Shri Shyam Sundar Bhatt conferred with Maharana Kumbha Award - Maharana Mewar Foundation 32nd Annual Awards 2013
Shri Shyam Sundar Bhatt was born at Kuraj – a small village situated on the banks of the river Banas in Mewar. He realized all his academic ambitions and pursuits in Udaipur, and entered the Department of Education, Rajasthan as a senior teacher. Engaged in several national and international institutes of educational research, training and administration, during his professional journey, he retired as Assistant Director of Education of Udaipur Division in 1997.
After retiring, Shri Bhatt worked as coordinator in the Shikshakarmi project for 7 years, where he was responsible for the opening and care of 315 primary schools some of which opened up in inaccessible tribal areas of Udaipur, Sirohi and Pali Districts of Rajasthan.
Shrimmad Bhagwat Gita and Chittorgarh left a lasting and deep impact on him. For three years, during a stay in Fiji, he had been actively associated with the activities of the Ramakrishna Mission. The first manifestation of his literary talent was seen in the English and Hindi translations and interpretation of the analysis of Alakh Pachhisi, composed by the legendary poet-philosopher of Mewar Bavji Shri Chatur Singh ji. The inspiration and determination to write and glorify the legendary heroes of Mewar and disseminate glory came to Shri Bhatt from the Veer Vinod. To write research based books about obscure and forgotten heroes, and glorify their deeds became his passion and mission of his life which he is still pursuing.
His works include Rana Hamir (Shakatiputra), Rana Pratap (Chetek Ghore Ka Sawar), Rana Amar Singh (Mewar Ka Surya Putra), and Rana Raj Singh (Durp) and research based work on Rana Sangram Singh. These works sincerely portray contemporary Mewar. Dave Vrat Chunda, Sindhupati Chach Dev, Sindhuputra Dahar, Sindhumitra Shri Bappa Raval, Bhagwan Parshuram, Chandra Malyageer are some of his best historical masterpieces. Apart from these creations he is the author of a number of books including: Dictionary of Cultural Geography (Sanskrutik Bhugol Kosh), Vastu Vaibhav, National Policy on Education 1986, Operation Blackboard, Shri Charbhuja Gadhbor, and Gandhi Topi. Published in October 2012 'Band Mutthiyon Ke Sapane’, a novel portraying the life of Indians living in Fiji, is a widely discussed work in the literary field. His recent research-based writing on Maharshi Harit is in currently under publication.
Shri Bhatt is the recipient of several awards, the chief among them are the state award on Teachers’ Day for outstanding services and Rajasthan Sahitiya Academy Award for his historical novel ‘Mewar Ka Surya Putra’. He has been awarded and honored by several literary societies including Sahitya-Mandal of Nathdwara, Meerayan of Chittorgarh, Arsha Gurukul of Chittorgarh, Vanvasi Kalian Parishad Udaipur.
His literary style and works are a unique reflection and combination of his sense of pride to be born in Mewar. He demonstrates this through his high regard for legendary heroes, his research acumen about historical events and legendary people who may otherwise have disappeared into the oblivion of the past. He attaches huge importance to the need to infuse high moral values to today’s youth. His noble endeavour to glorify and exemplify the history of Mewar globally will always be remembered. At present he is actively engaged in activities of Savitri Ba Phule Paryavaran Avm Shikshan Sanstha, Udaipur.
Dr. Rima Hooja conferred with Maharana Kumbha Award - Maharana Mewar Foundation 32nd Annual Awards 2013
Historian, archaeologist and writer, Dr. Rima Hooja is currently a Member of the Government of India’s National Monuments Authority, Director of the MSID India Program of Minnesota University (USA), and Managing Trustee of the Jaipur Virasat Foundation, Jaipur. Dr. Rima Hooja is also a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland. She received a PhD in Archaeology from Cambridge University in the UK, for her research on the Ahar Culture. She has held several academic and research positions, and has served on several committees, boards, trusts and councils.
She has published over a 100 research papers, articles, book-reviews and reports. . Books written by Rima Hooja include Ahar Culture and Beyond (BAR, Oxford, 1988); Prince, Patriot, Parliamentarian: Biography of Dr. Karni Singh - Maharaja of Bikaner (HarperCollins India, 1997); Crusader for Self-Rule: Tej Bahadur Sapru and the Indian National Movement (Rawat, 1999); Mandan’s “Devata-Murti-Prakarnam” (Prakrit Bharati, 1999); History of Rajasthan (Rupa & Co., 2006), and co-edited Constructing Rajpootana-Rajasthan (Rawat, 2009).
Her sources of inspiration include her Late father Mr. Bhupendra Hooja, and her Late brother Dr. Rakesh Hooja, both of whom were well-known writers, thinkers and senior officers in the Indian Administrative Service. Her mother, the internationally renowned sculptor Ms. Usha Rani Hooja, was awarded the Maharana Mewar Foundation’s Maharana Sajjan Singh Award in 1983.
Delhi-born Dr. Rima Hooja became a resident of Rajasthan at the age of two and a half. She has subsequently specialised in the region making it the focus of her work.. Her interest in archaeology and history developed as a child of nine or ten when she lived in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan where her Late father was Collector and District Magistrate of the District. The Mewar region has indeed been fortuitous to have this special connection. She has carried out research on the Protohistory of Mewar and worked on an English translation of the text of ‘Devata-Murti-Prakarnam’ by Rana Kumbha’s famous architect/artisan Sutradhar Mandan.
Her book ‘A History of Rajasthan’, published in 2006 was awarded the ‘Publishers Recognition Award’, It has been nationally and internationally acclaimed and can be found on the shelves of many universities and research libraries. Dr. Hooja has done extensive in-depth study, research and writing on Rajasthan’s history and archaeology and it is in recognition of this work in history that the 2013 Maharana Kumbha Award is being conferred on Dr. Rima Hooja.