Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said when the history of India’s former princes and their role in strengthening the country’s unity is written, veteran Congress leader and renowned poet-philosopher Dr Karan Singh will undoubtedly hold a place of great honour.

Presiding over the felicitation ceremony of Dr Karan Singh on his completion of 75 years in public life, in the national capital, the Vice-President in his address, said, “Dr Karan Singh is amongst the few who had the benefit of being an insider of politics with outside vision and outside politics with inside focus for over 75 years. He in that sense is older than the Republic.”

Dr Singh has long been a champion of inter-faith harmony, advocating for it at numerous public meetings and conferences, many of which are well documented, Dhankhar said.

“Over the years, he has become such a prominent figure in the realm of spirituality and philosophy that his name naturally arises whenever great thinkers are mentioned.

Speak of Vivekananda, and Dr Karan Singh comes to mind. Mention Aurobindo, and Dr Singh stands out as one of his most learned disciples. His vast body of work, comprising scores of books, reflects the depth of his intellectual pursuits. A true poet-philosopher, he has explored subjects as diverse as philosophy, spirituality, and the environment,” the Vice President further said.

“His deep love for his mother tongue, Dogri, is evident in the numerous books he has authored,” Dhankhar said.

“Perhaps one of his most underappreciated achievements is his pivotal role in conserving India’s national animal, the tiger. If the tiger remains a symbol of India’s wildlife heritage and its survival is ensured through the “Project Tiger” initiative, it is largely due to Dr. Singh’s unwavering commitment. It’s no surprise, then, that he himself has sometimes been affectionately referred to as the “Tiger” for his tenacity and strength in both thought and action,” the Vice President said.

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