The members of the religious fraternity from across the country have congregated at Saptrishi Ashram in Haridwar to pay homage to the great educationist Goswami Ganesh Dutt Maharaj on his 59th death anniversary.
The propagator of Sanatan dharma, Ganesh Dutt was an Indian administrator who did much to improve education and health service in pre-Independence India in several provinces. The seven-day memorial programme witnessed recitation from scriptures and discourses on his monumental contribution in the realm of education in the colonial days .
While paying glowing tribute to the educationist, the State Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik said that Ganesh Dutt Maharaj was a disciple of Madan Mohan Maliya. “He was given the mantra diksha (initiation) by Bharat Ratna Madan Mohan Malviya himself. He played an instrumental role in reviving the Sanatan Dharma in the country and abroad. His values of education are still relevant and they indeed are benchmarks for the present generation,” he said. A meritorious student Mahak from Jalandhar received the Ganesh Dutt Samriti Samman on the occasion.
Dwelling on the greatness of the legend, a noted educationist Inder Mohan Goswami said that it is difficult to find an educationist of the calibre of Ganesh Dutt nowadays when the teachers are working for money sans any commitment to the ideology that fired many during those glorious time.
Several speakers also dwelt on different facets of the legendary educationist and the life and his teachings, saying that his life still beckons them despite years having passed since he left the scene. Among those who were present on the occasion included Mahant Mohan Dass Ramayani, K K Agarwal, Sudhir Gupta and Baba Kamaldas.
Passages from Bhagawad Gita were recited and a large number of the city residents paid homage to the educationist at his Samadhi.