Great Garhwali Personality-3

Mahachand Padma : The First Garhwali Shilpkar I A S
Adaptation: Bhishma Kukreti

Garhwalis will always remember Late Mahachand Padma for his industriousness and his oath to provide a pride to Shilpkar of Garhwal. By being first Garhwali shilpkar as I A S .

Mahachand was born on 8th July , 1937, in village Oad Gaon (Arya Nagar) , patti-Piglapakha, British Garhwal (Pauri Garhwal). His father’s name was Veer Singh and mother’s name was Raduli Devi. The family profession of Veer Singh was constructing the building (Oad).

After passing fourth standard (on that time fourth standard was called primary) from Mahadev Sain, Maha Chand Padma was sent to Jahri Khal (near Lainsdown) for further study and he was brilliant who passed middle standard (7th standard) by first class. Though the economical condition of veer Singh was not so strong but looking the brilliancy of bright boy Mahanchand, his parents sent him to Dehradun for further study and he took admission in Mission School Dehradun . The economical adverse conditions did not become obstacle for Mahachand . He passed twelfth (Intermediate) from Mission School Dehradun

Young Mahachand was ambitious, industrious and futuristic too . He wanted to study further from D. A. V. College Dehradun but the family economic condition did not allow him to take admission in B A in D. A .V. College Dehradun
. Mahachand got job in Public Works Department as Upper division Clerk (UDC).
When D. A. V . College started morning classes for B A students, Mahachand took admission in B. A. in D .A.V.College and passed the degree.

In 1960, he married to Sushila (daughter of Butha Singh), who was also High School pass Shilpkar girl. In 1960, a girl from Shilpkar family was rarest most incident.. His wife Sushila became inspirational force for him and he passed LLB after marriage.
In 1964, he passed I. A. S . exam and became first Shilpkar I .A.S. officer of Garhwal.

He was selected for Himachal Cadre (H.A S). Mahachand worked as S.D.M, Upper Secretary, A.D.C and lastly as Director in Indian the government services.
He expired on 2nd July 1979 as blood cancer patient at the mere age of forty-one only.
H e was simple and courtesies person and his colleagues and subordinates liked him very much
We Garhwwalis salute him for enhancing our pride and the self-esteem of Shilpkar worls of Garhwal
Courtesy : Arya, Vinod, 2009,Uttarakhand ka Upekhshit Samaj aur Uska Sahitya, New Krishna printers, Lucknow, pp-10-13

@ Copyright: Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, May 2009