The Punjab and Bengal

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Mr. Ravindra Mohan Chopra, MA. LLB, was born on 14th January 1914, at Hafizabad, District Clujranwala, West Rajab Heix a worthy son inheriting dedication to social work and literary disposition from his worthy father, late Dr. Hira Lall Cheyes, the well-known litterateur and social worker of Calcutta.

Mr. Chopra had a brilliant academic career throughout culminating in his getting First Class First in M.A. in History (Islamic) from Calcutta University in the year 1956. He is an erudite scholar of Islamic studies. His love for things Punjabi and fondness for Punjabiyat is proverbial. He is a prolific writer and has contributed many articles in Indian and foreign journals on topics of general interest. He has written a monumental book, on Punjabiyat, The Legacy of the Punjab, published by Punjabee Bradree, which is very informative and has been greatly appreciated by one and all. His writing is free-flowing. Deeply absorbing, eminently readable and a voyage of discovery, it brings elegance, case and sweetness.

In his professional field he had been a top executive with Turner Morrison Group of Companies which he had joined in 1962. When in 1965 industry representatives were first taken in the top executive position of Shellac Export Promotion Council, Mr. Chopra joined it as the first elected Vice-Chairman. He was also Vice-President of the Indian Lac Exporters Association and, subsequently, a member of the Executive Committee of the Indian Mining Association and the Chairman, Calcutta Selected Coal Association. Since 1973, he is well established in his own business.

The Punjab and Bengal have been enamoured of each other from quite a long time ago. They span the country's heartland, like the proverbial elephants on a book-shelf, in two corners of this vast sub-continent. They have shared, through ages, their varied experiences in spite of diversities in their ethos yet echoing each other’s emotional reverberations, proof of which is found in abundance. It was, perhaps, pre-destined that these two regions should have similar circumstances which should not only bring about a kind of closeness between the two but also necessitated the inter-dependence of one on the other for their proper development. And this process has continued over a long period, in peaceful interludes as well as in turbulent times. The Punjab and Bengal continue to interact emotionally even now like nothing else in the world.

It was indeed fate which brought these two regions much closer together at the turn of the century in the struggle for independence and the people of these regions fought shoulder to shoulder for the independence of the motherland as 'comrades-in-arms' and, again, it was an irony of fate that at the time of independence of India in 1947 A.D., the Punjab and Bengal were the two provinces that were truncated - their price paid for the country's freedom. Both the provinces had to suffer untold misery for the consequent arson, bloodshed, rape and other atrocities committed by the frenzied mobs which compelled millions of their people to leave their homes and hearths.

The people of the Punjab and Bengal, as a result, became 'comrades-in-suffering" and had to face misery and identical problems for the rehabilitation of their uprooted folks who were forced to migrate. The uprooted people have resettled in the rest of the country and it goes to their credit that they are making useful contribution to the over-all development of the country in an admirable way and are now "comrades-in-progress".

While it is a fact that there is a large segment of Bengalis in the Punjab as doctors, engineers and in other professional fields, particularly in the teaching profession, there are nearly one million Punjabis living in West Bengal, fifty percent of whom are in Calcutta alone. Many of the Punjabis are settled in Calcutta for the last several generations. They live here, work here, have friends here and are found in all walks of life, thus lending a unique cosmopolitan character to this great metropolis.

It is in this context that an attempt is made in presenting this monograph to trace out the links of Punjabis and Bengalis, through the ages, from historical, religious, social, educational, national and commercial points of view to establish the strong bonds which have continued to exist since time immemorial of Punjabi-Bengali affinity of spirit.

**Contents and Sample Pages**