1. Sh. Raj Veer Singh (known Sh. R.V. Singh) working in Ministry of Labour, called some persons at his residence ( C5A/161 , Janakpuri , New Delhi) to have a meeting of a such of the community persons , who are educated and employed in Government Departments or Private Sectors . The purpose of this meeting was to have acquaintance with one and another. This suggestion was appreciated by all the members.

As suggested the first meeting was held on 14-02-1983 (Sunday) at District Park of Janakpuri, New Delhi-110058

The following members attended the meeting :

(i) Sh. RV Singh (Ministry of Labour)
(ii) Sh.Ramji Lal (R.B.I.),
(iii) Sh.Dhani Ram (Northern Electricity Board),
(iv) Sh.Rajinder Kumar Tanwar (Northern Electricity Board),
(v) Sh.R.B. Singh (I.B.),
(vi) Sh.KR Bhashkar (L.I.C.),
(vii) Sh.D.R. Garg (Voltas),
(viii) Sh.Amar Singh (P&T),
(ix) Sh.O.P. Diwakar, (IRS),
(x) Sh. Vijay Kumar, (Times of India),

2. In this meeting, it was unanimously decided to hold corner meetings in different parts of the Delhi.
Accordingly following meetings were held:
• 1st meeting was held at the residence of Sh. Pritam Singh (AIR) Dew Nagar, Karol Bagh. New Delhi.
• 2nd Meeting was held at the residence of Sh. Raj Pal , PGT , Azadpur. Delhi.
• 3rd Meeting was held at the residence of Sh. Raj Pal , PGT , Azadpur. New Delhi.
• 4th Meeting was held at the residence of Sh. Chiranji Lal (Railway) Subji Mandi, Delhi.
• 5th Meeting was held at the residence of Sh. Triloki Ram (Auditor ) MCD , Ranibagh , (Ex MLA , UP Vidhan Sabha).
In the 5th meeting , it was decided that Sh. RV Singh will be convenor for calling future meetings .

3. Thereafter, meeting was held on 10-04-1983 at Boat Club , New Delhi in which more than 100 members took part . The persons , who came in contact with the members , started to join this gathering , when its membership started to increase , an executive committee meeting was called in the last week of December, 1984 . This meeting was attended by more than 200 members. In this meeting, members said that a suitable name should be given to this Association . This suggestion was appreciated by the majority members. Sh. Om Prakash Diwakar (IRS) suggested that our Association should be named as “Dhobi Employees Welfare Association (DEWA)’. The proposed nomenclature was appreciated by all the members present in the meeting.

4. Subsequently, Sh. Om Prakash Diwakar (IRS), Sh. RV Singh , Sh Faqir Chand (Director) , Sh. PC Sajjan (Advocate) , Sh Ramji Lal (RBI) , Sh Triloki Ram (Auditor – MCD) were requested to prepare the ‘Draft of Constitution of DEWA’ for its registration with Registrar of Societies , Delhi. The said draft of Constitution was prepared by the said Team. Thereafter, a meeting was convened in the 1st week of March, 1985 at Boat Club.

5. The papers of ‘Draft of DEWA Constitution’ were handed over to Sh PC Sajjan (Advocate) for submission to the Registrar office , Delhi , Accordingly , our Association (DEWA) was registered on 06-09-1985 . The efforts of Sh PC Sajjan were largely lauded by the members of the Association. With the registration of DEWA with the Registrar of Societies, Delhi, the Registration no/ of DEWA is S/16011.

6. The membership of DEWA started to increase further. In the meeting held at Boat Club , it was decided by the majority of members that a Family Get-together should also be held for introduction of family members of the persons who are DEWA Members .

7. The First Family Get-together was held at DEER Park, Safdarjung Enclave. Though the presence of family member was very thin, yet it remained successful programme. Thereafter, AGM on 2nd October and Family Get-together on 25th December were held regularly every year at Lodhi Garden , New Delhi. After holding AGM on 2nd October and Family Get-together on 25th December, the membership of DEWA gained momentum.

