Yogesh Sagotra
Jammu, May 31: Prof. Bhim Singh, who was founder of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, passed away here at a hospital in Jammu. He was 81. Singh is survived by his wife and son. The latter lives in London.
Born on 17 August 1941 in Bhugterian, Ramnagar of Udhampur, Prof. Bhim Singh was a student activist during his school and college days.
As a college student, Bhim Singh was a political activist. He was imprisoned for over 6 months from 1961 to 1962 in Jammu Central Jail.
Bhim Singh was again arrested in 1966 for leading thousands of students in protest while President of the J&K Students Congress Organization.
Prof. Bhim Singh completed his LLB from Aligarh Muslim University in 1967 and LLM and Bar-at-Law from London University in 1972.
Soon after completing his education, he joined active politics again in 1973 when he was appointed as president of Youth Congress of J&K by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Later he was appointed as General Secretary of All India Congress Committee.
Due to political difference with Congress, Prof. Bhim Singh along with his wife Jay Mala founded Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party on March 23, 1982. He was twice elected as Member of Legislative Assembly in then State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Lawyer by profession, Bhim Singh had won several landmark cases in the Supreme Court of India and had been jailed several times.
