Message from the Secretary

deem it a great privilege and honour to have been entrusted with the responsibility of
functioning as Secretary of the National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), an

autonomous Organization with the Ministry of Home Affairs. I assumed charge of this p

osition

on 17th April, 2013. Prior to this assignment, I served as Ambassador of India to

Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia. In addition, in my 34-year long career in the Indian Foreign
Service, I have been fortunate to have represented my country in several significant
assignments in various capitals including Washington DC, Moscow, Brussels, Tehran,
Bangkok, Dhaka and Geneva, as well as at Headquarters in the Ministries of External Affairs,
Commerce and Industry etc.
The National Foundation for Communal Harmony of which the Secretary is the
Principal Executive Officer, is mandated to promote communal harmony and national
integration through a large gamut of events and activities. These programmes seek to make a
tangible and perceptible
difference to the lives, particularly of the children who have been seriously and adversely
affected by incidents of communal,
ethnic, caste or terrorist violence. It is a matter of immense satisfaction for all of us at the
Foundation that several of these
children have acquitted themselves with great credit, notwithstanding the difficult and harsh
conditions and circumstances
that they have had to endure. In addition, the Foundation conducts many extension activities,
frequently and regularly, to
spread the message of peace, love and harmony that all religions and philosophies preach and
promote. The Foundation
recognizes and rewards the outstanding contributions and achievements every year of
individuals and organizations in this
field by conferring Awards which carry a substantial monetary value in addition to the significant
symbolic value attached to
them. The Foundation brings out several publications to create better understanding and
promote cooperation amongst
different religions and ethnic communities and for strengthening bonds of friendship,
brotherhood, amity and concord.
There are innumerable other organizations and stakeholders who are contributing significantly
in diverse ways to
preserve and expand the harmonious social fabric of the country. Numerous individuals too are
working tirelessly to ensure
that the country emerges as a stable, peaceful, prosperous and democratic role model for the
world. Notwithstanding all these
efforts, much more can and needs to be done.
Through this regular publication, we will strive to bring to the attention of our esteemed readers
the efforts of the
Foundation as well as of other organizations and individuals to realize the Mission and noble
objectives that we have set for
ourselves. I believe that our initiative in the form of this Newsletter will go some way in realizing
our goal. It will be our

endeavour to share our experiences about our activities and programmes, stories on communal
harmony and other relevant
national events through these pages. We keenly look forward to receiving your comments and
feedback on this publication.
These will go a long way to help us in improving the quality and content of subsequent issues.
I take this opportunity to wish all our readers good health, happiness and success on the festive
and joyous occasion of
Indias 67th Independence Day.
Secretary, NFCH
secy-nfch-mha@nic.in
asajjanhar@gmail.com

Ashok Sajjanhar

lnH~ kkouk lUnsk

Peace, Harmony, Shared Security & Prosperity
No. 001/2013 August 2013 INAUGURAL ISSUE

jk"Vh; lkEiznkf;d ln~Hkko izfr"Bku

NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNAL
HARMONY

Sadbhavana
Sandesh
2

NFCH plans to significantly expand its

outreach for peace and harmony
The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH)
observes the Communal Harmony Campaign and Fund
Raising Week every year from 19th to 25th November. The
last working day of this week is observed as the Flag Day.
On this occasion, publicity material like Flag stickers,
wrappers, posters, NFCH brochures etc. are distributed to
all States / UTs, Ministries/Departments, Central Public
Sector Undertakings, para-military organisations,
universities, selected educational institutions, and Indian
embassies & missions abroad, etc. to observe and promote
the spirit of Communal Harmony.
An appeal is also made to all stakeholders to organize
specific programmes in their organizations during the
Campaign Week to promote the theme of communal
harmony and national integration and raise funds to help

children rendered orphan/destitute in different kinds of

societal violence. They are encouraged to observe the last
working day of this week as Flag Day.
During 2012, publicity materials were sent to about 99,000
units all over the country as against 95,000 units during 2011.
NFCH is continuously making all possible efforts to increase
the number of entities it reaches out to spread its message.
During 2013, the Foundation has planned to send publicity
materials to more than one lakh units to spread the message
of peace and communal harmony.
The Foundation is receiving encouraging and enthusiastic
response from its supporters and patrons in the form of
reports of programmes/ activities being organized by them,
photographs as well as donations ranging between Rs.3 to
Rs.5 crore every year to support needy children and perform
other activities for this noble cause.
During the Communal Harmony Campaign week, a few child
victims affected by violence from different States, assisted by
the Foundation are invited by NFCH to Delhi to share their
experiences which promote communal harmony & national
integration.
These children also pin flags on the person of dignitaries
such as Hon'ble President, Vice-President, Prime Minister
and the Home Minister. The children are also taken for local
site-seeing in Delhi and nearby historical places.
3

Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer,

renowned activist, social reformer
and scholar is no more
Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, the renowned
advocate of peace and communal
harmony, breathed his last on 14th May
2013 (Tuesday) in Mumbai and left this
world at the age of 73. Dr. Engineer was
reportedly ill for the last few days.
Born in a Maulvi family of Bohras at Mumbai, Dr. Asghar Ali
Engineer was honoured with the first National Communal
Harmony Award (1997) instituted by the National Foundation
for Communal Harmony (NFCH). He also had the distinction
of serving on the Board of the Governing Council, NFCH for
nine years from Oct. 2000 to Oct.2009. Dr. Engineer had a
liberal and scientific education. He took up the task of
enquiring as to why two communities clashed with each
other on so called religious grounds even after partition and
concluded that political and economic factors are more
important than anything else in any communal clash.
Dr. Engineer actively and with conviction represented the
country at different fora. He was one of the prominent
members of the National Integration Council chaired by
Hon'ble Prime Minister of India. His Mumbai based
organization, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism
has been acclaimed for promoting peace and communal
harmony by organizing different activities and for conducting
research & studies and bringing out significant publications.
Shri Engineer's writings reflect a rare sensitivity, originality
and excellent comprehension of the ethics of all religions

practiced in the country. His research & literary contribution

has helped in removing misgivings about different religions.
He published more than 60 books including his own
authored/edited publications on the subjects cognate to
religion and their rituals besides hundreds of articles
published in various newspapers and magazines. Some of
his publications include Communalism in India, 'Communal
Riots after Independence : A Comprehensive Account',
Sufism and Communal Harmony, etc. His recent
autobiography 'A Living Faith My Quest for Peace,
Harmony and Social Change' was released by the Hon'ble
Vice President of India Shri Hamid Ansari at New Delhi on
20th July 2011.
Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar, Secretary, NFCH visits
Shanti Ashram, Coimbatore for Interfaith Round-Table
Amb. Ashok Sajjanhar, Secretary NFCH visited Coimbatore,
Tamil Nadu on 4th May 2013 and participated in an Interfaith
Round Table (2013) organized by Shanti Ashram, a
Coimbatore based Gandhian Center working for rural
development, learning and interfaith collaboration.
In addition to NFCH, the other partnering organizations
included Day of Prayer and Action for Children (DPAC),
Arigatou International, Bharitya Vidya Bhawan, Swami
Vivekanand University and some Gandhian institutions.
Some of the major issues debated at this Roundtable
covered positive parenting & non-violent child rearing, child
protection and prevention of early marriage of girls.
In his address, Ambassador
Sajjanhar spoke of the
essential spiritual unity of
all faiths and religions.
He underscored the urgent
needforpromoting
communal harmony in the
country to enable it to
assume its rightful place of a
peaceful, stable, secure and
prosperous country in the international community.
The event was attended by nearly 100 international and
national participants including religious leaders,
representatives of faith based development organizations,
agencies working for children, academia and young
children.
4

Three Award winners to be conferred with

National Communal Harmony Awards
The Foundation is pleased to announce that three Award
winners viz. Shri Khamliana, Shri Abdul Bari and Foundation
for Amity and National Solidarity will be conferred with the
prestigious National Communal Harmony Award in a
function to be organized at New Delhi. While Shri Khamliana
of Mizoram and Shri Abdul Bari of Odisha were jointly
selected for the National Communal Harmony Award for the
year 2011, the Foundation for Amity & National Solidarity,
Delhi has been selected for the year 2012 by the Jury
headed by the Hon'ble Vice-President of India. Individual

