[Reader-list] An era ends with Ranbir Hooda

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

*An era ends with Ranbir Hooda
 Tribune News Service *

Rohtak, February 1

A glorious chapter of the Indian democracy came to an end with the demise of
Chaudhary Ranbir Singh, a noted freedom fighter and father of Haryana Chief
Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

He was the lone surviving member of the Constituent Assembly of India. He
breathed his last at 5 pm here today after a prolonged illness. He was 94.

He will be cremated tomorrow at 3 pm near IMT campus here on the Delhi road
with full state honours.

Born on November 26, 1914, in Sanghi village of Rohtak district in the
family of noted Arya Samajist Ch Matu Ram, Ranbir Singh got his initial
education at his village school where he was admitted in 1920 and Gurukul
Bhainswal Kalan near Gohana, Sonepat, run by the great Arya Samajist
activist and social reformer, Bhagat Phool Singh.

After passing his primary examination, Ranbir Singh joined Vaish High
School, Rohtak. He passed his matriculation examination from there in 1933.
He joined Government College, Rohtak, for higher studies and passed his FA
examination from there in 1935. Later, he moved to Delhi and graduated from
Ramjas College in 1937. With a dream to do something for the country, he
joined the Gandhian army.

He actively took part in the Indian freedom struggle and was arrested eight
times and jailed for three years and six months.

He was detained twice for two years and was imprisoned for his participation
in the freedom struggle.

Ranbir Singh had a rare distinction of being a member of seven different
constitutional bodies. He was the member of the Constituent Assembly from
1947and 1950. He had been a member of the Constituent Assembly (legislative)
from 1948-50.

He also remained the member of Provisional Parliament from 1950-52 and a
member of the first Lok Sabha from 1952-57. He represented the second Lok
Sabha from 1957-62 and became a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly
from 1962-66.

He also became an elected member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly from
1966-72 and was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1972-88.

He served as Irrigation and Power Minister of Punjab from 1962-66 and as
minister (PWD and Health) of Haryana between 1966 and 1967.

He remained the deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha from 1976-77.
Ranbir Singh was the founder general secretary of the Bharat Krishak Samaj
and the All-India Backward Classes Federation. He remained the working
president of the All-India Freedom Fighter's Organisation till his demise.

A graduate from Ramjas College (University of Delhi), Ranbir Singh was
conferred with an honorary degree of DLitt by Kurukshetra University in
2007.

He is survived by his wife Har Devi and sons - Bhupinder Singh, Inder Singh
and Dharmender Singh. Two of his sons - Pratap Singh and Joginder Singh -
had expired earlier.