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Milchar
April-June 2002 issue
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Pandit Sham Lal
Shakdher - A Homage*
Way back in 1939, a young Kashmiri of twenty
years trudged from the labyrinthine lanes of Gankhan, a downtown
Srinagar locality, to the capital of the country. Armed with just a university
degree but full of hope, ambition and conviction, Pandit Sham Lal Shakdher
landed in Delhi's strange and alien ambience to seek a place in the sun.
This first born of Pandit Keshav Ram and Rukmani Shakdher moved on like
a pilgrim of yore in search of a meaning, a purpose and a direction to
his life. And as destiny would have it, he had not to travel far. As if
driven by a divine power, Pandit Shakdher came face to face with another
Karmayogi, the late Pandit Maheshwar Nath Kaul. Pandit Kaul was then officiating
as the Secretary of the Central Assembly, the predecessor of present Parliament.
This meeting, which Pandit Shakdher proudly remembered, took place on April
21, 1939, set off a beautiful relationship that blossomed and bloomed with
the passage of time. As if made for each other, the two yogis blended themselves
into the Guru-Shishya tradition in common pursuit of knowledge and perfection.
Infact, they were alter-ego to one another so much so that even foreigners
at international parliamentary meets and conferences, some time mistook
one for the other, as there was so much similarity in their thoughts, actions
and conduct.
Pandit Sham Lal Shakdher served in various departments of the
Government of India such as Information and Broadcasting, Rehabilitation,
Law and Commerce. But his decisive moment came when he was selected by
Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru as the first Secretary to the Ministry of Parliamentary
Affairs in 1949. At that moment, he was concurrently holding a post in
the Lok Sabha Secretariat. Shri G.V.Mavlankar, the first Speaker of Lok
Sabha, recognising his worth, selected him as Deputy Secretary in the Lok
Sabha Secretariat. Soon after, he was selected as Secretary to the newly
created Estimates Committee and the Public Accounts Committee. In 1952,
Pandit Shakdher concentrated on Lok Sabha and became its first Joint Secretary
in 1953. In 1973, he became the Secretary General of Lok Sabha after
having remained as Secretary from 1964 to 1973. Pandit Shakdher was
appointed as Chief Election Commissioner of India in 1977, succeeding Shri
T.Swaminathan. This was another feather in his cap after having received
national and international fame as an acknowledged authority on parliamentary
practice and procedure. Pandit Sham Lal Shakdher was probably the first
Chief Election Commissioner who did not treat the job as a sinecure and
a post-retirement bonanza. He took a pro-active part in the process of
electioneering and left an indelible mark of fairness and independence
on the office. His tenure was marked by the first-ever countermanding of
elections to a Lok Sabha seat. He forcefully pleaded for introduction of
electronic voting machines, one-day polls and a code of conduct for political
parties and candidates. Himself describing what the qualities of an election
commissioner should be, Pandit Shakdher said, "An independent mind. The
incumbent should be utterly fearless and not be cowed down by the might
of the executive. He must have a balance approach. He must be conversant
with the election law and be a person who studies and understands human
nature." Pandit Shakdher's own personality and demeanour perfectly fitted
this description.
A widely travelled man, Pandit Shakdher was a prolific writer
and an authority on parliamentary practice and procedure. Some of his widely
commended treatises are: Practice & Procedure of Parliament (in co-authorship
with Pandit M.N.Kaul), Constitution and Parliament in India, The Commonwealth
Parliaments, Glimpses of Parliament at work, Inter-Parliamentary Relations,
Administrative Accountability to Parliament, and many more. The book
'Practice and Procedure of Parliament' is quoted the world over and in
India by all the legislatures and legislators. It has come to be treated
as a great authority on running of legislative bodies. In 1973, he was
elected unanimously as the President of the Association of Secretaries-General
of the Parliaments of the World. Besides, he also worked as Secretary General
of the Indian Parliamentary Union.
A man of wide parts, easy demeanour and firm convictions, Pandit
Sham Lal Shakdher was above all a great human being. Possessed with a charitable
disposition and full of human compassion, he combined in him all the virtues
of a Yogi. After the death of his father, Pandit Shakdher benignly presided
over the large family of his four brothers and sister. Like a patriarch
of yore, he assiduously built the destinies of his siblings by providing
proper advice and guidance. This faculty of his continued unabated with
the next generation too for whom he became the beacon light. Despite a
few tragedies, like the deaths of his wife Sarga Devi (1988), son Vijay
Shakdher (1989) and his most favourite younger brother Makhan Lal Shakdher
(2001), Pandit Shakdher maintained an unusual equanimity, a trait of a
real Yogi. These setbacks only burnished his passion for charity and compassion.
He had got a temple built in honour of his parents in Safdarjung Enclave.
Not only that, he donated for the construction of the main hall in Pamposh
enclave Temple, the community centre at Ayyapa Temple, Mayur Vihar and
the Uma Mandir of Swami Swayamanand at Jammu. Besides, he used to send
regular donations to such philanthropic organisations as the Ramakrishna
Mission.
On the social front, Pandit Sham Lal Shakdher was equally active.
He was instrumental in getting the land sanctioned for the Kashmiri Bhawan
and also raised Rs. 27000/- for the construction. His love for his homeland
and its people was legend. He helped many a young man to get jobs. Infact,
like his mentor Pandit Maheshwar Nath Kaul, he had become the lodestar
for the educated, inexperienced community youth who would flock to him
for favours and he disappointed few. He had been President, Kashmiri Samiti,
Delhi (1955-1962). He was the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees
for the AIKS Trust and a member of the AIKS Advisory Council.
Currently, Pandit Sham Lal Shakdher was Chairman of Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan, Delhi kendra. He was also instrumental in establishing such
prestigious institutes as the Institute of Parliamentary Studies. A multifaceted
personality, he left a distinct mark on all the assignments he undertook.
Suave, soft spoken, ever-smiling, Pandit Sham Lal Shakdher possessed
a compelling personality that drew instant respect and attention. He exuded
a charm that was at once infectious. A great Kashmiri no doubt but a great
Indian too. Pandit Shakdher's presence will be acutely missed. He has left
behind a vacuum which can never be filled. However we have the satisfaction
that he will be with us through his works and thoughts which are aplenty.
Our heart goes to the Shakdher family at this hour and we assure them that
we fully share their grief. We pray for the peace to the departed soul
and forbearance and fortitude for the grieved.
(* Reproduced from Koshur Samachar, June 2002)
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