Dr Rajeev Manhas: A Multifaceted Librarian

Interviewer: Dr. Preeti Sharda

Reading any document is like hunting a treasure, and you will find new things in your every hunt. 

- Dr. Rajeev Manhas

Dr. Rajeev Manhas is a Librarian who is ever ready for experimentation and has superhuman patience. He has a positive and open attitude to the challenges in today’s dynamic information and education environments. He is a pro-active librarian. According to him "Run your imagination beyond academic limitation to create what is impossible earlier". He is confident enough to take initiatives and always thinks outside the proverbial box. A soft-spoken librarian kind-hearted person can only reach the heights of community service as Dr. Manhas has reached. He is actively involved with a community project Digital Doctor: Video Consultancy Services using mobiles to make the world disease free. He is Founder President, Digital Integrated Services for Health Care Foundation Welfare Society for health information sciences education and research. Other than the library and community work. He is a great writer too. His literary works in Hindi, Punjabi and English are very appreciated within his circle. Singing, painting, acting, and shooting are his other hobbies.

Eat good food and read good thoughts.

- Dr. Rajeev Manhas

Dr. Rajeev Manhas has over 23 years’ experience in librarianship, engineering, and health sciences information systems.  He has published over 70 research papers at the national and international levels and has also published 9 books.  He is a Ph.D. in Library & Information Science and has done three Post-Graduate Degrees. He has done many diplomas as well.  He is Editor-in-Chief of a National Library Science Journal and dedicated member of Editorial Boards of 12 scientific journals (7 international and 5 national) and is a professional member of various national and international organizations.  He has organized more than twenty national and international conferences, workshops, seminars, and symposiums and also presented several papers at national and international conferences/seminars including AMRCB International Conference and International Seminar on Water for Health with IC-IMPACTS, Canada in 2013. He has received over 16 national and international academic awards/ honors/ appreciation certificates are in credit. Dr. Manhas has visited various universities/educational institutes of India, Canada, USA, and Sri Lanka. He was the pioneer for the establishment of  Health Sciences Library Network (HSLIBNET): A Punjab State Consortium of E-resources in 2009. 

Interview

1 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Let’s walk through your background. Also, tell your journey from B.Com. to Ph.D.

Dr Rajeev Manhas: Well, I am basically from a very small town of district Una of Himachal Pradesh i.e. Mehatpur (village Basdehra). My schooling was from different places of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Chandigarh as my father was in a transferable job of Central Government of India. In 1995 when I was in the final year of B.Com. and was also pursuing Diploma in Computer Applications, I got my first job in LIS profession as a Library Attendant in newly established engineering college of Punjab i.e. Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering & Technology, Ferozepur. After completion of my graduation, I was actually interested to join Indian Air Force but unfortunately could not qualify the Service Selection Board (SSB) test. After my post-graduation in commerce. I thought to persue my career in the management side or to work in an MNC. Sometimes destiny chooses for you, hence, I choose my career in Library & Information Science. I am really thankful to my colleagues at SBSCET, Ferozepur from whom I got to know about this profession. I did my post graduation in LIS from Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (Haryana) and Ph.D. from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar in 2005. Furthermore, I also completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Library Automation and Networking and recently completed a Master of Science (Information Technology) in 2019.   

2. Dr. Preeti Sharda: Your professional qualifications also include a Diploma in Computer Applications (DCA), Associate Member of Management Studies Promotion Institute, New Delhi, India (AMSPI) and Fellow Member of United Writer’s Association, Chennai (FUWAI) degrees.  Three masters and so many other courses. Seems you are passionate about getting higher education. But you settled down in LIS profession. Are you happy to be in this profession? What had been your second choice?

