Comrade S.K.Vyas – An unparalleled leader of five Decades!
It was in the year 1971 that I first met Comrade S.K.Vyas
after one year of my recruitment in the Department of Posts. I was an office
bearer in P4 NFPE Madras City North Division and wanted to organise a meeting
when I came to know the visit of Comrade Vyasji in Madras. I was not even a
Divisional Secretary but when I approached him for attending a meeting in
Vepery Post Office, he readily agreed and attended. The simplicity and
approachability of such a big leader inspired me in those days of my youth.
27 years later, I joined Comrade Vyas to work under one roof
in D-7, Samru Place, Mandir Marg, New Delhi, where the NFPE headquarters was
situated and Confederation Hqrs also was in the same premises. I joined there
as Secretary of the Postal Federation. It was a nature given golden opportunity
to live with such a towering leader under one roof. For a period of more than
six years (intermittently of course) I had literally lived in the same premises
and closely observed the qualities of this great leader. If I don’t admit that
I have learnt many things from this leader then I am sure I am lying. At a
particular point of time in the year 2004, when I was seriously ill, it was
Comrade Vyasji who helped my admission in Sir Gangaram Hospital, which saved my
life.
More than 40 years later, when I entered a Pensioners
Organisation, it was again Comrade Vyas who is our leader. I have joined BCPC
and NCCPA under his leadership when I became the General Convenor and later the
General Secretary of AIPRPA. Thus from a small time office bearer of a branch
union in 1971 to till date as an activist of a Pensioners Organisation, along
with others I was always guided by this towering leader, whatever be the front
we worked.
Therefore it is not
possible to express in appropriate words about the demise of this legend
yesterday in Jaipur.
Vyasji was admitted to hospital at Jaipur about 11 am on 1st
February, one day before his 86th birthday after a massive heart
attack. He underwent angio plasty immediately and all of us hoped that he is
out of danger. But after a couple of days, he had another attack. His BP became
unstable and thereafter intestine also got affected. On 13th
February he suffered another heart attack – causing death.
Vyasji was the secretary general of all India audit & accounts
association from 1969 to 1981 and thereafter it’s all India President up to 39th
conference at Chennai in September 1989. Vyasji became the Secretary General of
confederation when Comrade O.P.Gupta resigned after 1968 Strike. He continued
as Secretary General of Confederation up to September 2006, after which he
became President. He stepped down from all elected posts of Confederation in
the Kolkata conference in 2013 but continued as Chief Advisor of the
Confederation of CG Employees. He continue to take a leading role in the
Pensioners movement in his capacity as the Secretary General of both BCPC and
NCCPA.
Thus it can be seen that as a leader who entered the Government Service
in the 1st CPC pay scales, played his due role in shaping the
destiny of pay scales of all CG Employees from 2nd CPC to 7th
CPC, has no parallel at all. His style of working even at the advanced age was
amazing and inimitable. At a time when the entirety of CG Employees and Pensioners are looking forward to this leader for tasks connected with the 7th CPC, he is snatched away by the nature. This loss is irreparable, we feel orphaned.
Mortal remains of Vyasji has been taken to his ancestral house jodhpur.
Cremation would be at Jodhpur today. He is survived by his wife, two sons and
two daughters and grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Red
Salute to comrade S.K.Vyas!
We dip our
flag and banner in his honour!!
K.Ragavendran
General
Secretary AIPRPA
No comments:
Post a Comment