Award winners will be given cash amount of Rs.2.00 Lakh

each besides a citation while the winning organization will
get an amount of Rs.5.00 Lakh plus a citation.
Shri Khamliana, aged 57, is the
Founder President of the Mizoram
Youth Club which was established in
1990. The Club is a well known
voluntary organization rendering
social service and strengthening
national integration in Mizoram. Shri
Khamliana has organized musical
concerts, essay competitions and
cultural exchange programmes
through his organisation to promote unity and peaceful coexistence
among diverse ethnic groups. He played an active
part in organising a social function in 2000 in the Army
campus to build a civilian-military relation in the state and
received fulsome appreciation. He actively participated and
organized national integration camps by affiliating with the
Nehru Yuva Kendra.
Shri Md. Abdul Bari, aged 73 from
district Bhadrak of Odisha, is a
social activist and associated with
at least eight social organisations
and has selflessly helped the police
and local administration from time
to time to maintain peace and
communal harmony. Shri Bari
reportedly played a significant role
in restoring peace and communal
harmony after the communal riots
in Bhadrak (1991) and at the times of Babri Masjid
demolition (1992), serial blasts at Mumbai (1993), burning of
Sabarmati Express at Godhra (2002) and after the inhuman
killing of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati at Kandhamal
district (2008). Recently in 2011, he helped in effectively
controlling the communally violent situations at Bhadrak
town on the occasions of Id-Milad-un-Nabi and Ram Navami
festivals.
Formed in 1984, the
Foundation for Amity &
National Solidarity
(FANS) is a Delhi
based Trust which
works for spreading
amity and communal
h a r m o n y. I t h a s
organized numerous
seminars, workshops, symposiums, inter-religious meets,
youth camps, sadbhavana sabhas and rallies to promote
social amity. The Foundation has instituted the 'National
Amity Award', which is given every year to an eminent
personality. A serial 'Yeh Gulistan Hamara' produced by the
Foundation on national integration was telecast on
Doordarshan. It has awarded numerous scholarships under
its Amity Scholarship Scheme to promote education

amongst the economically backward students.

NFCH has invited nominations for National Communal
Harmony Awards, 2013 from individuals and organisations
for their outstanding contribution for promotion of communal
harmony and national
integration.The
Awards consist of a
citation each and cash
award of Rupees Five
Lakh for an 'Individual'
and Rupees Ten Lakh
for an 'Organisation',
onthebasisof
outstanding contribution over a period of ten years for an
individual and five years for an organization. These are
essential pre-requisite eligibility conditions to apply for this
award.
As in the past, the Award scheme has been given wide
publicity throughout the country to invite the maximum
number of nominations. Specific Award advertisement has
already been published in leading national and regional
newspapers throughout the country on 5th May 2013 to invite
nominations. About 3800 Award brochures have been sent
to sponsoring authorities competent to recommend names
for this Award. Letters of request from Additional Secretary
(CS), MHA have separately been sent to all the Chief
Secretaries. All UTs have also been suitably requested to
sponsor nominations. Doordarshan has been requested to
give wide publicity to the scheme. Details of the National
Communal Harmony Awards are available on the website of
the Foundation www.nfch.nic.in.
Fresh nominations invited for National
Communal Harmony Awards 2013
5

NFCH help reaches more than 11,000 children

for their effective rehabilitation
NFCH is making concerted efforts to
help the needy orphan or destitute
children affected by different kinds of
societal violence. Under its Flagship
scheme viz. Project Assist, the
Foundation has been rendering
financial assistance for care,
education and training of children
rendered orphan or destitute in
various communal, caste, ethnic or
terrorist violence since the inception of this scheme in 1992.
As on 31st March 2013, 11,198 children are covered under
this project. They belong to 19 States and one Union
Territory. A sum of Rs. 5.10 crore was released as assistance
to 4103 children during 2012-13. A cumulative amount of Rs.
48.98 crore has been released so far as assistance. During
2012-13, a total of 165 new children/beneficiaries were
assisted under the scheme. In addition, assistance was also
released to 3938 existing beneficiaries.
The scheme is being implemented

