Bharat Vikas Parishad    A Journey Through The Years 

1963

12 January: Citizens Council set up by Dr. Suraj Parkash initially to mobilize citizens’ effort to fight the Chinese attack was renamed as the Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) on the birth centenary of Swami Vivekanand and thus was born BVP.  Shri B. P. Sinha, Retd. Chief Justice of Supreme Court becomes the first Chief Patron, Lala Hans Raj Gupta, the first President and Dr. Suraj Parkash its first Secretary General.

10^th July: BVP is registered as a Society under The Societies Registration Act 1860.  The first meeting is also held on this date.

Click here for list of founder members of Bharat Vikas Parishad

1967  

First Group Song Competition is held and President Zakir Hussein distributes the prizes to the winners.  This is the first publicly held Prakalp of the Parishad.
 

1968

First branch outside Delhi is set up at Dehra Doon in Uttar Pradesh.
 

1969

BVP decides to publish NITI and Dr. Suraj Parkash becomes its first Managing Editor.

1972

BVP decides to install 18.5 feet high equestrian statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on a 30 feet high platform at New Delhi. Babu Jagjeevan Ram, Defence Minister, lays the foundation stone of the statute.

1973

President Shri V.V. Giri unveils the statue in the Tercentenary year of Shivaji’s Rajya Abhishek.
 

1974

Dr. LM Singhivi, who joined BVP in 1969, takes over as President of BVP from Lala Hans Raj Gupta.  He propounds the four Sutras of BVP – Sampark, Sahyog, Samskar and Sewa.
 

1975

Emergency declared by Smt. Indira Gandhi on 25^th June 1975 forces the BVP to suspend its activities, including the publication of NITI.  BVP resumes its activities on withdrawal of Emergency in 1977.
 

1982

BVP decides to constitute a National Governing Board.
 

1983

14 August: First meeting of the National Governing Board is held. Thirty-one members attend it from 9 States.
 

1985

Justice Hans Raj Khanna takes over as President of BVP from Dr. LM Singhvi who demits office on his appointment as Indian High Commissioner in U.K.
 

1986

BVP decides to conduct training camps for its office bearers in every state every year.

BVP spreads its wings in the south as its branches are opened in Vishakhpatnam, Vijayavara and Hyderabad on 15^th, 16^th and 17^th August respectively.
 

1988

BVP decides to publish NITI on monthly basis.
 

BVP completes 25 years of its existence, and a function to celebrate Silver Jubilee is held at Delhi. The number of branches touches 100 mark. BVP’s activities extend to all the states except West Bengal.
 

The first four projects are introduced in BVP: -

·                     Rashtriya Samuh Gan Pratiyogita.         

·                     Viklang Sahayata.

·                     Vanvasi Kalyan.

·                     Vikas Saptah.
 

BVP extends help to flood victims in Punjab and Gujarat.
 

1991

Shri Piara Lal Rahi takes over as Secretary General at the All India Conference held at Udaipur, after the demise of the founder Secretary General Dr. Suraj Prakashji on 2^nd February.
 

1992

BVP appoints 4 Vice Presidents and 2 Joint Secretaries.  The country is divided into 5 Zones under the charge of Zonal Organising Secretaries. Similarly, Rashtriya Sanyojak (National Convenor) for each of the five Projects is appointed.

Shri Rahi visits Canada and BVP’s first International branch is established in Canada.

Efforts are initiated to set up Viklang Kendras under the Viklang Sahayata Project.

For the first time, the National Group Song Competition at national level is held outside Delhi at Hyderabad.
 

1993

In place of 5 zones, the country is divided into 9 zones.

A property is purchased in West Patel Nagar, New Delhi to house the Central Office of the BVP.

Vikas Samarpit Yojna to involve retired persons in social service is launched.

BVP donates funds for earthquake victims at Latur in Maharashtra.

BVP starts celebrating Guru Tegh Bahadur Balidan Diwas.

BVP donates funds for setting up ashrams for Vanvasi children in Assam under its Vanvasi Kalyan Yojana.
 

1995

3 December: President presents the “ Delhi Bharat Vikas Foundation,” the National Award for the welfare of the handicapped in public recognition of their outstanding performance as employers of handicapped persons.

All branches observe Guru Teg Bahadur Martyrdom day.

Project for Eye Care and Eye Donation is launched with the organization of a training camp at Tinsukhia.

Project to adopted whole village for all round development is launched with adoption of a village each in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab.

The first 5-day camp to train Vikas Samarpit persons was organized at Haridwar.

Other projects added to BVP programmes are the following: -

·                     Paryavaran.

·                     Health.

·                     Publicity.

The Government of India grants 80-G exemption to donations made to the Bharat Vikas Parishad Charitable Trust.
 

1996

BVP’s branches are opened in West Bengal.

“Samutkarsh”, an organization in Gujarat, is merged with BVP.

BVP decides to hold All India Conferences once in two years.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s statute is unveiled at Dalhousie during September.
 

1997

First workshop for women only is organized at Varanasi, which is attended by Organizers of 9 States.                                    

Prof. Rajender Singhji, Sarsanghchalk of Rashtriya Swaymsewak Sangh, on 8/10/1997 consecrates Shilanyas of Bharat Vikas Bhawan at Delhi.
 

1998

The fifth Sutra ’Samarpan’ is added to BVP philosophy.
 

2000

Justice M. Rama Jois and Shri R. P. Sharma took over as President (from Justice H. R. Khanna) and Secretary General (from Shri P. L. Rahi) respectively. Shri T. N. Agarwal is elected as Finance Secretary.

The National Governing Board approves Parishad’s new constitution.

BVP decides to celebrate the years 2000 & 2001 as “Sanskriti Varsha” and also initiates Sanskar Pradhan Yojna.

National Governing Board decides to hold its meetings only once in a year.

Dr. Pranav Pandyaji, the Pramukh of Vishwa Gyatri Parivar and Manya Sri Seshadriji, Sar Karyavaha of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh inaugurate the Central Office of the Parishad at Delhi.

All India President announces the following new projects to be taken up by all Branches throughout the country:

·         Samuhik Saral Vivah

·         Sanskriti Pradushan Nirodh

·         Guru Vandana Chhatra Abhinandan on Teachers’ Day i.e. the 5th September.

·         Bharat Ko Jano Competition

·         Vande Matram Competition

·         Saksharta Abhiyan

Sanskrit Samuh Gan Pratiyogita organized first time at the National level.
 

2001

First International / All India Personality Development Camp (Boys) is Organized at Dalhousie.

Zonal level meetings are held in the country for the first time.

Organizational set up of the BVP is streamlined to put its working on Professional lines.

Instead of 9 zones, the country is divided into 13 zones with 41 Prants / States.
 

2006 

Shri Varinder Sabharwal is elected as National Finance Secretary in place of Shri Surinder Kumar Wadhwa.

Vandemataram Competition is renamed as National Sanskrit Group-Song and Folk-Song Competition and its first national level competition is held in January, 2006 at Pali (Rajasthan).

First Meeting of the National Council is held at Haridwar.
 

Parishad adopts its flag.

Two saints  share  Parishad's first year Utkrishtata Samman.
 

“Gyan Prabha”  becomes quarterly publication.

Click here for Important Events / Programmes During 2007-08
 

Click here for Relationship of Parishad with other Organisations
 

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