101st Birth Anniversary of Sri K N Nayar
Any memory associated with the Blind Relief Association until 25 years ago, cannot stand complete if it did not involve the image of Sri. K. N. Nayar, the former Hony. Executive Secretary of the Association. To merely state that he held positions for years would simply underestimate the life he poured into the Association, even when it meant he had to do it alone.
Sri. Nayar joined the founder Sri. Umesh. A. Basrurker, as his office assistant in 1947 and devoted the rest of his active life to serving the blind and building up the institution, especially after the demise of Smt. and Sri Basrurker in 1958 and 1959. Indeed, the Association was fortunate to have found in him a true and faithful successor to the founders, who steered the Association through the difficult times.
In remembering his life, devotion and service to the Blind Relief Association his 101st birth anniversary was commemorated on 9 September, 2019 in Gandhi Hall of the Association. A number of his admirers who served under him or received education and training in the Association’s different units and whose lives were touched by him had assembled for this meeting. Smt. Benu Nath, General Secretary, Sri K.C.Pande, Executive Secretary along with his colleagues Sri.C.P.Mohanan, Sri.A.David, Sri Ramashray Ram and others were present.
Highly revered Sri.A.K.Mittal, a former Principal of JPM School was the main speaker. School alumni including Sri. Keshav Kumar, Vice Principal, JPM School; Sri. Kamalbeer Singh from NIEPVD Dehradun; Sri. Kshemanand; Sri. Harish Gulati; Sri. Sansari Lal; Sri. Vishwamitra; Sri Rajender Das; and Dr. Nikhil Jain, who had been school students during the time of Nayar Saheb had innumerable reminiscences to share highlighting his caring nature, devotion, hard work and humility. Dr. Swati Sanyal, Course Director, Durgabai Deshmukh College who had joined as a faculty member of the Association’s teacher training programme and Sri Om Prakash an ex vocational trainee of the Badarpur time also shared their reminiscences. Capt.C.V.Narayanan, who worked the longest with Sri.Nayar and later succeeded him as Executive Secretary in 1991, in his message sent from Coimbatore paid glowing tributes. Also, Smt. Chandrakanta Sharma, former Head Mistress, JPM and Sri. Sant Ram had sent their messages.
The special Braille edition of the book “Ek Tha Mohan” that was prepared by the Association on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary and the Platinum Jubilee of the Association, was formally released today. Sri.Sopan Joshi, the author of the book handed over the first copies to Sri.A.K.Mittal, Sri. Kamalbeer Singh, for the AICB School and NIEPVD Model School, Dehradun, and to the representatives of Delhi Public Braille Library as well as to the Association’s JPM School and Durgabai Deshmukh College.
With an honest approach and a disciplined lifestyle, Mr. Nayar spent almost all of his evenings, and holidays in the office of the Association, as he was working elsewhere during the day. He lost many things, so that the Association can gain all that it could and as a result the 70s and 80s saw tremendous growth in the Association’s works.
A cardio vascular attack confined Mr. Nayar to the bed until he passed away in 1994, and yet he lives today in this place that’s alive because of him.