Dharamvir Singh : The forgotten hero of TV network in India
|
Er Prabhat Kishore
Communication has always been of prime impor- tance. With the advent of television in 1927, Indians also dreamed for this service and after independence television service was started in Delhi as a part of All India Radio (AIR) in 1959. For its expansion across the country, its management was separated from AIR and independent new body named “Doordarshan (DD)” was constituted. One of the architects of the ambitious Doordarshan service was-Shri Dharamvir Singh.
Dharamvir Singh was born on 10 June 1932 in Barh in Patna district. His native village is Simra Bilgawan on the banks of Son river under Bhojpur district. His father Shri Devsharan Singh (Former Chairman, Bihar Legislative Council) was a renowned Congress leader and freedom fighter at the National level and was an advocate at Barh Sub-Divisional Court. Dharamvir Singh graduated from Bihar National College, Patna under Patna University. He was a meritorious student from the very beginning and along with studies, he also had special interest in journalism, sports and social works. He was selected by Sarat Chandra Bose as a member of the “International Brigade” to go for the independence of Indonesiain 1947. He was a member of Bihar Lawn Tennis Council in 1952 and Secretary of Bihar Table Tennis Association from 1954-67.
He was also associated with New Patna Club, Delhi Golf Club and Delhi Gymkhana for a long time.
In the company of his father, Dharamvir Singh inclined towards active politics. In 1967, he was elected for the first time from the 193-Bakhtiarpur Vidhan Sabha Constituency in Patna district and became the secretary of the Congress Legislature Party. In the election held on 21 February 1967, Dharamvir Singh (20772 votes) contesting on Indian National Congress ticket defeated Independent Shri Ramlakhan Rai (18221 votes) and Shri RS Singh (15317 votes) of Jan Kranti Dal in a tough contest. Again in 1969, he was elected from the 193-Bakhtiarpur Assembly Constituency and became the Chief Whip of the Congress Legislature Party. In this election held on 9 February 1969, Indian National Congress candidate Dha-ramvir Singh (19578 votes) defeated Ram Lakhan Rai (17896 votes) of Samyukta Socialist Party and Ram-chandra Singh Chouhan (15364 votes) Independent. In 1970, he was inducted for the first time in the Bihar Cabinet as Minister of State for Labor, Information and Tourism.
On the special initiative of the then Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi, Dharamvir Singh contested for the Fifth Lok Sabha in 1971 on Indian National Congress (R) ticket from the 34-Barh Lok Sabha Constituency. Outgoing MP and former Union Minister Smt Tarkeshwari Sinha was contesting against him as an Indian National Congress (Organization) candidate. The fire-brand stalwart Smt Tarkeshwari Sinha had won four consecutive elections namely-the First Lok Sabha (3-Patna East Constituency in 1951), the Second Lok Sabha (28-Barh Constituency in 1957), the Third Lok Sabha (34-Barh Constituency in 1962) and the fourth Lok Sabha (34-Barh Constituency in 1967). Dharamvir Singh (184484 votes) created a new history in this area by securing 48.10 percent votes defeating an invincible MP like Smt Sinha.
After being elected to the Lok Sabha, he resigned from the membership of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, on which the flamboyant socialist leader Bhola Pra-sad Singh was elected in the by-election.
Mrs Gandhi was highly impressed with Dharamvir Singh and he was inducted into the Union Cabinet in 1971 as Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting, in his first inning as a Member of Parliament, a position he held till 1977.
Several remarkable works have been performed in the Ministry during his tenure, the most notable event was the formation of “Doordarshan”. On 1 April 1976, television broadcasting was separated from the radio network and replaced by the name “Doordar-shan”. In 1972, television service was started in the second city of the country, Mumbai. Prior to this, the service of television broadcasting was available only in the National capital Delhi. By the year 1975, television service had expanded to seven cities of Bharatvarsha.
(To be contd)
Communication has always been of prime impor- tance. With the advent of television in 1927, Indians also dreamed for this service and after independence television service was started in Delhi as a part of All India Radio (AIR) in 1959. For its expansion across the country, its management was separated from AIR and independent new body named “Doordarshan (DD)” was constituted. One of the architects of the ambitious Doordarshan service was-Shri Dharamvir Singh.
Dharamvir Singh was born on 10 June 1932 in Barh in Patna district. His native village is Simra Bilgawan on the banks of Son river under Bhojpur district. His father Shri Devsharan Singh (Former Chairman, Bihar Legislative Council) was a renowned Congress leader and freedom fighter at the National level and was an advocate at Barh Sub-Divisional Court. Dharamvir Singh graduated from Bihar National College, Patna under Patna University. He was a meritorious student from the very beginning and along with studies, he also had special interest in journalism, sports and social works. He was selected by Sarat Chandra Bose as a member of the “International Brigade” to go for the independence of Indonesiain 1947. He was a member of Bihar Lawn Tennis Council in 1952 and Secretary of Bihar Table Tennis Association from 1954-67.
He was also associated with New Patna Club, Delhi Golf Club and Delhi Gymkhana for a long time.
In the company of his father, Dharamvir Singh inclined towards active politics. In 1967, he was elected for the first time from the 193-Bakhtiarpur Vidhan Sabha Constituency in Patna district and became the secretary of the Congress Legislature Party. In the election held on 21 February 1967, Dharamvir Singh (20772 votes) contesting on Indian National Congress ticket defeated Independent Shri Ramlakhan Rai (18221 votes) and Shri RS Singh (15317 votes) of Jan Kranti Dal in a tough contest. Again in 1969, he was elected from the 193-Bakhtiarpur Assembly Constituency and became the Chief Whip of the Congress Legislature Party. In this election held on 9 February 1969, Indian National Congress candidate Dha-ramvir Singh (19578 votes) defeated Ram Lakhan Rai (17896 votes) of Samyukta Socialist Party and Ram-chandra Singh Chouhan (15364 votes) Independent. In 1970, he was inducted for the first time in the Bihar Cabinet as Minister of State for Labor, Information and Tourism.
On the special initiative of the then Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi, Dharamvir Singh contested for the Fifth Lok Sabha in 1971 on Indian National Congress (R) ticket from the 34-Barh Lok Sabha Constituency. Outgoing MP and former Union Minister Smt Tarkeshwari Sinha was contesting against him as an Indian National Congress (Organization) candidate. The fire-brand stalwart Smt Tarkeshwari Sinha had won four consecutive elections namely-the First Lok Sabha (3-Patna East Constituency in 1951), the Second Lok Sabha (28-Barh Constituency in 1957), the Third Lok Sabha (34-Barh Constituency in 1962) and the fourth Lok Sabha (34-Barh Constituency in 1967). Dharamvir Singh (184484 votes) created a new history in this area by securing 48.10 percent votes defeating an invincible MP like Smt Sinha.
After being elected to the Lok Sabha, he resigned from the membership of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, on which the flamboyant socialist leader Bhola Pra-sad Singh was elected in the by-election.
Mrs Gandhi was highly impressed with Dharamvir Singh and he was inducted into the Union Cabinet in 1971 as Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting, in his first inning as a Member of Parliament, a position he held till 1977.
Several remarkable works have been performed in the Ministry during his tenure, the most notable event was the formation of “Doordarshan”. On 1 April 1976, television broadcasting was separated from the radio network and replaced by the name “Doordar-shan”. In 1972, television service was started in the second city of the country, Mumbai. Prior to this, the service of television broadcasting was available only in the National capital Delhi. By the year 1975, television service had expanded to seven cities of Bharatvarsha.
(To be contd)