successfully throughout the

country with the help of concerned
district administrations which
identify and recommend cases of
such children from their districts to
the Foundation for sanction of
assistance. The assistance
released by the Foundation is
disbursedtobeneficiary
children/youths through the
concerned district administrations.
As a new initiative, NFCH plans to deposit the funds directly
to the accounts of children. The scheme has already been
implemented in some districts. Relevant details are being
collected from other districts.
NFCH either on its own or through the help of reputed
educational institutions gets evaluation of Project 'Assist'
conducted to assess the real impact of the scheme on the
lives of children. Based on the findings and
recommendations of such studies, efforts are made from
time to time to improve the scheme.
Proposals for research studies are invited from universities,
research organisations, schools of social work, autonomous
organisations, media personnel, renowned institutions for
undertaking empirical, participatory and action oriented
research and studies having relevance to promotion of
communal harmony and national integration. Financial
assistance is extended for undertaking research studies to
cover expenditure on remuneration and allowances, travel,
consultancy, printing, tools and equipment, tabulation cost,
contingency and overhead charges as per requirements
assessed.
So far, the Foundation has sponsored six research studies
on different specific topics. Two of them have also been
published as monographs entitled (i) Religious Violence and
youth - A Study of the Urban-Slum Youth in Mumbai, 2004;
and (ii) 'Social Processes and Communal Tension: A Case
Study of Vadodara City, 2006.
Agencies and individuals desirous of undertaking research
and having sufficient research experience in the relevant
field are eligible for sanction of assistance. Faculty members
in universities/colleges may send proposals (along with biodata
of Project Director/in-charge) through the Registrar of
universities. Other eligible reputed organisations,
institutions may send proposals directly to the Foundation.
Research proposals invited by
NFCH under Project 'Research
Individual applicants will have to affiliate their research
proposal with any UGC accredited research institute or
university for carrying out research/ study, which will be
responsible to manage the funds and oversee completion of
research study. Further details of scheme and guidelines etc.
may be seen at the Foundation's website www.nfch.nic.in.
6

Some activities of NFCH

1. A Symposium on National Integration & Youth was

organized by the All India Women's Conference in

collaboration with the National Foundation for Communal
H a r m o n y a t M a h a r a j a s C o l l e g e f o r Wo m e n ,
Thiruvananthapuram on 21st March 2012. The seminar
highlighted the role of youth in promoting the idea of national
integration through various cultural programmes, sports etc.
2. The Council for
Rehabilitation of
Widows, Orphans,
Handicapped&
OldPersons,
SocialWelfare
Department, Govt.
of J & K organized
four awareness
generation programmes on 'Communal Harmony and Relief
and Rehabilitation of Militancy Hit Victims' with active
participation and collaboration of NFCH. The programmes
included workshop cum seminar and awareness generation
camps which were held at different places viz. Poonch,
Jammu and Rajouri in the State from January to April 2013.
These programmes were well attended by about four
thousand people from the State including dignitaries from
the government, college students and citizens of the
country.
3. AAROHAN, a Delhi based NGO organized a
programme 'Abhivyakti' in collaboration with the National
Foundationfor
Communal Harmony
on 26th May 2012 at
NigamPratibha
Vidyalaya (Kanya)
MCD School, New
Delhi to promote the
spirit of communal
harmony. The event
featured folk & fusion
dance and stage play followed by a peace march. The event
was witnessed by several hundred children and their
parents. Dr. Lalit Kumar, former Secretary NFCH and Mrs.
NutanKochar,
Councilor of the area
also attended the
programmeand
addressedthe
participants.
4.ShivCharan
Mathur Social Policy
Research Institute,
Jaipur organized a one day Seminar on 'Role of Women in
Mohalla Committees' on 10th October 2012 at Jaipur with
cooperation and support of NFCH. The Seminar was
inaugurated by Shri Wajahat Habibullah, Chairman,
National Commission for Minorities and addressed by
eminent speakers including Shri Julio F. Ribeiro. Dr. Lad
Kumari Jain, Chairperson, State Women Commission,

Rajasthan presided over the Seminar. Rajasthan Police

Academy also collaborated with the Institute in organizing
this programme. It was well attended by social scientists,
intellectuals, social workers and other stakeholders.
5. A one day Programme on general awareness of Project
''Assist'' and promotion of communal harmony was
organized by Aashwas, a unit of Assam Police in
collaboration with the NFCH at Kokrajhar on 19th October
2012. The programme was attended by numerous children,
financially assisted by NFCH, along with their guardians.
Senior police officers from Assam Police, DCs/SPs, Resource
persons, representatives of various NGOs, volunteers from
village organizations, etc. also actively participated in the
programme. Former Secretary NFCH and Assistant
Secretary, dealing with the Project 'Assist' in Assam also
attended the programme. Discussions focused on
dissemination of information about the constitution of NFCH
and its activities as well as on highlighting the importance of
communal harmony for the prosperity of the nation.
7

