By Harinder Mahil
SURREY – Prof. Jagmohan Singh, one of the founders of the Association for the Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) is scheduled to deliver the first Annual Gursharan Singh memorial lecture on Sunday, September 30th in Surrey. The APDR is one of the well known human rights organization in India. Since 1978, Prof. Jagmohan Singh has been serving as general secretary of the APDR.
The APDR has produced in-depth reports and studies of the Indian state’s failure to safeguard the rights of people of India. The reports produced by the APDR have been frequently relied upon by judicial bodies.
Prof. Jagmohan Singh was part of the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) and People’s Union for Civil Liberties’ (PUCL) team which investigated 1984 Delhi massacre of Sikhs.
He also happens to be the son of Bibi Amar Kaur, younger sister of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.
The Annual Gursharan Singh Memorial Lecture in honour of Bhaji Gursharan Singh has been instituted by the Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation for South Asian Advancement. The well known and popular theatre personality Bhaji Gursharan Singh passed away in September 2011. He was mourned widely by the people of Punjab, the progressive and cultural community in India, and the South Asian community in Canada.
Prof. Chin Banerjee, President of the Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation stated that Bhaji Gursharan Singh served the oppressed, downtrodden, and politically persecuted people of India through his great talent as a playwright, leaving an indelible mark on Punjabi writing and the practice of people’s theatre. Our Foundation honours this legacy of a great artist and activist in the cause of social justice by instituting an annual lecture in his memory.”
Prof. Jagmohan Singh has edited complete works of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his comrades. He has established a web site where original photos and documents of Bhagat Singh and his compatriots as well of freedom struggle have been placed for free public access.
Prof. Jagmohan Singh’s lecture will be delivered at 2.30 pm on September 30 in Surrey. BC, at Grand Taj Banquet Hall (128 St and 84th Avenue), and then again at 2.30 pm on October 7 at Gian Sweet Shop Hall, 31836 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford.
