PADMA SHRI VIKRAMJIT SAHNEY

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Trust

Padma Shri Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Secretary General of the Trust with his vision is the guiding force behind Maharaja Ranjit Singh Trust. Formed as a registered body in 1981, the Trust is devoted to perpetuate the memory and ideals of the Maharaja and bring out and highlight his role and position of eminence in the history. To achieve its objectives the Trust regularly holds various functions in Maharaja’s honour.

• To commemorate the memory of Maharaja Ranjit Singh a bust of the Maharaja was unveiled by Hon’ble speaker of Lok Sabha, Sh. Shiv Raj Patil at Sapru House in 1995.
• A documentary film "In the Footsteps of Sh. Guru Gobind Singh" was released in the presence of Sh. I.K. Gujral, Former Prime Minister of India in 1999.
• The Trust was the Prime mover behind the yearlong celebrations of the Bi-centennial of Maharaja's coronation held all over the country. Inaugural function was held on 21 April 2001 at Vigyan Bhawan where Sh. A B Vajpayee, Hon'ble Prime Minister of India was the Chief Guest.
• The Trust installed a 24 ft. high equestrian statue in bronze of the Maharaja in the Parliament House Complex. This was unveiled by Hon’ble Prime Minister Sh. A. B. Vajpayee on 21 August, 2003.
• Commemoration of 203rd Anniversary of the coronation of the Maharaja was organised on 20 August 2004 where Sh. Dara Singh, MP, Rajya Sabha was the Chief Guest.
• A bust in bronze of the Maharaja was installed at the crossing of the Barakhamba Road - Ranjit Singh Marg. It was unveiled by Smt. Sheila Dikshit, CM, Delhi on 24 April, 2005.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Annual Memorial Lecture

The Trust organized its first annual Memorial Lecture in 2004. The lecture on the topic “Anglo Sikh Relations” was delivered by H.E. Sir Michael Arthur KCMG, the British High Commissioner to India. Since then the Memorial Lecture has been a regular annual feature delivered on topics of varied interest by eminent personalities like:

• H.E. Mr. Dominique Girard, French Ambassador to India.
• Mr. Aitzaz Ashan, Former Law, Justice, Interior and Education Minister of Pakistan.
• Lord Maghnad Desai, Chairman Centre of Governance and Asia Research Centre.
• Sh. Jagmohan, Former Union Minister and Governor, J & K.
• Sh. Abid Hussain, Former Ambassador to USA.
• Sh. Brahma Chellaney, Professor of Strategic Studies at centre for Policy & Research.
• Dr. Karan Singh, President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
• Dr. J.S. Neki, Internationally renowned Psychiatrist, Poet and Scholar.

All India Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Tournament

To give an opportunity to established and budding hockey players of the country to showcase their talent and to raise the standard of hockey in the country, the Trust organised the first All India Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Tournament in 2005. Since then the tournament has regularly been held in the Capital in which not only all the leading teams of the country but also a few foreign teams have participated. It is now considered as one of the leading tournaments of the country.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Heritage Centre

The Trust is in the process of setting up Maharaja Ranjit Singh Heritage International Centre for undertaking adequate research regarding life of the Maharaja. The Government of India has allotted a plot of land, measuring over 952 Sq. m. in the institutional area on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg (Rouse Avenue) for this initiative. The Heritage Centre will have a museum, extensive research facilities, auditorium, conference rooms, library, boarding and lodging arrangements for the visiting scholars and the more.