Dr Rajeev Manhas: Yes, you are absolutely right. I am very much passionate about education and learning. As it is rightly said that education is an important tool to succeed in life and helps individual to grow personally, socially and as well as economically. I choose to further explore life by using the lighthouse of education and wants to travel the journey of life as a lifelong learner. I keep one more line of wisdom in my subconscious mind which was given by Prof. Lalit Sharma, one of my mentors from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering & Technology, Ferozepur "Spend your money to gain education and for purchase books, on apply for new opportunities and to stay healthy". Actually, when I got a job in the library, it was in my mind to use it as the first step to proceed further in my career options of life. So, firstly I tried in my dream job i.e. in Air Force than in management side and at last decided to be a library & information science professional when I found a large scope to do the things of my choice. The urge further enhanced when I met eminent personalities of LIS and passionate librarians during the first conference of Indian Library Association attended at Hisar (Haryana) in 1999. Library & Information Science, as a profession, encompass the development of one of the greatest human abilities i.e. organization of anything. This profession helps to further develop skills of instant information retrieval, ethical use of information and fastest delivery and dissemination of information. Indeed, I am very happy with this profession and want to contribute to this profession in such a way that it be more inclined with other professions in the world.

3 Dr. Preeti Sharda: You are working at BFUHS, Faridkot since 2006. Can you describe your current work responsibilities?  

Dr Rajeev Manhas: After working in an engineering institution of Punjab for almost 10 years and completion of my Ph.D. in January 2006, I got selected as Assistant Librarian at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab in May 2006 and since October 2010, I am working as Deputy Librarian and Head of University Library. When I joined here, initially, I was given charge of the library of University College of Nursing, Faridkot as in the name of University Library merely 100 books were existing at that time in a rented building of University. During February 2007, the then Vice-Chancellor decided to establish a University Library and the development of University Library started with the allotment of a room with one staff member within a temporary building. Slowly and slowly, we started working on all developmental aspects of the library system including, enrichment in the collection of resources, staff, and place. As the resources of health sciences, subjects were very much costly so, it was difficult to fulfill the information needs of users at every college level. Moreover, to bridge the gap accessibility and affordability of resources at the place and time of users' choice, the University Library set up a Health Sciences Library Network (HSLIBNET) of all the affiliated colleges of the University in 2010. This network started providing access to e-resources to more than 40000 students and teachers of 149 affiliated colleges spread over entire Punjab. These efforts were well recognized and during 2014, this consortium got the Highest Usage Award in the medical segment in the country from M/s EBSCO International, USA. To train the health sciences, librarians, a teaching department was also established in 2010 and started Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences Librarianship (PGDHL) and Ph.D. in Health Information System. Unfortunately, due to less response to this new initiative, the department was closed in 2015 and only one student did PGDHL course since that period. In 2011, the University Library has been shifted to newly constructed Academic Block with all ultra modern facilities, fully air-conditioned with maker's place type of settings including, a unique setup i.e. Preservation Lab, Communication Lab, Informatics Lab, Video Conference Lab, Lecture, Meeting Rooms, etc. There are more targets to be achieved for making this library as a place of health innovations and learning.  

4 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Please share about previous work assignments I mean where you worked before joining BFHUS?

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: Well, before joining BFUHS, I was in engineering college established by the Punjab Government viz.  Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering & Technology, Ferozepur, rather I started my career from this institution as Library Attendant in 1995. As a journey in this profession which was started being an attendant, what I learned that nothing is impossible. I used the success mantra for my subconscious mind that is “I can and I will”, which strengthen me in all my odds. I started my Ph.D. in LIS in my tenure as an attendant and got fruitful results of hardship being promoted as Library Assistant in 2003 and worked in this college up to May 2006.  

5 Dr. Preeti Sharda: In your 23 years’ experience in librarianship you have published more than 74 research papers at the national and international level and have also published 9 books. You have also presented about 15 papers in various national and international conferences. You have delivered around 28 Invited Lectures/ Papers.  If I total them all it comes around 117 research paper and 9 books. All these data reflect that you have dedicated yourself in the field of research. Please tell how do you manage this amount of research publication.

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: It is really an interesting question and very aptly asked. Yes, it reflects that I am on the track, which is more filled with research and academic activities. I want to say in this context that there is a phenomenal transition in the nature of librarian’s job in these days as most of them are involved in the academic activities of any education system in addition to their role as a librarian. It is also pertinent that in whatever field a librarian is working, he or she should share their experiences including challenges and best practices in the mode of research outputs and public speaking so that other fellow libraries & information science professionals be got benefits from it.   Moreover, I am lucky that I was surrounded by more research-minded people due to working experience in special libraries of engineering and medical sciences.

