The Life and Times of Anil Rana

110 Pages·2009·2.68 MB·Indonesian

One Man’s
J
OURNEY
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
All his acquaintances may have known him as the social
activist 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.
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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.
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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
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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
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