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One Man’s JOURNEY 1961 –2008 The Life and Times of Anil Rana A tribute from the Janhit Family © Janhit Foundation 180/7 Shastri Nagar Meerut (UP) 0121-2763418 / 4004123 [email protected] www.janhitfoundation.in Designed and Printed at : Systems Vision, New Delhi [email protected] Synopsis This book is regarding the story of one man and his dream of establishing a fairer and more just society through his work he started at the Janhit Foundation. The opening chapter of this book concerns Anil Rana’s early life, his childhood and relationship with his parents through to his student days and marriage to Anita, containing a personal contribution from Anita regarding their subsequent life together. The chapter also explores Anil Rana’s earlier profession as a University Lecturer. The second chapter touches on his founding of the Janhit Foundation and the work which he initiated there. The struggles he faced in the foundations early days to its success and achievements, as well as covering the personal recognition he received from the global community. The third chapter focuses on Anil’s passion for life and the pastimes and pleasures he partook in. The forth chapter pays homage to Anil Rana as a director and manager, with specific reference from his team and close colleagues. Finally the book finishes with a chapter of comments and praise from family, friends and work colleagues in a mark of respect for Anil Rana and his life’s many achievements. In reading this book it is hoped that you too can share in the story of this ordinary man and his extraordinary achievements. Contents 1. Anil Rana in his early life.............................................1 2. Anil Rana as the Pioneer of Change............................8 3. Anil Rana : Passion and Pastimes ...............................24 4. Anil Rana our Director..............................................27 5. Thoughts and Opinions ............................................29 1. Anil Rana in his early life ll his acquaintances may have known him as the social Aactivist solely. The image of his personal life was quite distinct from his intense professional life. Readers of his biography will find that the Founder Director of Janhit Foundation was an humble, loving and responsible family person. “Mein apne aap ko bahut lucky manta hun kie mujhe aisi family mili hai. Mein inhe jeevan kie saari khushiyan dena chahta hun” - Anil. Anil Rana, popularly known among relatives as ‘Pappi’ was born on 20th May 1961 in a family of academicians in Meerut District of Uttar Pradesh. His father Shri M. S. Rana has served in over 5 Universities as a Librarian and was a passionate reader who loved his books more than anything else. His father is an author of numerous books including a Reference Guide Book to a Library. The love for books in Anil Rana was inherited from his father, a man who had been very caring towards his children, always supporting them in every way. Mrs. Uma Rana, the proud mother who lived her life as a devoted housewife was also a strict teacher to her children. 1 She was a very caring mother who was always particular and showed no traits of a carefree attitude or when it came to her children’s education or a tendency to shower praise and gifts on her children in an attempt to indulge them. One such example of her loving affection towards her son comes from his early days as a young scholar. During the beginning of his tenth class in high school Anil had developed a considerable reluctance towards attending school due to his fear of Sanskrit classes. His lack of understanding of the subject meant that he feared total failure in class and in his own ability. His mother, deeply concerned by her son’s growing apathy, spent the next year reciting poems and stories in Sanskrit to inspire him to learn more. So much was her success that Anil went on to triumph in his 10th year and teach Sanskrit to his cousin and eventually many years later his son. Punctuality, orderliness and precision were inherited by Anil Rana from his mother. He had two younger siblings, a sister Rekha Rana, also an academic and a brother Lt Col Ajay Singh Rana. Anil Rana was not only an elder brother but a fatherly figure to his siblings. He gave great importance to relationships throughout his life, whether it was his own kin or people associated with him in some other way. The way he lived his life surely left an indelible imprint on all his associations. “Mere jeevan ki kamai sirf ye rishte hi hain. Mere liye paise itne mayine nahin rekhte hain, jo mayine rekhte hain vo hain samaj me izzat aur logon ka pyar” - Anil. 2 3 Anil was a kind hearted person and often carried out acts of great generosity even at a young age, for example in childhood he used to spend his pocket money in distributing candies to the kids of domestic helpers and others much less privileged than him. A touching story that illustrates Anil’s kind heart occurred when he was at university, Anil was approach by an elderly man who was asking for assistance as he was destitute and feeling the cold of winter. Without a thought Anil gave up his rajai to the man. When asked by his mother “why did you give it away, the winter is cold and you need it yourself” Anil replied “but mummy ji I am a young man and he is old, he needs it more than me”. Many of his friends have rightly described him as a true and perfect example of a life well lived. Anil Rana started his schooling in Delhi and returned to his family home Meerut where he finished his Secondary and Higher Secondary. The higher education continued in his birth place with him doing his Bachelors and Masters in English Literature from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. In 1983, he completed his Master’s in Philosophy in English from Kurukshetra University and immediately started teaching. Academics was in his blood and was an inherent choice of profession at that young age of 23. He started teaching as an English lecturer in Arya College, Panipat under Kurukshetra University. He was a young lecturer and was immensely popular among his students. One of his students was quoted saying “It was him who changed the face of Arya College as he was 2 3 the one who brought the trend of extra curricular activities like debates, extempore, declamations, youth festivals etc. He never wanted to do just “a job”, thus extended his scope of interaction with his students, acting as a career counsellor in the city of Panipat which was not as advanced in terms of education during 1980s.”1 Anil was concerned that his students were missing out on the kind of education he was fortunate to have had and were ignorant of much of this world. Determined to improve the lives and enrich the education of his students Anil would regularly organise events at the Arya College inviting speakers from across the country to enlighten his students and share their knowledge. He often took mixed groups of students for picnics and tours building strong and positive relationships with each and every student. Anil believed that he was not only his student’s lecturer but also their friend. Students responded with enthusiasm to Anil and would hang on every word he spoke in his lectures, eager to absorb his knowledge. As a result of this they often scored very high marks in the university. Not only students but also fellow lecturers and the Principal were deeply motivated by Anil and his enthusiasm for his job. To this day he is held in high regard and remembered affectionately. Anil Rana married Ms. Anita Malik in the year 1988. He proved to be a loyal man, devoted to one woman. Anita served as Anil’s support during his life’s trials and tribulations and remained one of the major sources of 1 Harish, A student 4 5 inspiration behind everything he did. They grew to know and understand each other like only soul partners can, becoming the only person who could calm him when life angered and aggrieved him. Dr. Rana once described his wife as a cleanliness freak and that she had instilled that quality in him as well. “Anil ji ke vyaktitva ko shabdon mein bayan kar pana bahut mushkil hai. Vo ek achhe pita aur pati to the hi par us se badkar vo ek bahut achhe insaan the. Mujhe apne aap par bahut garv hota hai ki mujhe aise jeevan saathi ka saath mila aur mujhe aur bhi khushi hoti thi jab vo kehte the ki Agar meri shaadi aur kahin hoti to mujhe itna achha jeevan saathi na mil pata jo mujhe samjhe aur meri kadar karta ho” – Anita Rana. He was blessed with the birth of two sons, the first being Kartik on November 1st 1989 and 2nd being Kanishk on June 13th 1994. He wished for a good education and life complete with fulfilment and success for both his sons, treating them equally and never with any sense prejudice or favouritism. Anil always acknowledge that he was a humble man from a middle class family, but he swore he would leave no stone unturned in his pursuit for a good education and life for his sons. Being an academic at heart he pursued his higher education from Jawahar Lal Nehru University in Delhi and completed his PhD on Influence of the Bhagvadgita on the writings of W D Thoreau. Reportedly, very social since his childhood, he chose Delhi to expand his network of friends.