Nation celebrates 150th birth anniversary of

Swami Vivekananda
India and the world is
celebrating the 150th birth
anniversary of renowned
social reformer, activist
and peace worker Swami
Vivekananda this year.
SwamiVivekananda
(originally Narendra Nath
Dutta) was born on 12th
January 1863 in Kolkata.
Narendra excelled in music
and gymnastics. By the
time he graduated from
Calcutta University, he also
studied Western Philosophy and History. He had a yogic
temperament and practiced meditation from his childhood.
He got associated with the Brahmo Movement for some
time.
Swami Vivekananda was deeply inspired by Saint Sri
Ramakrishna and considered him as his Master. He
travelled all over India and felt that the appalling poverty and
backwardness of the masses was due to neglect of the
masses which was the real cause of the downfall of the
country. He believed that the essence of Vedanta was life
giving which would, in effect, not only improve the economic
condition of the people, if adopted by them, but would also
strengthen their moral fibre. Few years later, Swamiji
founded the Ramkrishna Mission to promote his ideals.
Swamiji was the first Indian to attend the World Parliament of
Religions at Chicago in September 1893. Later, he spent a
few years in USA and London to preach and propagate
Vedanta. He returned to India in January 1897 and delivered
a series of inspiring lectures throughout the country to create
religious consciousness for preserving our cultural heritage

and to unify Hinduism by pointing out the common basis of

its sects. He focussed the attention of educated people on
the plight of the downtrodden masses, and expounded his
plan for their upliftment by the application of principles of
Practical Vedanta.
On 1st May 1897, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission,
wherein monks and common people would jointly undertake
to propagate Practical Vedanta, and contribute various
forms of social service. Later, he got the Ramakrishna Math
registered in late 1890s.
For his whole life, Swami Vivekanada preached and guided
people to live a monastic life and serve the people. His
health kept on deteriorating and he left this world for his
heavenly abode on 4th July 1902.
Before leaving this world, he wrote to a Western follower:

It may be that I shall find it good to get outside my body, to

cast it off like a worn out garment. But I shall not cease to
work. I shall inspire men everywhere until the whole world
shall know that it is one with God.
In 2005, the Ramkrishna Mission founded by Swami
Vivekananda received the prestigious National
Communal Harmony Award instituted by NFCH for its
outstanding contribution towards promotion of communal
harmony and national integration.
[Readings: http://www.belurmath.org]
Education is the most important and meaningful thing.
Education develops the feelings of socialism in people and
teaches how to live in society making this earth a better
place to live. Communal harmony means living in society
with long term adjustment with peace. Simply, communal
harmony means communal peace. It teaches how to
communicate and understand each other.
India is largely a diversified country with various religions,
regions, castes etc. There is inequality in society and it is
classified into haves' and have nots. To overcome this
problem, education is the best thing which must be
promoted amongst all. First recipe of developing communal
harmony is education. Education fulfils the needs of a
person. It develops critical thinking and makes a person
aware about the society. It also develops diversity and
inequality. Illiterates must be educated so that they know
everything about communal harmony. Education also helps
in the overall development of the country which is possible
through communal harmony. Education enables people to
think that 'diversity is waste and communal harmony is the
best. Communal harmony makes the people work unitedly
since unity is strength'. Society will become more powerful
and this can lead to development of a country. Few tips to
make education a powerful instrument to promote
communal harmony:
- Value education must be given to children
- Free education must be given to poor people, so
that they could become literates
- Vocational education must be part of our
educational system

- Lessons on communal harmony should be part of

text books
G. Naveen Kumar, Class-10
(This edited essay received commendation in a competition
organized by Sree Vidyanikethan International School,
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh during Communal Harmony
Campaign Week held in November 2012. NFCH does not
necessarily endorse the views expressed in the essay.)
Promoting Communal Harmony through Education
8