6 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Sounds great. Tell something about the ‘Health Sciences Library Network (HSLIBNET): A Punjab State Consortium of E-resources in 2009’. 

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: The Health Sciences Library Network (HSLIBNET)–a consortium of 149 affiliated colleges of the University, is one of the major and very successful consortiums in the country. It was a dream project and when I joined BFUHS, Faridkot, Punjab, a University which is situated in a rural and remote setting of the country and also very near to Indo-Pak border, I found there is a big gap between availability and accessibility of health information resources. As these resources are very costly and it is difficult for the library of any health sciences institution to maintain a complete collection at individual levels so to meet the ever-increasing health information needs of the users. Hence, an idea to create a network of all the health sciences libraries of affiliated colleges of the University was pounded during 2006 and many brainstorming sessions were organized to give it a real shape and many financing models were tested and finally the self-financing model was chosen which was happily approved by the Board of Management of the University in 2009. The trial access of resources was started in 2010 onwards. After the success of the trial period, 2011 was the beginning year for it. At the initial stage, the usage was very low due to lack of awareness. Hence, many programmes on a regular basis were organized annually resultant in 2014, the consortium was awarded “Highest Usage Award” in the medical segment in the country. Even, the Association of Health Sciences Universities of India also declared to set up All India Health Sciences Library Network on the lines HSLIBNET. Thus, we can say this network up to some extent is able to bridge the gap of accessibility and affordability of health information resources.  

7 Dr. Preeti Sharda: You are Founder President, Digital Integrated Services for Health Care Foundation Welfare Society. What are the activities of this society? Please tell how community project Digital Doctor: Video Consultancy Services using mobiles was started.

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: Dr. Preeti Ji, the journey to identify the self, most of the time creates different things in life. This also happened in my life. The DISHA Foundation Welfare Society is also the discovery of self-realization, when found life is working on the other side, not in ‘me’, so started working for others. The foundation used the similar principles of library & information science for the execution of some its major programmes means work on “right kind of healthcare to right kind of patient at right kind of place and on right time” and like ‘Digital Doctor Visiting Home’. The main motto of the foundation is to make this world healthier and disease free. The WHO says that there should be one doctor available for population of one thousand (1:1000) and in developing country like India, there is a big gap in this ratio i.e. 1:1676. Moreover, in villages where 68% of the population is living, this gap more widened (1:10000 or more). Only 2% of doctors are available in the villages of the country for 68% population. Hence, we decided to work in this direction to bridge the gap of accessibility and affordability of healthcare services in the country. DISHA started its first programme ‘Digital Doctor: A video consultancy platform’ for the people of remote and villages in February 2017 and within three months of its inception more than 300 people got free video consultancy along with free medicines. In 2018, the foundation ties with other NGOs working on the same lines viz. World Cancer Society, UK, Khalsa Aid, UK, Aas Welfare Society, Ferozepur, Radhey Krishna Dhaam, Faridkot and with Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot and adopted an Indo-Pak border village ‘Rajjo-Ke-Gatti’ at District Ferozepur of Punjab. In addition to video-consultancy, direct benefits to the needy, organization of free medical check-up camps were started with free medicines distribution and major surgeries free on cost. More than 1400 people got benefits from these kinds of initiatives of DISHA. We have a team of more than 70 people including specialist doctors, nurses, social workers, scientists, engineers, and volunteers. It is one step towards a disease-free world.

8 Dr. Preeti Sharda: What are the future plans regarding Disha Foundation?

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: Preeti Ji, as I have earlier already mentioned that the main objective of the NGO is to make this world healthier and disease free. Actually, we are interested in works toward the creation of World Digital Hospital with the support of health specialists all over the world, who will consent for this noble cause, so that people worldwide may get the benefits of this network. We have started development of mobile applications (apps) also to reach the doorsteps of needy people and it is in our plan that we will create more apps for the stakeholders to share an authentic and availability of more reliable information. We are inviting each and everyone to support an association with us voluntarily with their ideas and materials if any so that we may reach on the next level of our objective.

