MEET PROF. PARMANAND SHARMA, THE CENTENARY LEGEND OF DHARAMSHALA
Prof. Parmanand Sharma, a veteran writer of Dharamshala, has entered the 100th year this month. Centenary poet and literary writer Paramanand Sharma is still very active in literary creation. He has translated the great Urdu Shayari of Mirza Ghalib’s ghazals in the Pahadi language. Many Buddhist texts written in Sanskrit have been translated into English and Hindi, Also Jaishankar Prasad’s epic Kamayani has been translated in English.
After his Master’s in English in 1945 at Lahore, he taught at different colleges in Panjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Thousands of students keenly identify with him: His teaching in the classroom, as NCC officer, (rose to the highest rank in that cadre of Major, Commanded a Battalion in Burdwan 1964-66), having trained as an officer with Gorkhas in fist post-independence NCC batch, sports ground, played several games including Hockey PU intra-college in 1943, went to conduct first General Election in Spiti, walking 500 miles, and he is a naturally invited officer to train election teams. Thereafter, met Pt JL Nehru with his Spiti memoirs, and the then PM got it published.
A writer, poet, orator, and scholar, familiar with languages like English, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Persian, Panjabi, Pahari ( translated ghazals of Ghalib into it), Buddhist expert, translated Certain Buddhist Classics, and HH the Dalai Lama’s discourses, the later’s biography in poetic form, Chenresi, and a book on Tibetans, People of the Prayer Wheel.
Arya samajis, Sanatanis, RSS conclaves, Freedom Fighters Association (His father- in – Law, Pr Durga Das ji was known as Doab Gandhi), Sikh Sangats on special occasions like Guru Gobind Singh birthday, Sports Tournaments, Cultural Festivals, Teachers’ confrence, Buddhist Symposium… Well, all of them invite him as a distinguished dignitary.
Honored as Poet Laureate by Panjab Government in, 1964, and with a Siver Medal by the Election Commission of India, Mr Sharma has numerous honors and awards bestowed on him.
His portfolio of correspondence includes such eminences as Jawahar Lal Nehru, HH the Dalai Lama, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Maithali Sharan Gupt, Sohan Lal Dwivedi, Sobha Singh, the legendary Painter of Gurus and Sohniwal, and so on.
His published books include Chhatrapati, also awarded Manglaprasad Paaritoshak in 1952), Vairagi, Porus, Mitti Ka Diya, Swarna- Paduka, Baat Ki Baat, Akla Chalo Re, Satya Sai Avtar, Kichh Main Kichh Ghalib, The Odyssey, Under Ka Sinhasan aur anye Kavitaen, Translation of Shantideva Sanskrit buddhist Classic, Kamal Sheel Sanskrit classic on meditation in English, Boddhicharita, People of the Prayer Wheel, his autobiography My Mountain and My Valley Men like Mr Shanta Kumar, former Chief Minister, would recite a verse or two from Sharmaji’s Chhatrapati epic, when they meet at a public function. Present CM, Jai Ram Thakur honoured him with a visit to his residence a couple years ago.
He is presently settled at “Himkireet”, Shyam Nagar, Dharmshala 176215.
VIDEO COURTESY: क se क Tak (K se K tak)
Prof. Parmanand Sharma’s life is multifaceted
He is one of the commissioned officers of the first batch of NCC (1949). Therefore, after the war with China in 1962, Mann was also a full-time NCC officer and was the recent commander in West Bengal from 1963-65. In 1947, he passed the first IAS exam held. Passed the Punjab Civil Service Examination in 1949.
Deputy leader of the government polling campaign team in the first elections held in Spiti Valley in 1957.
In which the burden of responsibility was heavy. 56 days of remoteness for one day’s election was a unique experience – Manatil Kunjam Dard in Rampur Bushahr and Rohtang -etc. The Election Commission of India awarded him a Silver Medal for this unique act of duty. In a way, his life has been multi-faceted Reading, sports competitions, organizing cultural events, and addiction to Urdu, Hindi, English, and Sanskrit Translation of many texts, from English to Hindi.
Principal of Dharamshala College Prof. Parmanand Sharma was born on 17 November 1923 in Ghodiyal village District Jalandhar. He has done BA from Doaba College Jalandhar in the year 1943 with Hons., MA in English from Government College Lahore in 1945.
Prof. Parmanand Sharma provided spokesperson services in various government colleges of Punjab, Pepsu, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. He was the principal of the State College Dharamshala since 1977 and retired from here in 1982. Hindi – Deep Writing in English
He has translated many Tibetan sermons of Dalai Lama into Hindi. His book ‘Man and Mules’ has been taken in by the country’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru. Paramanand Sharma has spoken a lot in English, Hindi and Pahadi. For their literary works, where Punjab government has given the title of ‘Rajkavi’, then the deported Tibetan government has also honored him.