I am not alone
Thirteen years ago, a Muslim housewife Rasiya Beevi from
Kerala had stopped an old and destitute Brahmin widow
Antharjanam from jumping in front of a train and ending her
hopeless life. Rasiya, then 34, took the 76-year-old highcaste
Namboothiri woman home, gave her shelter and
sowed the seeds for an unusual relationship that bloomed
despite their religious and cultural differences.
On 22 January 2000, Rasiya Beevi, also a Congress
member of Ambalapuzha Village Panchayat in Alappuzha
District, spotted an old, frail frame woman standing near a
deserted railway track, waiting to jump in front of the next
coming train. Antharjanam had chosen this spot so that no
one would spot her and stop her. Rasiya Beevi approached
her and had a brief interaction. Antharjanam belonged to a
prominent Namboothiri family in Central Kerala and was
married to a man with psychiatric problems who died five
years after their wedding. For about 25 years after that, she
worked as a domestic help and returned to her brother's
house as age caught up with her, only to be thrown out.
Distraught, she tried to kill herself several times until Beevi
found her.
Beevi took the Brahmin woman home and got her to stay
with her family comprising her husband, who is a small
businessman and her three children. She bought a
traditional Hindu lamp used in Kerala and other items
Antharjanam needed to do pooja and allowed her to recite
Hindu prayers in her Muslim home.
In 2004, Beevi managed to get Rs 55,000 from a housing
scheme for the homeless from her Panchayat, chipped in
with some of her savings and built a two-room house for
Antharjanam. Political rivals accused Beevi of using
Antharjanam as a front to pocket Panchayat funds and even
demanded her resignation. But the two women held a press
conference in 2006 to tell their story and silenced them.
Beevi also built a structure to grow Tulsi plant at
Antharjanam's new house and ensured a regular supply of
Rudraksha chains, sandal sticks and materials for worship.
Beevi cooks vegetarian food at her house and takes it for
Antharjanam and has also been spending time with the old
woman every night for the last year-and-a-half. Antharjanam
is now 89. When she was healthy, Beevi used to take her
to the nearby temple, wait outside the temple when she went
inside for darshan. Several Muslim organisations wanted
Antharjanam to embrace Islam. But Beevi's reply was a firm
no. She said that I would live my religion and Amma her

Hindu religion,". Their story of affection and harmony

inspired Malayalam Producer-Director Babu Thiruvalla's
film Thanichalla Njam (I am not alone), which went on to win the
National Award for 2012 for best feature film on national
integration.
(Taken from The Indian Express, Alappuzha, dated 25.03.2013, slightly edited)

Indian society is mostly misunderstood by a myth that Urdu

is language of the Muslims and Sanskrit is language of the
Hindus. Defying such stereotypes, a news item published in
the Indian Express dated 07.03.2013, is evidence that
languages can't be linked with religion. The news item
mentions that a Muslim boy and a Muslim girl have bagged
all three medals instituted for the BA course in the ancient
Indian language by the Gujarat University.
Two of the medals for Sanskrit were won by Taiyab Sheikh, a
student of YS Arts and Commerce College in Devgadh Baria
in Panchmahal District. The third went to Yasminbanu
Kothari of the Adiwasi Arts and Commerce college in
Santrampur in the interior of the state's tribal belt.
Taiyab Sheikh was reportedly inspired to learn Sanskrit after
hearing stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharat in his
school days. Sheikh wants to be a post-graduate in Sanskrit
and pursue teaching it as a career.
However, Sheikh, who is a son of a farmer, completed BA
degree with Sanskrit as main subject but failed to get a
teaching job in a primary school after doing a teachers
training course. Taiyab Sheikh is now pursuing B.Ed. from a
Godhra College.
Yasminbanu Kothari, daughter of a fruit seller, developed a
liking for Sanskrit when she was in class 12th. Yasmin could
study up to class 12 and did not face any opposition to her
choice for Sanskrit. She was encouraged to study Sanskrit
by her father and one of her father's friend who is also a
college teacher. Yasmin is now a primary school teacher at
Santrampur and like Taiyab Sheikh wants to obtain a
Master's degree in Sanskrit and work as a teacher.
(Taken from The Indian Express, Ahmedabad dated 07.03.2013,
adequately edited)
Two Muslim students win all three
Sanskrit medals in Gujarat University
9

