Kunwar Singh Negi ‘Karmath’: Freedoms Fighter and Garhwali Language Developer

Great Uttarakhand Personalities Series)

          Presented by – Bhishma Kukreti

  The contribution of Kunwar Singh Negi ‘Karmath’ is of varied ways. He was freedom fighter, social worker, poet, journalist, editor, books & newspaper publishers.

            Kunwar Singh Negi ‘Karmath’ was born on 20^th January in 1912 in village Pang (Ghuddaud Syun) , Tahsil Pauri of Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. His mother name was Lakshmi and father’s name was Jasod Singh Negi. Karmath expired on 8/10/2014 in Kotdwara at the age of 103 years.

   Kunwar Singh ‘Karmath’ was the founder of Kaleshwar Press Lansdowne and then shifted it to Kotdwara.

  Karmath became famous as Hill Paper Contractor in 1936 at the time of Paimais or at the time land measurement.

        Kunwar Singh Karmath established Kaleshwar Press and later on joined it with Publishing Trading Company. Initially the first weekly Karmabhumi of Garhwal was printed, published and distributed from Kaleshwar Press of Karmath. Bhakt Darshan Singh was the editor of Karmabhumi. When in 1942, British put Bhakt Drashan into prison; Kunwar Singh Karmath took over the responsibility of Karmabhumi as editor. Later on Karmabhumi was separated from Kaleshwar press. Karmath participated in freedom movement by helping freedom fighters. Kunwar Singh Negi karmath was friend of freedom fighters as  Bhakt Darshan, Bhairav Datt Dhuliya, Lalita Prasad Naithani, Mukandi Lal Barister, Dudfodi etc

  Karmath shifted Kaleshwar press to Kotdwara in 1950. The Kaleshwar press became the printing press for many local newspapers and magazines as Hitaishi, Karmabhumi, Kshatriya Veer, Satyapath, Dev bhumi, Himalay ki Lalkar and Awaj. Jaihind Press Lansdowne and Veerbhumi Press were the branches of Kaleshwar Press.

   Kunwar Singh Karmath had been publishing a Hindi –Garhwali monthly Garh –Gaurav from 1976.

  Karmath is famous for publishing following memorable books written by literature creative-

Garhwali Kathamala

Garhli Shabdkosh

Vetal Pachisi in Garhwali

Karmavir Gandhi

Mukund Makrand

Dr. Pitamber Datt Barthwal

Geeta ka Garhwali Anuvad

Swadhinta Sangram me Garhwaliyon ka Yogdan

Colonel Indra jit Singh Rawat ki Jivani

Garhwal ka Jatiy Itihas

Bhainsaro nayar Nadi

Icchagiri Mai

Beerbala Tilu Rauteli

And many more books as on Kalidas and Mukandi lal Smriti Granth

He had great followership due to his humble and Gandhivadi nature. For his entire life, Karmath was Gandhi follower.

Karmath was also a prominent social worker of Kotdwara.

Kunwar Singh Negi Karmath would remembered till there earth.  

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, 11/10/2014