9 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Please share your experiences as Chief Nodal Officer of UNESCO International Centre for Bioethics of Punjab State.

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: The UNESCO established a Chair in Bioethics in the Haifa University, Israel on the basis of an agreement signed in between the Director-General of UNESCO and the Rector of the Haifa University, Israel on June 24, 2001, with a mission to disseminate, improve and monitor education in ethics in medical schools. Afterward, Bioethics Units within universities and research centers have been established in various parts of the world, thus to create a network of Units under the umbrella of UNESCO. On similar lines, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot has also set up this International Center of Punjab State for 149 affiliated colleges in collaboration with UNESCO to train and reflect the Bioethics in practice among the medical professionals. It is a matter of great pride that I have been given this responsibility to coordinate and it will also help me to learn and practice ethics in our library system and especially in myself. We have organized international workshops in 20017 and more than 60 medical professionals were trained so that they further can train professionals at their respective workplaces or institutions.    

10 Dr. Preeti Sharda: You have done amazing works in the LIS field. If possible, please tell about the patent submitted related to Library Science.

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: Really! It is not like that. I am just doing my duty and want to serve our community in a better way to provide the next level of easiness in getting the desired service and information to them. Yes, we have applied for a grant of the patent for an innovative idea on which I and my colleague worked for at least one year. I think this will not be the right time to disclose it, and after the grant of the patent, we would definitely like to share it with all of you. Need best wishes of all for the same.       

11 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Copyright and plagiarism are the issues resulting in unethical practice to research. Please give insight about the case for copyrights submitted.

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: Yes, indeed, both these issues are rust on the original research and creativity, and also tarnishing the academic environment. There is a paradigm shift in the process of disseminating the scientific information, the academic community may be indulging in such issues due to the desire to further professional aspirations. The factors, like the requirement of publications for professional growth, academic promotions, etc.  are also adding more fuel to such an ethically repugnant and an intellectually deceitful work. These academic menaces must be curved at an early stage before it too late. I think awareness of these issues can play a lead role to curve it up to some extent.  An individual or institution in India can apply to get the copyright(s) for any kinds of creativity from Copyright Office of Government of India at New Delhi. The application can be filed online with a nominal fee and the Copyright Office issue certificate for the same. In our University, we have recently applied for the copyright for “Documentary Films” created, which will be new additions to our certified Intellectual Properties.

12 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Tell about the three trademarks prepared by you.

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: It is important that one should convert all its creativities into a standardized outcome. In other words, conversion of creative works into Intellectual Properties and rights for the same should also be attained by applying through procedures of right attainment. Trademarks are also part of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). We have prepared four trademarks for our different office trades viz. Trademark for HSLIBNET, Trademark of University Libraries and Trademark of DISHA Foundation and submitted to IPR Division of Punjab State Council for Science & Technology, Chandigarh for registration. 

13 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Being the General Secretary of Punjab Library Association what efforts you have made to make the service condition of librarians of Punjab better? 

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: It will not be surprising if I say not so much, as we were working towards our main goal to get enacted the Punjab Public Library and Information Services Bill, so far a very little progress is there on the subject matter. I think for the development of library & information science profession in the country, we must have a Council. The Council should also have Sub-Councils in each States of the Country. Every library and library & information professional should have to register in the Council, so that at least we may know how many libraries and professionals are there in the country and I hope a Council based approach will able to create a better perspective of our profession.  



14 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Your poems and quotations are positive and inspirational. What made Dr Manhas a positive person? 

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: Oh great and thank you! It is really a big compliment for me. Actually and truly, this poem writing journey was started during 1998 when one of my friends requested me to write few lines in his letter to her fiancée on behalf of him and when he got an appreciation for those lines. This appreciation gave me encouragement to move on this direction and I wrote more than 100 poems and also started writing quotations. Dr. Preeti, I want to say that positive environment gives always positive results. So, a positive environment created around me by my parents, family members and friends made me a positive person and I am on the track to expand it as more as I can with my tools including writing positive attitude poems. 