His published books in Hindi include ‘Chhatrapati’ (epic), ‘Vairagi’ (management poetry), ‘Mitti Ka Diya’ (Shastri ji par Khandya), ‘Akla Chalo’ (Khand Kavya), ‘Poras’ (Khandakya in Amitraksha rhythm), ‘Samyai Avatar’ (epic). English poetry compositions ‘The Divine Oddsey’, ‘Charenji’, ‘Nachiketa and the Great Encounter’, ‘Linggm to the Lotus Feet’ have been published while English prose compositions ‘Man and Mulz’ (Prakathan-Jawahar Lal Nehru), ‘People of the Prayer Wheel’ (Prakkathan-Param Pawan The ‘Lai Lama) and Meeting God’ has been published. Amazing work in the field of translation. Prof. Parmanand Sharma, has done poetry of Mirza Ghalib in the Pahadi language, Punjab government has given the title of ‘Rajakavi’.
Prof. Parmanand Sharma has done a great job in the translation genre. Hindi epic Kamayani’s poetry in English, ‘Bodhicharyavatar’ – Translation of 9th century Acharya Shantidev’s famous Buddhist book from original Sanskrit to English, ‘Bhavanaakram’ – the original culture of the famous Buddhists book of Acharya Kamalsheel of tenth-century Translation in English from Tibetan, ‘Baudhi-Path-Pradeep’ – 9th century Acharya Deepankra Shrijan ‘Atish’ Translation of the book from original Sanskrit to Hindi, ‘Tibetan and Tibetan Muslims’ – Translation from Urdu to English, Translated selected ghazals of poet Mirza Ghalib in Pahadi from Urdu. He has translated many sermons of Param Pawan Dalarain Lama into Hindi.
Prof. Parmanand Sharma was awarded by the Uttar Pradesh government for the epic ‘Chhatrapati’ in 1952. In the year 1964. The Punjab government decorated him with the title of ‘Rajkavi’. He was a member of the General Council of Sahitya Academy Delhi from 1977 to 1982.
In the year 1987, he was named a lifelong member of the Governing Body of Tibetan Books and Archives Library by Param Pawan Dalai Lama. He was honored by countless literary and cultural institutions. In 2010, Prof. Parmanand Sharma was honored by Tibet’s deported government.
He was also a member of Governing Body. In his student life, he started writing more poems in Urdu, which were often inspired by nationalism and against foreign rule. He turned to Hindi in 1946-47 and published his first Pradhan Mahapati in 1948, which was praised by the Hindi-speaking world and rewarded by the UP government. The sequence of other poetry sections and poetry songs etc. went on appreciably
LTWA Honours Prof. P.N Sharma for his Literary and Academic achievements
The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (LTWA) hosted a felicitation program today in honor of Prof. Parmananda Sharma, a staunch Tibet supporter and a member of the governing body of LTWA, for his literary and academic achievements.
The program was attended by chief guest Prof. Furqan Qamar, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, guest of honour Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, former Kalon Tripa and executive chairman of the governing body of LTWA, and secretaries of the various departments of Central Tibetan Administration.
In his opening remarks, Geshe Lhakdor, director of LTWA, spoke about Prof Sharma’s immense contribution towards the literary and academic field. He expressed his pleasure saying, LTWA is proud to rejoice at the achievements of Prof. Sharma and for the contribution he has made to the further growth and development of the library.
Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche spoke about the importance of academic and literary pursuits in life. He said Dharamshala should nurture intellectuals and encourage more people to pursue literary and academic achievements.
Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche further added that this felicitation is a tribute to the rich intellectual work of Prof Sharma over the years.
Professor Furqan Qamar, Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh, in his keynote address, spoke about passion and determination in life. He said passion is the guiding light that drives us to develop ourselves and the institutions that we represent.
He also said that Dharamshala is a rich cultural destination due to the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and many other noted Indian artists and intellectuals.
Prof. Sharma, in his address, said that he is humbled for the adulation accorded to him by the LTWA. He said he is blessed to have contributed to the large repository of knowledge that LTWA is associated with.
Professor Parmanada Sharma is a writer, poet, and former principal of Government College in Dharamshala. His extensive writings in various academic fields have been published and well-received all over the country. He was also selected by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a member of the governing body of LTWA in 1987.
The felicitation event also included an exhibition of the various books authored by the professor and the release of his latest work- the Hindi translation of ‘The Good Heart’ by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Author: Dr. Shefalika Bansal, Leading Techno Journalist & Founder of CEV Group of organizations is the niece of Professor Parmanada Sharmaji.