"Led a life of relentless hard work, determination and service": PM Modi pays tribute to BJP veteran VK Malhotra

New Delhi [India], October 6 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader VK Malhotra terming him as a tireless karyakarta and instituion builder whose life was dedicated to relentless hard work, determination and service.

Malhotra who passed away in New Delhi on September 30 at the age of 93 was the first president of Delhi State BJP.

A few days ago, we lost one of our senior-most leaders, Shri Vijay Kumar Malhotra Ji. He lived a long and accomplished life, but more importantly, he led a life of relentless hard work, determination and service. A glimpse of his life will make everyone understand the core ethos of the RSS, the Jana Sangh, and the BJP - courage in the face of adversity, service above self, and a deep-rooted commitment to national and cultural values, PM Modi wrote on narendramodi.com.

The Prime Minister stated that VK Malhotra suffered horrors during the partition days, mentioning that the trauma didnt make him bitter but he involved himself towards serving others. PM Modi noted that people like him were the forefront of selfless service, which resonated in Delhi.

The family of VK Malhotra Ji suffered the horrors of partition. The trauma and displacement did not make him bitter or inward-looking. Instead, he immersed himself in serving others. He found his calling in the ideology of the RSS and the Jana Sangh. Those were indeed very challenging times, PM Modi said.

Malhotra Ji dedicated himself to social work, helping thousands of displaced families, who had lost everything, rebuild their lives. This was also the guiding spirit of the Jana Sangh. His fellow Karyakartas in those days included Madanlal Khurana Ji and Kidar Nath Sahni Ji. People like them and countless others were at the forefront of selfless service, which resonated with the people of Delhi, he added.

Born on December 3, 1931, in Lahore, Punjab, British India (now in Pakistan), Malhotra was the fourth of seven children of Kaviraj Khazan Chand. A politician and sports administrator, he was elected President of the Delhi Pradesh Jana Sangh (1972-75) and later twice as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party Delhi Pradesh (1977-80, 1980-84).

Alongside leaders such as Kedar Nath Sahni and Madan Lal Khurana, Malhotra is credited with keeping the BJP strong in Delhi for decades.

From the late 1960s onwards, VK Malhotra Ji remained a permanent figure in public life. Few leaders can claim to have such a long, unbroken span of public engagement. He was a tireless Karyakarta, an excellent organiser and an institution builder. He had the wonderful ability to traverse the worlds of electoral politics and organisational politics with equal ease, providing stable leadership to the Jana Sangh and the BJP Delhi unit, PM Modi said..

His most notable political victory came in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, when he defeated former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by a large margin.

PM Modi said that Malhotra Ji never reduced the level of discourse. He ran a positive campaign, ignoring vile attacks and won with over 50 of the vote! This victory was achieved due to Malhotra Ji strong connect on the ground. He was skilled at nurturing close relationships with Karyakartas and understanding the aspirations of the voters.

The Prime Minister also recalled Malhotra well-researched and well-presented speeches in Parliament noting that the latter tenure as Deputy Leader of the Opposition during UPA-1 offers valuable lessons to students of politics and Parliamentary democracy.

He effectively opposed the ineffective UPA Government, especially on its dismal track record of corruption and terrorism. During those days, I was serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and would often interact with Malhotra Ji, who was always curious to know about Gujarat development strides, the PM wrote.

Over his career, he served as a five-time Member of Parliament and a two-time MLA from Delhi, becoming one of the senior-most BJP figures in the capital.In the 2004 general election, Malhotra was the only BJP candidate to win a seat in Delhi.

One of Malhotra Ji greatest traits was his role as an institution builder. He was among the top leaders who founded and nurtured several institutions related to the RSS. Through his efforts, many cultural, educational and social organisations found growth and mentorship. These institutions became nurseries of talent and service, carrying forward the vision of a self-reliant, value-driven society, PM Modi said.

According to the BJP, Malhotra enjoyed an unblemished and clean image throughout his distinguished career. An educationist with a doctorate in Hindi literature, Malhotra was also active in social work and the administration of sports bodies, including chess and archery clubs in Delhi.

PM Modi noted how beyond politics and academia, Malhotra made an indelible mark in the world of sports.

Archery was his great passion and he served as the President of the Archery Association of India for several decades. Under his leadership, Indian archery gained global recognition and he tirelessly worked to provide athletes with platforms and opportunities. His role in sports administration reflected the same traits he displayed in public life: dedication, organisational ability and the pursuit of excellence, the Prime Minister said.

Malhotra Ji impact is not just in the positions he held, but in the ethos, he carried forward... of putting service before self, of staying rooted in values and of embracing challenges with courage and perseverance. He was the ideal Party man, never speaking anything that could embarrass our Karyakartas or ideology PM said.

The PM tribute on Malhotra was published in leading dailies of the country. (ANI)

Disclaimer: This news article is a direct feed from ANI and has not been edited by the News Nation team. The news agency is solely responsible for its content.