Com.Rakesh Singha has been an inspiration from my days in the students' movement. Beginning his political activism in the Students' Federation of India he was the elected President of Himachal Pradesh University Students' Union. He went on to become a Trade Union activist who instilled confidence in the minds of the working class and fear in the minds of the oppressive ruling classes. When the apple growers of the State faced a crisis he played a significant role in organising the Apple Growers' Association. Always on the forefront of struggles he faced many attacks by the State as well as murderous attacks by goons unleashed by the ruling classes who conspired to silence him. It was his militant zeal and growing popular support for the CPI-M which saw him being elected to the Himachal Pradesh Assembly in 1993. He served as the State Secretary of the CPI-M and a member of the Central Committee for a long period. He was elected Secretary of Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha in its last Conference and is a member of the Central Kisan Committee of the All India Kisan Sabha. As a leader of the Kisan Sabha he has been leading struggles for protecting land and forest rights of the peasantry, against forced evictions and felling of trees laden with fruits by the Congress and BJP Governments that have been ruling the State. His role in the struggle for justice for Gudiya, victim of gang-rape who was brutally murdered is also worth mentioning.

My acquaintance with Com.Singha goes back to 1997 when I first visited Shimla on the invitation of SFI. He has been a guiding influence.

Over the last two decades he has surprised me with the meticulous way in which he has been observing my activities. In many discussions and phone calls interspersed with numerous "Hai-Na" he would point out the need for consistently engaging with an issue, concentrating on Organisation building and politically consolidating the gains of our struggles. Few have called me to enquire about developments in different States, the nature of struggles and advised as to how one could possibly continue engaging with the people to take the struggle to its logical conclusion. Com.Singha has been one of the few exceptions. We have together been part of many struggles under the banner of Himachal Kisan Sabha in the last nearly a decade of my engagement with the State from the AIKS Centre. He understands the importance of worker-peasant unity and the role of the Trade Union in helping build Kisan Sabha in the State is notable.

I particularly remember how one Christmas season I had reached Shimla with then SFI General Secretary Samik Lahiri to meet SFI comrades who had faced a brutal lathicharge and were sent to jail by the BJP Government. On arrival we were received by snowfall. Seeing me in my sandals and the Naga shawl he insisted and ensured I soon had boots with socks, a jacket, woolen cap and a muffler on. Comrades of our generation and those younger will vouch for the warmth that he exudes, the inspiration that he instills, the minute detail in which he observes the development of comrades and the sound advice he gave as well as his firm rebuke when he felt the need for any course correction.

Today when he has been elected to the Himachal Pradesh Assembly I am sure he would say in his ubiquitous style:

"Yeh Rakesh Singha ki Jeet Nahin. Hai-Na Yeh CPI-M Aur Jan Andolanon Ki Jeet Hain. Hain-Na".

Surely it is a victory of a collective effort. Undoubtedly the inspiring role of Com.Singha in the people's struggles will reverberate in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly as the voice of the peasantry, toiling masses and the oppressed. Hai-Na?

(Photo captured on my phone during a recent struggle of the Himachal Kisan Sabha).