Kishore Kunal

Kishore Kunal (born 1950) is a retired officer of the Indian Police Service[1] and a Sanskrit scholar[2] from the state of Bihar, India. During his police career, he was appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (Ayodhya) by the prime minister V. P. Singh to mediate between the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Babri Masjid Action Committee on the Ayodhya dispute. He continued to serve in this position during the premierships of Chandra Sekhar and P. V. Narasimha Rao.[3]

After retirement, he served as the chairman of the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts.[4][5] Kunal is also secretary of the Mahaveer Temple Trust, Patna,[6] and previously of Mahavir Arogya Sansthan, in which capacity he was involved with the promotion of healthcare for the poor.[7] He is also the founder of a prestigious school called Gyan Niketan in Patna.

In 2008 he received the Bhagwaan Mahaveer Award for his contribution to community and social services. The award, presented to Kunal by the President of India Pratibha Patil, is instituted by the Bhagwan Mahaveer Foundation, Chennai.[8] Acharya Kunal is the first individual from Bihar-Jharkhand to get this award.[8] His selection was made by a jury headed by Justice Shri M. N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice of India.[8]

Early life

Kishore Kunal was born on 10 August 1950. He had his schooling at Baruraj village in Muzaffarpur district. Then he studied History and Sanskrit at Patna University, graduating in 1970. Later, in the middle of his career, he also studied for Master's degree, receiving it in 1983.[3] His teachers included historians R. S. Sharma and D. N. Jha.[9]

Career

In 1972, Kunal became an officer of the Indian Police Service in the Gujarat cadre. His first posting was as the Superintendent of Police, at Anand. By 1978, he rose to become the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Ahmedabad.[3]

After completion of his Master's in 1983, Kunal was appointed as the Senior Superintendent of Police at Patna. He served as an 'Officer on Special Duty (Ayodhya)' in the Government of India, handling the Ayodhya dispute, under three Prime Ministers — V. P. Singh, Chandra Shekhar and P. V. Narasimha Rao.[3]

In 2001, Kunal retired from the Indian Police Service voluntarily.[3]

Social service

Mahavir Temple

Under the secretaryship of Acharya Kunal, renovation work of Mahavir Temple started on 30 October 1983, and it was inaugurated on 4 March 1985. Governor R S Gavai on Monday said Mahavir Temple is an ideal religious trust and it should be emulated by other trusts in the country. Mahavir Trust later set up Mahavir Cancer Sansthan. The Samiti also runs another hospital, Mahavir Arogya Sansthan, at Kankerbagh, and on its premises Mahavir Netralaya has been set up which caters to the needs of those suffering from eye problems. The temple has already established four big hospitals and provides financial help to the needy people.[10]

Mundeshwari Bhawani Mandir

He is involved in the uplift of Mundeshwari Bhawani Mandir, the 'oldest' surviving temple in the eastern region belonging to Gupta Age (AD 343) and located in Kaimur hills. The temple site will also be developed into a fullfledged pilgrim centre, just like Vaishno Devi temple, with a number of amenities like dormitory, rest rooms, kitchens and efficient transportation system. As part of the temple's development plans, a 'vivah' mandap is under construction in over two-and-a-half acres.< He is penning a historical novel titled 'Mahima Mundeshwari Maa Ki'. Recently, a 185-page book 'Mundeshwari Mandir: The Oldest Recorded Temple in the Country', also written by him, was released.[11]

Angkor Nagar temple

Under his leadership as the Secretary, Bihar Mahavir Mandir Trust (BMMT), he has spearheaded building the biggest temple in the world. He said, "they will build a bigger temple in Bihar's East champaran district than the 12th century Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia."

Kunal is also secretary of the Mahavir mandir, Patna,

Works

  • Ayodhya Revisited (Prabhat Prakashan, 2016). ISBN 8184303572.[12][13]

In this work, Kunal has analysed the historical documents to draw the conclusion that the Babri Masjid was built by Emperor Aurangzeb, not Babur. He blames the surveyor Francis Buchanan for erroneously crediting Babur. Kunal also states that a Ram temple existed at the disputed site which was demolished by Aurangzeb's governor Fedai Khan in 1660 AD.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Sahay, Ambikanand (1 September 2001). "Stone writ could hold key to Ayodhya". Times of India.
  2. ↑ Ahmed, Farzan (28 September 2007). "The new holy order". India Today.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Amit Bhelari (19 December 2011). "'Security at Mahavir Mandir is Ram bharose'". The Telegraph (Calcutta). Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  4. ↑ Era ends at religious board, The Telegraph (Calcutta), 11 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Kunal new head of Religious Trusts Board". Times of India. 26 May 2006.
  6. ↑ "Mahavir Mandir to have its twin in Houston". Times of India. 9 July 2009.
  7. ↑ Jha, Vinayanand (22 March 2004). "Cancer cases on rise due to change in lifestyle: Expert". Times of India.
  8. 1 2 3 "Acharya Kishore Kunal awarded". Jaindharmonline. 20 May 2008.
  9. ↑ Jain, The Battle for Rama 2017, p. 6.
  10. ↑ TNN (15 January 2008). "Guv hails services of Mahavir Temple". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  11. ↑ Pooja Kashyap (14 June 2011). "Plan to develop ancient temple". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  12. ↑ Ayodhya Ram temple destroyed by Aurangzeb not Babbar: former Gujarat IPS officer, The Indian Express, 19 June 2016.
  13. 1 2 Ayodhya dispute: Aurangzeb, not Babar, built Babri masjid, says new book, Hindustan Times, 20 June 2016.

Bibliography

  • Jain, Meenakshi (2017), The Battle for Rama, New Delhi: Aryan Books, ISBN 978-81-7305-579-9


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