. It is our pleasure to bring a person of your public service credentials to share views and experiences with our readership. Many people in the Kashmiri Hindu community know you for your philanthropic and community service efforts. Tell us about yourself, your family, your growing up and early influences. PK: I feel humbled being asked to share my views with the readers of Shehjar, for the cause I have been involved in for over decade and a half is itself a humbling calling. I will be amiss if I do not recognize right at the outset, that the entire credit for sustaining the effort to bring succor to the indigent families in the refugee camps, goes to the compassionate and caring members of the KP community here in the US and Canada. It is because of their commitment and dedication that we have been able to educate school going children, help poor families to solemnize the weddings their daughters, running the milk supply project at a couple of schools in Mishriwala and Jagti camps for the benefit of undernourished children, the computer center managed by Sharda Education Foundation in Jammu, and similar other activities, all for the benefit of the less fortunate children from our community in and around Jammu. Like the majority of our community members, I was born in Srinagar over seven decades ago, as the only son of my parents. My only sister lives in upstate New York. We used to live near old Mission School, just upstream of Fateh Kadal, and belong to the once sprawling Kaul dynasty, comprising about two dozen families. I was very fortunate to have a very pleasant childhood, thanks to very caring and loving parents, who spared no effort to make our lives comfortable. My parents were instrumental in instilling in me the basic human values of compassion and charity and ethical conduct not as much by words, as by their day to day actions. My mother would invariably have several destitute women from the nearby temple visit our home for lunch and tea on a regular basis. Gestures like that have left an indelible mark on my mind. Your contributions in the field of education for the displaced Kashmiri Hindu children are well recognized. Your work has helped thousands of children over the years. What got you started? What have been your driving factors from then on? Your comments would help in motivating many others to either pursue such efforts or to join you in your work. PK: I was moved by the horrible plight of the hordes of refugees who escaped to Jammu under the threat of the gun in the Valley back in 1990, when I happened to visit several camps later that year. It was heart rending experience for me to see families huddling under makeshift tents, clinging to a few donated utensils and bare minimum linen. Wailing womenfolk begging for help with the menfolk frozen into silence, transfixed by the swiftness of the tragedy that had befallen them and the dazed children staring blankly into space with smiles having deserted them, still haunt me. That got me motivated to bring some relief to these destitute families, which crystallized later (in 1994) into helping the school going children with their education. It occurred to me rather instantly that almost all of the refugees were from rural areas of the Valley. Give us specific examples of how your work has helped children in need, at a critical time for them. We believe that many others will be able to draw inspiration from these success stories. PK: Here are some examples: 1. Helping a very bright girl complete her M.Sc in biotechnology and getting her gainfully employed in Auranagabad. Thanks to my cousin in Pune. 2. Paid for another bright girl to complete her M.C.A from Jammu University. She has been just interviewed for a job with a high tech company in Mumbai, thanks to my South Indian friend. 3. Helped two girls to take several computer courses and have been employed by HCL in Delhi for the last four years, thanks to my contacts in India. You have been able to carry on your efforts at the highest level of success despite many roadblocks and even donor fatigue. Where do you find your strength to overcome challenges? Are there other people who you would also like to name, who have been important for you to have stayed the course? PK: Donor fatigue is a reality, but a number of donors have been on the program for several years. Without citing specific names, I am inspired by the dedication of donors who have been supporting five or more than five kids for a number of years. These donors, especially our brothers from Canada (their donations are not tax deductible), are a great inspiration to me. Without their steadfast support the ride could have been rough. I utilize this opportunity to salute all those families who have contributed not only to educating our children, but also to various other noble causes for the upliftment of the indigent families in the camps. My faith in God has been reinforced from time to time by the fact that a new sponsor pops up invariably when I start worrying about the fate of a child whose sponsor withdraws support at short notice or sans any notice at all. Mr. B.L. Bhat, our coordinator in Jammu has been another great asset. Without his dedication and activism, the program could have foundered. He is an indispensable prop and part of what we have accomplished so far. Is the Kashmiri Hindu community in a confused state today regarding the need for continued philanthropic efforts directed towards fellow community members? Do you hear from even your longtime donors that after 2 decades in the sun, people should have learned to deal with their own problems? In the interest of the many, who vitally depend on your support, how do you educate donors about the issues that remain, which may even have increased in scope and consequence? PK: It is a loaded question. There may be folks who are skeptical about the need to help the indigent families in Jammu, but there are others who by their persistent support over the years have proven the skeptics wrong. That dichotomy always exists in every set up or society. When some of us here in the Bay area geared up in 1990-91 to raise funds for the refugees, the glib-tongued critics deemed our effort to be illegitimate simply because it was not blessed by KOA. It is like the Republicans questioning Obama's legitimacy as a US citizen. My exhortations are not going to persuade the skeptics that the camp residents are afflicted with pestilence and penury, because they have chosen to remain ignorant. It suits their psyche. It is galling to say the least that it is the KP who needs to be educated about what has befallen the community. The sheer scale of the tragedy, the forced exodus of several hundred thousand members of the Kashmiri Hindu community from Kashmir would have meant that not just individuals but also large groups and various governments/ agencies should have come to aid. What has been your observation in this matter? Can more be expected from them and how can their support for such noble and required actions be achieved? PK:The government is doing its little