Bhagat Phool Singh His Life and Work

There is hardly any book in English language available on Bhagat Phool Singh describing his life and work. This book fills up that desideratum. Bhagat Ji as he was popularly known had not only struggled to empower rural India socially, educationally and spiritually but also scarified his life for the same. He was a dynamic personality and was a great social revolutionary. His passion for equity, peace and harmony was unparalleled. He could not see any person suffering from pain and sorrow. While working as a Patwari (Revenue Official), he was so engrossed in social reforms and development. With full of energy and enthusiasm, he could bring traditional Gurukul education system for both girls and boys into practice in Haryana. He could sustain 23- days fast for a common cause, which drew the attention of the nation. Even Mahatma Gandhi praised his efforts in this context. While on fast, he wrote a number of personal letters to various personalities. This would be an interesting reading about his inner voice and agony. The background and situation under which he was murdered is a mystery. How the people reacted his murder in countryside? What extent his dreams came true is an interesting reading? How he guided his daughter and her associates from the astral world for fulfilling his dreams in the areas of education and social action? One of his major dreams accomplished when Bhagat Phool Singh Women’s University was established in 2006 by the Government of Haryana. Ideas and thoughts he propounded and their relevance in the present context is also form the part of the book.

The book in your hands contains all Bhagat Ji’s qualities, surroundings, life, time and work he carried during his life.

Dr. Mahi Pal is a former Officer of the Indian Economic Service. During his service, he worked in various Ministries and Institutions in different capacities. He retired from the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), where he was engaged in policy and planning matters relating to rural development. Before joining MoRD, he was with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and studied the state of Panchayats across the States and UTs. He also worked in the then Planning Commission, Ministries of Social Justice & Empowerment and Statistics and Programme Implementation. In between for five years, he was on deputation as a faculty member at the Haryana Institute of Rural Development, Nilokheri, Karnal, where he was involved in developing reading materials for trainees and imparting training about various issues relating to rural governance, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development to official’s and non-officials working in rural areas. He was also engaged in research pertaining to Panchayats and rural development programmes. There, he observed rural society and economy closely, which has subsequently helped him provide relevant policy inputs in formulating programmes and schemes for rural development in the Ministries. He was also a post-doctoral fellow from 1992 to 1994 at the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi, where he specialised in the field of decentralised planning and Panchayati Raj. He was also Additional Private Secretory to the Minister of Panchayati Raj and Youth and Sports Ministries in the Government of India. He was also Visiting Faculty in the School of Planning and Arecitecture (SPA), New Delhi. After retirement, Dr. Mahi Pal worked as a Rural Development Expert in the Projects on Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission in the SPA, New Delhi. He has also been associated with various civil society organisations and academic bodies. He has also visited several countries. He was also an Advisor to the Sixth State Finance Commission, Haryana.

Dr. Mahi Pal has published several outstanding research papers on decentralised governance and rural development in various Journals, including Economic and Political Weekly. He has also authored several books both in Hindi and English languages. Some of his books have also been published by the National Book Trust and Publications Division, Government of India, Mittal Publications. He has also participated in and contributed papers at national and international conferences/seminars. He has been regularly contributing articles in national dailies and magazines on relevant issues of rural local governance and development. His recent book entitled ‘Rural Local Governance and Development’ has been published by The Sage.