Unity in diversity
Amity between different communities in the country and
absence of any friction or tension among them is known as
communal harmony. In India, communal harmony is a precondition
to internal peace, which is very much essential for
its progress and development. Since the world is versatile in
nature, we find different kinds of people who belong to
different communities and follow different religions. God
created us but did not create different castes and religions. It
is the human beings who created differences among the
people.
Every religion teaches to live in peace, then why there are
differences. Christianity states that 'Love thy neighbour as
you love thyself'. Hinduism teaches 'sarve bhanvantu
sukhinah' meaning every person in this world should live

happily and with bliss. Mutual tolerance and regard for other
religions is an age-old tradition of the country. Still the vested
interests are always active to create disharmony. There was,
however, not a single instance for some years back where
obstruction in religious performance has been cause of
communal disharmony. This pehenomenon in the Indian
context is politically motivated and engineered by vested
interests. Communal harmony as such is highly sensitive
issue and cannot be soft pedaled anymore in view of our
traditional values, cultural heritage and secular character of
our state.
For the sake of maintaining communal harmony, Akbar
started a new religion called 'Deen-e-Ilahi. He made a
Rajput lady his princess and gave equal respect to all
religions. During the time of last Mughal emperor Bahadur
Shah Zafar, a function 'Phool walon ki Sair' used to be
organized regularly in Delhi where people of both religions
i.e. Hinduism and Islam, participated together with equal
enthusiasm. The founders of our Constitution also
underlined the need of communal harmony and strongly
promulgated for equal rights to all Indians irrespective of
caste, race, religion and gender.
Today it has been more than six decades since we got
independence, still we are facing the problems of
discrimination amongst the people belonging to different
castes and religions. We are a secular nation, from Kashmir
to Kanyakumari - we all are like different flowers of different
colours in a bouquet. In essence, India has unity in diversity.
Ms. Priya J. Aradhya Class XI
(This slightly edited essay won 1st Prize in a competition
organized by Police Modern School, Ghaziabad during
Communal Harmony Campaign Week held in November
2012. NFCH does not necessarily endorse the views
expressed in the essay.)

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feJh esa tgj er ?kksyks
,d ekVh ls cus gSa lc esjs HkkbZ jke&jghe dks pksyks
feJh esa tgj er ?kksyks
fgUnw&eqfLye&fl[k&bZlkbZ
,d ygw gS lcesa HkkbZ
Ykky jax esa dkyk er tksM+ksA
feJh esa tgj er ?kksyks
,d lwjt ls nqfu;k jkS'ku
Lkcdk djrk ikyu&iks"k.k
cPpksa ds fuokys er iksNksA
feJh esa tgj er ?kksyks
,d iou nqfu;k esa QSyh
fu;r rks viuh gS eSyh
izse&xaxk esa lkjk eSy /kksyksA
feJh esa tgj er ?kksyks
lcus dh uQjr dh [ksrh
fojys us mls izse ls tksrh

izse ds eksrh gSa ys yks HkkbZ ys yksA

feJh esa tgj er ?kksyks
izse ls izse dh T;ksfr tykvks
fQj eksrh dk gkj cukvks
lkjh nqfu;k esa izhr I;kj ?kksyksA
feJh esa tgj er ?kksyks
vc dj yks ln~Hkko dh [ksrh
ftlesa mxsaxs izse ds eksrh
izse&xaxk esa ehBh uhan lks yksA
feJh esa tgj er ?kksyks
jkes'oj ;kno f'k{kd] jk;lsu e0iz0
10

A FEW SELECTED PAINTINGS BY STUDENTS ON COMMUNAL

HARMONY
V. Tarun Class - 8 (2012)
Kendriya Vidyalaya
Jyothinagarh, A.P.
th

P. Prudhvi Class - 9 (2012)

Jawahar Navoday Vidyalaya
Veleru Krishna Distt.
Prathiksha Class 7 (2012)
CS Academy, Erode TN
th

th

Lumina Sharma Class 10 (2012)