bit, thanks to Mr. Jagmohan's efforts. We could have accomplished lot more if we created awareness of the needs of the refugee community in Jammu and elsewhere within the Hindus at large in India. Unfortunately the chase for titles and publicity has taken a back seat to social work. Other than getting seats allocated in professional colleges in Maharashtra and elsewhere for our youngsters, our accomplishments have been at best lackadaisical. What is needed a concerted and united effort by the US diaspora and those in India to propogate the need for help, especially to the ailing and sick camp residents. There is also an imperative need to set up a corpus to help poor families perform weddings of their daughters, lest we have regrets later that our girls elope with Muslim and Dogra boys. We often decry such occurrences but do nothing to forestall these problems. It stems from a combination of lack of resolve, skepticism, and impassiveness. Depending on GOI to address specific needs of the camp dwellers will be an exercise in futility, because their involvement is limited to providing accommodation and financial support for the refugees, all channeled through the state govt., which is not too well disposed towards them. What is your message of hope and advice to the Kashmiri Hindu community especially and to other communities who may be in need for humanitarian efforts? What is your message to those who have been on the sidelines, wanting to help but do not know where to start ? PK: Without making pretensions to issuing a message to other communities, which I am not qualified or competent to do, I would appeal to my fellow community members to rise to the occasion, by rendering help to the needy, the ailing and the sick and those who have specific needs. I would like to impress upon them that a KP will never seek help, unless circumstances force him to do so. It is demeaning to a person with a modicum of self respect and dignity, especially a KP to go around with a begging bowl to seek help, unless forced by dire circumstances. I am speaking from personal experience after interacting with the families over the years and I do so every time I travel to Jammu. I visit the camps every time with Mr. B.L. Bhat , our program coordinator in Jammu. As they say seek knowledge and it will be imparted to you. I would entreat those , who are interested in doing their little bit to bring much-needed succor and help to the poor refugee families, to seek information about various programs from the following sources: 1. Dr. Chand ji Bhan for help to ailing and the sick. 2. Dr. Tej Nath Kaul for education of college bound children. 3. Pran Kaul for education of school going children |
This is what they say Shehjar requested views from some of the acquintances of Pran Kaul and we are pleased to reproduce what they had to say about this selfless community activist.
Girja Raina, Stockton, CA:
Pran Ji has been tireless advocate for migrant kashmiri causes. I know it first hand because there is always a new need for our brethern in Jammu that pran ji is collecting for. It could be kashmiri youth education in camps that he is administering for last 15 years ,a milk scheme or wedding plea from a desperate father that pran ji is calling about, Many times I have seen the hesitancy on his part asking us to contribute but then He cares about community needs and people like him selfless and determined can accomplish. It would be very interesting to tally how many of our youngsters back home have gotten successful carriers because a kashmiri with a heart and compassion cared . Pran Ji is great human beings who did not forget his roots or responsibilities when calling came . May we look forward to many years of his continued service and hope he has spurred many individuals to follow in his footsteps. THANKS PRAN JI Hiralal Raina, Fremont, CA:
Shri Pran Nath Kaul is one of the most respected members of the KP community in the Bay area. He is known for his sincerity and honesty. He is one of the first members of KOA who started the popular "Sponsor-A-Child-Program", and it is due to his perseverance and determination that the program has continued so successfully. The program has helped a lot of KP kids who needed such help to survive. Pranji did a very good job as President of the KOA chapter of Northern California during 1994 -95 time frame. His urge to help those in need comes from his dedication to the KP cause.
Dr. Amrit Nehru, Los Angels, CA:
I have known Mr Pran Kaul of California for more than 25 years as a very honest and Compassionate person of very high integrity. Not many in our community can match his dedicated services being rendered to our community. He happens to be one of the few if not the only Kashmiri Pandit living in USA who has dedicated all his life to the upliftment of our underprivileged community members. I have seen many noisemakers and egoists, while Pranji continues to be a humble person fully dedicated to the service of our community. He has never sought publicity or limelight and is "Media Shy" if I may call him that way and that is the hallmark of his great personality. Not only has he helped thousands of our children in and out of the migrant camps, he has been in the forefront of the social needs of our community. Be it marriages of our less fortunate girls,Yognopavit of our children, Patients in need of medical help or our malnourished Kids in the migrant camps, Pran ji is always in the fore front to help them. Pranji continues to help find jobs for those whom he raised as kids. Many of his sponsored kids have successful carriers.
I have been fortunate to have been part of Pranji's efforts in a small way. May GOD give him a long and Healthy life to continue serving our community. I wish we had many more "Pranji's" in our community to make a difference. I am always proud of you, Dear Pranji.
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Esteemed Pran Kaul Sb. : Your portrait on the cover of the current issue of the 'Shehjar' speaks volumes about your self-less and dedicated yeoman service to our diaspora. Believe me, I felt face to face,as though talking to you and watching your glistening white hair of wisdom, similar to my own. May Lord Shiva bless you with a century of blissful, healthy life. Regards with cheers ! Dr Tej Munshi (Presently in India & returning soon)
Added By Tej Munshi
Blessed are people like you who have such passion to help others. Thank you to Shehjar for inspiring stories.
Added By Vijay Trisal
Dear Pran jee's contribution to our community has been examplary. I am inspired by his selfless and noble contribution. Could I be informed about the details of making my humble contribution to 'Sponsor the Child' program? My wife and I are based in Canbera, Australia (Down Under) and are far away from the actual contacts to do the needful in a humble way. Best regards and Namaskar to Pran jee and his missionary zeal!
Added By SRIKISHEN DHAR
After 2 decades a person like Pranji is widely presented to our community. Such a great person.
Added By Shankar Kaul