Monica Sallan

With great reverence, Papaji was more than a grandfather to me. Because I lived in Canada I saw him briefly throughout my 40 years of life. He used to visit us on several occasions and I always found him reading books and making notes. Publishing Bheem Patrika was always a priority to him because he believed that he would carry the message of Baba Saheb Dr. B.R.Ambedkar to the people of the world so he did till last breath of his life. When he left the world, the last issue of Bheem Patrika was edited by him and is preserved by us.

His thoughts are inspirational. When I grew up I met many people in Canada who proudly tells me that they read books of Balley Saheb. When I hear this I feel myself proud.

He wasn’t simply a grandfather that held me in his arms. He wasn’t simply a grandfather that fed me with his hands but he was more than that, If I define his magnetic personality he was my role model. He was an inspiration to me and I wished to be like him.

My grandfather was a liberal man who wanted freedom for women, he always wanted that a girl child should gain higher education and rise in life. His motivation pushed to join and finish Master in journalism in Canada, because I wanted to tell stories like him. In 2005, I made my first documentary on the caste system. While I was making this documentary I sought his guidance on several issues. I found him knowledgeable.

In my childhood, my parents spoke about the great things that Baba Saheb Dr B.R Ambedkar did for the downtrodden of India and how my grandfather promised to continue the work of Dr Ambedkar, at that time I could not understand fully. Over the years, seeing my grandfather’s dedication to Bheem Patrika and writing over 100s of books, I found that my grandfather kept Dr Ambedkar’s legacy alive . So now it’s our turn to keep his legacy alive. My grandfather was a great orator. I often listen his recorded speeches. I found that there was pin drop silence in the hall. The audience was mesmerized by his motivational speeches. My grandfather and grandmother loved their grandchildren dearly. They always treated their grandchildren like VIPs. I felt like a VIP in their presence whenever I came to India. They were very protective. I found that My grandfather house in Jalandhar was always full with people who used to come to my grandfather to seek his advice on social, religious and political issues. He was a staunch Buddhist.