Kendriya Vidyalay, Jaipur
th

11

Institute, New Delhi from 1992 to 1994. He was Deputy

Chief of Mission as well as Deputy Permanent
Representative of India to UN-ESCAP during his
assignment in Bangkok from 2000 to 2003.
Ambassador Sajjanhar was an active negotiator in the IndiaThailand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as well as the IndiaAsean FTA discussions. The US-India Nuclear Deal was
signed by Indian PM Dr. Manmohan Singh and US President
Bush during his term in Washington in 2005. He was Deputy
Chief of Mission to European Union, Belgium and
Luxemburg from 2005 to 2007. The EU-India Strategic
Partnership as well as negotiations for EU-India Bilateral
Trade and Investment Agreement were launched during his
tenure in Brussels.
Ambassador Sajjanhar was decorated by the Government
of Kazakhstan the Kazakh President's Medal for 'his
invaluable contribution and in providing unprecedented
impetus' to bilateral ties between the two countries. He was
decorated with the National Award by the Government of
Latvia for strengthening and expanding bilateral ties and
friendship. Both these Awards were conferred upon him
after his retirement from the Government Service.
Currently, Amb. Sajjanhar is a Visiting Professor at the
Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development,
Chandigarh and Member, Governing Board of several
Educational and Foreign Policy Institutions. Amb. Sajjanhar
is fluent in English, Hindi and Russian and has working
knowledge of French and Persian. His interests include
reading, music and Indian culture.
Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar
assumes charge as Secretary, NFCH

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar assumed charge as

Secretary, National Foundation for Communal Harmony
(NFCH) in April 2013. Earlier, he served as Ambassador of
India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia and held several
significant positions in Indian Embassies in Washington,
Moscow, Brussels, Geneva, Bangkok, Teheran and Dhaka.
He joined the Indian Foreign Service in July 1978 and retired
as Ambassador of India to Sweden and Latvia in the rank of
Secretary to the Government of India in July 2012. Prior to
joining the Indian Foreign Service, he worked as Staff Officer
and Manager in Bank of India for three years.
Ambassador Sajjanhar negotiated for India in the Uruguay
Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations and made vital
contributions to outcomes in several areas. He participated
as a Resource Person and Speaker in several Conferences
on the Multilateral Trading System and Doha Round in
Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Papua New Guinea,
Seoul, Geneva, etc.
A keen proponent
of Indian culture,
he held the post
ofDirectorof
Jawaharlal Nehru
Cultural Centre in
Moscow where he
was instrumental
in ushering in a
new paradigm in
cultural diplomacy.
He also worked as Director, Indian Foreign Service
12

About NFCH

The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH)

is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Home
Affairs, Government of India. It was registered in 1992 as a
Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Major
activities of the Foundation include providing assistance for
the rehabilitation of child victims of different kinds of
societal violence, promoting communal harmony and
national integration either independently or through state
governments or NGOs, etc., and conferring Awards to
Individuals and Organizations for their outstanding
contribution towards promoting communal harmony &
national integration. Besides these, the Foundation also
sponsors and conducts research studies and brings out
publications on the theme of communal harmony and
national integration.
The Governing Council, headed by the Union Home
Minister determines the Foundation's broad policies,
suggests measures for achieving its objectives and exercises
overall supervision over it. The management and
administration of the Foundation rests with the Executive
Council. Its ex-officio Chairman is the Secretary, Ministry of
Home Affairs. The Secretary of the Foundation is its

Principal Executive Officer. The activities of the Foundation

are carried out through interest received on its investments
made out of its corpus and donations received.
The Foundation is actively networking & partnering with
concerned State Governments, different ministries and
departments, educational institutions, NGOs and voluntary
organizations etc. to effectively implement its schemes.
Public Sector Enterprises and other organizations and
individuals are generously supporting NFCH to work for
this noble cause.
Chief Editor
Editor
Secretary
Assistant Secretary
ASHOK SAJJANHAR
SALAHUDDIN ANSARI
Advisors
Joint Secretary cum FO
Editor-Director (Documentation)
SURINDER MOHAN
REKHA DWIVEDI

NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNAL HARMONY

(Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India)

9th Floor, C-Wing, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi- 110003
Tel.: 011-24633968, 24646139, Fax 011-24610524, Website: www.nfch.nic.in
Note : Please send your feedback and contributions to nfch@mha.nic.in or secy-nfch-mha@nic.in

EDITORIAL BOARD
Printed at : CHAUHAN ART PRESS Tel : 011-47401321

Kindly deposit your donations in the following NFCH Bank Accounts :

Central Bank of India A/C No. : 1065439058

IFSC Code : CBIN0280310
State Bank of India A/C No. : 10569548047
IFSC Code : SBIN0000583
All donations are eligible for 100% deduction
under the Income Tax Act 1961