The Mafasilite Memorial Society, Mussoorie, remembered the Australian-origin lawyer of Rani laxmibai and writer John lang on his 198th birth anniversary on Thursday and honoured former Member of Parliament, Jagannath Sharma who had worked as a journalist during 1944-47 in the Mafasilite newspaper launched by lang.
A seminar was organised on '100 years of journalism from John lang to Jagannath Sharma 1845-1947’. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Sharma said that people should also remember those who have dedicated their lives to the country.
He said that there were various people who have made various contributions to the Doon Valley during the British era and after that. It is the duty of the present generation to remember such heroes as the government has no time to recall and commemorate their contributions, he added. Sharma also presented a memento to the wife of london based senior Hindi Professor in School of Oriental and African Study (SOAS ) and current sub editor of Mafasilite london, Rakesh Nautiyal for promoting Hindi language in Europe, as he was not present on the occasion.
Paying tributes to lang on his 198th birth anniversary, Member of Mafasilite Memorial Society, Jaiprakash Uttarakhandi said that since 1992 the society has been organising two programmes a year to pay tribute to lang on his birth and death anniversaries. He also said that on the occasion of lang’s birth anniversary this year the society had organised a seminar to pay respect to Jagannath Sharma, who is the last person alive to have worked as a journalist in the Mafasilite newspaper started by lang.