8. At one AGM held at Lodhi Garden, the election was conducted in a democratic and impartial manner . The some members of vested interest faced defeat in the election and therefore, they left DEWA and made a separate Association with the name of DEWA Club. As the Club did not last long, barring few members , majority of the members re-joined DEWA. The main members who returned to DEWA were Sh. Kailashi (DRDO) , Sh. S. Lal (SSC) , Sh. Vinod Kumar (SBI), Sh. Shankar Lal, (NPL). On 2nd October, 1990 , AGM was held in in which , Sh. Dhani Ram was elected as President, Sh. Ramji Lal as Secretary General , Sh. Ram Pal Singh as Vice President , Sh. ML Tanwar (PNB) as Treasurer . Under the President-ship of Sh. Dhani Ram , it was decided to open Branches in other State of India .
• The first ‘DEWA Branch’ was opened at Ghaziabad (UP) and Sh. S.C. Diwakar (Auditor) was elected as President.
• The second ‘DEWA Branch’ was opened at Agra (UP) and Sh. Biri Singh (Sales Tax) was elected as President.
• The third ‘DEWA Branch’ was opened at Mathura (UP) and Sh. Than Singh (JE) was elected as President .
• The fourth ‘DEWA Branch’ was opened at Aligarh (UP) and Sh. Prem Kumar Bharti (Social Worker) was elected as President.
• The fifth ‘DEWA Branch’ was opened at Jaipur (Rajasthan) in the presence of Sh Lekha Ram Diwakar (Secretary General) and Sh. Ramji Lal (President) Sh. Madan Lal (Cultural secretary) Sh Nanak Chand (Asstt. Treasurer). Shri R.S. Verma (Retired from Rajasthan Govt and Chief Editor of ‘Rajak Soochna Patrika’) was unanimously elected as President of the branch .

9. In one of the Executive Committee Meetings, it was unanimously decided to form a ‘DEWA Samjhota Samiti’ for resolving post-martial disputes of the community’s families . Sh Ramji Lal (RBI) , Sh Lekha Ram Diwakar (Sr. AO) , Sh Madan Lal (US) and Sh Nanak Chand (RBI) were the main members of the said Samiti. Several post-matrimonial disputes were solved by DEWA Samjhota Samiti’. Not only this, DEWA started ‘Free Matrimonial Services’ and number of relations were materialised successfully . Both the bodies are working properly. Despite above, DEWA started some other Social services like providing financial aids to the students of poor families of the Community. Apart of above , DEWA , off anon , arrange coaching programme for the community students , who prepare for competitive examinations . Also , DEWA arrange every year ‘Yuval-Yuvati Parichay Sammelan’ to help the community persons in getting matrimonial relations of their marriageable wards.

10. With collective efforts of Shri Ramji Lal, Sh. Lekha Ram Diwakar, Sh. S. Lal, Sh. Madan Lal, Sh. Jagdish Kumar, Sh. SC Diwakar, , Sh. Bakshi Ram, Sh. Kamla Prasad , Sh. Nanak Chand and Sh. Madan Lal Chauhan , the Membership of DEWA reached nearly 5000.

11. With sincere and tremendous efforts of Executive Committee members , till now , Six (06) Editions of ‘DEWA Directory’ have been brought out. After bringing out ‘DEWA Directory’ , the membership of the Association rapidly enhanced.

Conclusion:
It gives me tremendous pleasure that present Managing Committee of DEWA have played a leading role in augmentation of DEWA membership and getting it popular among the community people in whole of India. The peerless and laudable working systems of Sh Lekha Ram Diwakar (Secretary General) will ever remain on the record of DEWA history. The members of existing Committee of the Association deserve all kinds of appreciation for their strenuous endeavours put in spiral of DEWA membership. I wish the present team members long life with glory and fame.

(Ramji Lal)
Chairman,
Central DEWA
Res. : C4H/47 , Janakpuri,
New Delhi-110058
Mobile no.: 9811128906

Sh. Ramji Lal, veteran member of DEWA remained Secretary General for 20 years (from 1990 to 2010) and President for six years (2011 to 2017 ). In 2018 at the AGM Meeting, Sh. Ramji Lal took leave from active participation in DEWA i.e. ‘not to contest any election of DEWA in future’. His dedication and sincerity towards his duty will be kept on record in the history of DEWA.

Lekha Ram Diwakar,
Secretary General,
Central DEWA
Mobile no.: 9210862273