15 Dr. Preeti Sharda: You directed and gave your voice for ‘Documentary Film Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman Purab, Faridkot’. Please provide some insight into it.

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: The making of this documentary film (https://youtu.be/bW5vOsXLYQQ) was very special for me as gives new wings to my thoughts for the development and creation of visual documentation. Librarians can play a big role in the preservation and documenting the local culture using technology and other visual aids. This film was funded by District Administration of Faridkot and about great Sufi Saint Baba Farid Ji. This film gave me an unforgettable moment when more than 800 people sitting in the auditorium gave the standing aviation and clapped for at least 2 minutes at the time of its first show. Afterward, we made another Punjab Government funded documentary film “A Film on Biodiversity and Cultural Heritage of District Faridkot”, which was having more than 60000 views and 1000 shares on social media sites.   

16 Dr. Preeti Sharda: “Education has become commerce”. Your article in ‘The Tribune’, Friday, October 6, 2006, Chandigarh, India. Tell what we can do.

Dr.  Rajeev Manhas: Education has become commerce in these days and it is not only deteriorating the quality of education but also I think like adding fuel in corruption and other associated social issues. Privatization of education and limited monitoring of fee culture of these institutions are playing a key role in widening the gap in education level between rich and poor students. Hence, we should have to strongly react to these issues at all possible levels. Though the Constitution of India inserted an article for free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right yet more is required to be done so that it should be within the limit of a common man. 

17 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Describe Dr. Manhas as a friend, a colleague and a family man.

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: I want to be such a friend that my friends without any hesitation and proudly can say that Dr. Rajeev Manhas is my friend. As a colleague, I want to become a team member and learning partner, to bridge the gap between achievable and unachievable targets. As a family member, I further want that my family members may find in me a best friend, loving, caring and a person to be followed for his commitments, dedication, honesty, and hard work.   

18 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Any Suggestion for upcoming professionals especially for those who are thinking to join health sciences librarianship. Your Final thoughts about the professional and about the interview.

Dr.  Rajeev Manhas: Health Sciences Librarianship is special kinds of librarianship. Though it is not much established in the country yet demand is arising day-by-day as medical librarianship can play a big role in healthcare management on the basis of evidence. Library & Information Science profession is a wonderful profession with a hidden secret i.e. its use and applies its principles in self-management and in personal life also. As it will not be wrong, if I say that LIS professionals are master converter of information to knowledge and trained on how to retrieve a piece of information and use it to innovate. It is very promising and adventurous career line. I am feeling that all my dreams come true as I got things beyond my expectations from this profession. Best of luck to the coming generations and request to be proactive in this profession to achieve more. Dr. Preeti, you are doing a wonderful job as no such platform in the world is available so far on which LIS professionals are interviewed. It will definitely work as a guiding and source of inspiration for the newcomers and will also motivate our other LIS professionals, so a big compliment to Dr. Preeti Sharda, the great LIS innovator of this digital era.        

19 Dr. Preeti Sharda: Anything else which you want to share from your side?

Dr. Rajeev Manhas: In addition to the above, singing, painting, acting and shooting are my hobbies, which I have not shared earlier. Furthermore, I want to share that life is just like a cricket game and one should have to be on the ground to play on an average 60000 balls every day (Human mind daily perceives 60000 thoughts. Quoted from Dr. Kapil Kakkar; Secrets of Success Through Bhagvad Gita, 2010, 19 p.). Hence, more and more practice and preparedness are required to face and play every type of ball (opportunities or problems). So, well prepare yourself to win the life game.

The character is the only desired outcome of hard training to build it in the game of life. 

- Dr. Rajeev Manhas

(Disclaimer: I conducted this interview through email. I am Dr. Preeti Sharda working as a Librarian, at the Regional Institute of English, Chandigarh. It was an amazing experience. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Manhas for sparing time from his busy schedule. Since Dr. Manhas is a literary person, I have taken a few lines from his works in the interview itself. Interacting with professionals like him inspire you to be a better person, provide you with motivation to achieve your goals, empower you to make the changes you need to succeed and cheer on your success.).