Narain Kataria – the great Hindu ‘General’ passed away in his New York home early this week. His sad demise is mourned by millions Hindus in North America, India, Europe and other countries. Enlightened Hindus will greatly miss his communications; he used to send on breaking Hindu topics. He was 85.
He was an ‘Army General’ in qualities – disciplined strategy, sharp acumen, decisive target, professional teammates, and resources supply line for certain victory with a fearless heart, he was fighting the anti- Hindu & anti-India forces both ideologically and physically on the landscape of America since past three decades. He was the ‘Hindu’ Powerhouse of North America. One of the most well-known, powerful and respected Hindu leaders.
I first met Narain Kataria at a VHPA meeting in North West US five years ago; greeted me with a smile and said ‘Namaste & keep up the good works’. His charismatic personality and ideological coherency attracted many budding activists and intellectuals towards him. He was very eloquent and no matter how ‘hot’ or ‘controversial’ is the Hindu issue; he could convey his protest in a very cultured and proficient manner understood by many Americans and Europeans lawmakers, leaders and intellectuals. There are very few Hindu leaders in America who have an insight to analyse a Hindu issue, express suitable opinion and send it to thousands of people in understandable format which is legal. His subject lines were bone chilling and mesmerizing but not cheap and his content was qualitative, facts filled and enlightening.
He proved that in order to do something big for Hindus, you don’t need a big team, big money or big organization backing you. All you need to have is passion. Narain Kataria inspired many ‘hesitant’ and ‘preferred back seated’ Hindus to come forward and openly fight for Hindu cause. He was a staunch supporter of Indian PM Narendra Modi and wanted India to be declared a Hindu nation on official paper. He faced religious persecution in Pakistan and he knew that without a constitution favorable to Hindus in India, Hindus will again and again be politically persecuted.
Narain Kataria helped Hindus 24/7, a big heart person with an inclination to offer help and was very resourceful. In 2014, I visited Narain Kataria’s apartment in Queens, New York and requested him to share the massive e-mail database he has for sending Hindu newsletters. The 100,000+ database was a hard work of collecting names, designations of current and past 20 years of worldwide Hindu leadership and activists. For any Hindu newspaper, it’s a gold mine. He welcomed this move and despite of not being well by health he spent a good four hours on its transfer. That was very appreciative of him and a signifies his open hearted welcoming for any good intention Hindu project.
He was a tireless and an industrious person, he worked relentlessly for Hindu cause and always responded to any help requests globally – day or night, later circulate it to his entire database. In short, he was one man show and was a major source of ‘fearless’ Hindu news broadcast in US. In a scenario when a common Hindu is afraid to write their protest on emails, sign a petition or make phone calls for the fear of being sued or persecuted, Narain Kataria used to organize, implement and send Hindu issues, events and news to thousands of people with a fearless heart – A Hindu ‘Lion’ he was. Every day he used to work from Dawn until late nightly hours for the Hindu cause.
A non-Diplomatic and no ‘Bulll Shit’ person. In current global scenarios when most of the Hindu leadership suffers from incoherent ideology and oscillatory mind set between secularism and Hindutva, because of which many Hindu program fails to succeed. Narain Kataria ideology was stout and judicious. This is one of the reasons why he was so popular, because true Hindu followers dislike incoherent leadership mind-sets. There were no ‘grey’ areas in his sharp decisiveness; it was either black or white.
A courageous and tough person he was, in Sep 2014, post Indian PM Event at Madison Garden, I was interviewing him a not so elite New York suburban restaurant parking, an area infamous for criminal acts of Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants, some half a dozen Bangladeshi Muslims stood near to us and started making comments and threatening gestures. When I asked Narain Kataria whether he is comfortable to speak, he said “Let them come and hear the truth me, I am not afraid of anyone, they can’t stop me from saying the truth”. After five minutes, the Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants realized that these men doesn’t give a hoot for their loathing and left that place and we continued to complete our open street interview right inside that Bangladeshi Muslim migrant ghetto in that suburban area. Below is that interview video.
Narain Kataria always supported Hindu programs and commanded respect. In 2015 Global Dharma Conference organized by Hindu students council I again met Narain Kataria, in one incident when I was discussion prospetive financial sponsorship for our Hindu news media program, a gentleman told me “Rahul ji, I don’t know you and your project, why should I give money for it”, Narain Kataria was standing near and said “Rahul ji is a certified Hindu Mr.Aniketh, Your money is going to the very right place for Hindu cause’. Without a second thought that gentlemen enrolled for paid subscription. Tri State Hindus will shell out thousands of dollars for Hindu projects on Narain Kataria call, such was his reliance.
He was a visionary and was for all, he used to support both RSS and non RSS Hindu programs for Hindu empowerment. He has given many interviews openly and written blogs protesting anything that is anti-Hindu. He spent much of his retirement benefits and pension on travelling to various Hindu events site. People will always remember him as a suited booted charismatic Hindu leader. His bold and courageous press releases and events emboldened and encouraged millions of Hindus, fear of suing and persecution by Govt. or anti-Hindu groups never stopped him from moving forward. He was a ‘gladiator’ who was ready to fight all anti-Hindu devils head on and alone unto death both ideologically and physically in the greatest global arena of perpetual multi direction persecution of Hindus, which he did and fought until his last breadth.
We salute this great son of Sanatan Dharma named Narain Kataria. Hindus will forever be in debt to this great soul.
May his soul rest in peace!
May his enlightened soul bless us all!
May his wishes for Hindus become reality!
The author, Mr. Rahul Chandra is a senior Indo–American writer and speaker on global Hindu empowerment. He is an executive board member of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Of America (VHPA).
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