Letters from Readers
Memories of Indian Independence Day
It was emotional to read the article in the August issue of Khabar by Monita Soni (“Memento: Those Heady Years of a Newly Independent India”). As I read about the pride with which Independence Day of India has been celebrated, it evoked the same feelings of pride in me, along with many other memories from when I was a child. I was 10 years old when I went to Lal Quila and watched Jawaharlal Nehru address the audience on August 15, 1947. It was a great celebration even as we grappled with the tragedy of Partition and the situation in West Punjab and Bengal. Our family moved from Bannu, North West Frontier Province, the last town in India bordering Afghanistan. Our train was attacked near Mianwali, but fortunately we survived. And on the way to Delhi, we saw Lahore burning. On September 6, 1947, we saw how Delhi was gripped by terror. Janmashtami was being celebrated when mobs from Pul Bangash and Nara Hindu Rao attacked Hindus in that area and the disturbance spread to Delhi. For three days, there were killings and gun battles, which remain in my mind even after 77 years. We should work hard to keep our hard-earned independence.
Bhuvenesh C. Goswami
Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus Materials Science and Engineering Clemson University, South Carolina
Dr. Monita Soni’s article in the August issue reminded me of my own experiences of 1947. Dr. Soni mentioned the sad experience of her father, Mr. S. K. Kapur, who was traveling from Lahore in Pakistan to Amritsar in India. I had a similar experience while traveling from Mirpur in POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) to Amritsar. But I was not as lucky as her father because, as a 10-year-old, I was held prisoner in POK from 1947 to 1948. I was liberated by Dr. Wenger of Red Cross in 1948 and brought to Kurukhsetra via Amritsar. I can fully understand the pain Mr. Kapur went through as a child—and I can see why he did not discuss those painful events with Dr. Soni.
I wrote about my experiences in a book titled Forgotten Atrocities: Memoirs of a Survivor of the 1947 Partition of India.
Bal Gupta
by email
Ambanis can do much good with their wealth
The lavish wedding, with an expenditure of nearly $600 million, of Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani—Asia’s richest man with an estimated worth of over 120 billion—is finally over after making headlines around the world for the opulent and extravagant nuptials.
What would make it even more memorable is if Radhika Merchant, superrich even before their marriage, takes on charity work similar to Melinda Gates, heiress to billions and one who is accomplishing great work and earning goodwill by empowering women to alleviate poverty and improve family health. With her enormous wealth, Merchant can do much good. Her long-lasting charity work can empower women by providing health, education, family planning, educating the poor on how to prevent diseases by drinking uncontaminated water, helping to provide clean water and sewer disposal, etc. Other things like providing solar cooking and sewing equipment will also help. These deeds will make the Ambani and Merchant families household names in addition to bringing self-satisfaction and solace.
Shashi P. Swamy
Greenville, South Carolina
Interested in writing for Khabar?
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We welcome original, unpublished letters from our readers. You could either respond to a specific article in Khabar or write about issues relevant to our community. Letters may be edited for length and other considerations. Longer submissions by readers may be considered for the “My Turn” column.
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Note: Views expressed in the Letters section do not necessarily represent those of the publication.
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