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| A life for unity and harmony: 72nd birthday of Dr. S. P. Varma celebrated in J&K | |
Jammu, February 25 (Scoop News)- Dr. S. P. Varma, a noted peace activist and social reformer from Jammu & Kashmir, celebrated his 72nd birthday today amidst heartfelt tributes from members of Gandhi Global Family, civil society leaders, youth groups and well-wishers from across India. A recipient of the Padma Award (2012), an Honorary Doctorate (2017) from a UK university, the Lifetime Achievement Award (2024) and the Sadbhavana Award (1995) by the Government of J&K, Dr. Varma has devoted more than three decades to promoting national unity, communal harmony and peaceful coexistence.
Born in village Jandrah in the kandi belt of Jammu, Dr. Varma completed his schooling at the local Government School before joining government service as a Junior Engineer in Jammu & Kashmir. Rising to the post of Project Manager in the J&K Housing Board, he made the courageous decision to resign at the peak of militancy and moved to Kashmir to dedicate himself fully to peace-building initiatives in insurgency-affected areas. For the past 35 years, he has tirelessly championed Gandhian values and national integration.
As National Vice President and President (J&K Chapter) of Gandhi Global Family, Dr. Varma has organized peace-oriented programs, including peace symposiums, Gandhi quizzes, peace festivals, United Nations quizzes, sports tournaments, SDG workshops, peace talk series and youth assemblies across educational institutions in Jammu & Kashmir. Since 2016, he has worked closely with United Nations India to promote awareness of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dr. Varma’s humanitarian outreach during times of crisis has been remarkable. During the devastating floods of 1988, 2012, and 2025 in Jammu & Kashmir, he mobilized volunteers and local communities to establish relief camps benefiting lakhs of affected families. During the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022), under the banner of Gandhi Global Family, he organized 450 relief camps across every district of J&K, extending assistance to over 2.25 lakh individuals.
In 2015, he launched the landmark “Gandhi-Mandela Cricket Tournament” for militancy-affected children, organized jointly with United Nations India, engaging 730 orphaned children across all districts of J&K. The initiative sought to restore hope, dignity and mainstream opportunities for deprived youth.
From an early age, Dr. Varma actively organized awareness campaigns during challenging periods of proxy war, mobilizing civil society through peace initiatives and supporting the Indian Army. His contributions during critical national moments, including 1965, 1971, 1999 and 2025, have been widely acknowledged.
Between 2010 and 2015, he coordinated nationwide padyatras and parikramas from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, including the North-East, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep, to strengthen national integration and promote Gram Swaraj. Earlier, in 2002, he played a key role in organizing the “Sadbhavana Padyatra” led by Sunil Dutt from the Golden Temple, Amritsar, to the Hazratbal Shrine, Srinagar, via the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
In 1997, Dr. Varma organized the historic All India Gandhian Workers National Integration Samelan at MAM Stadium, Jammu, inaugurated by former Prime Minister I. K. Gujral, which witnessed participation from over 25,000 Gandhians nationwide. His annual “Symposium on Truth and Non-Violence,” initiated in 1992, later inspired similar programs across the country.
Recently, under the leadership of Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, Dr. Varma and his team were felicitated at SKICC, Srinagar, for their relief contributions during Operation Sindoor and Operation Rahat.
On his 72nd birthday, Gandhi Global Family reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Dr. Varma’s enduring mission of peace, unity, and Gandhian philosophy for generations to come.
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