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A great patriot, educationist, editor, lawyer, civil resister, jailbird, parliamentarian, silver-tongued transcendental orator, three-time Congress President, vice-chancellor and rector of the university he founded, a spotless and flawless religious leader of highest secular order, Mahamana Pt Madan Mohan Malaviya (Figure 1) (25 December 1861–12 November 1946) was aptly named Devata Purusha (a man of God) by Mahatma Gandhi. With purity in his expression and divinity in his look, he would always summon, ‘Practise truth and do your duty’. He aimed to generate national spirit through the power of education and righteousness, and to achieve the economic development of the country by combining teaching of science and technology with that of religion. The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was built and nourished by Malaviya from contributions made by beggars to kings, so it is truly a people’s university. This ‘Temple of Learning’ glorifies a unique blend of academic excellence and dedication. Sir Sunder Lal and Sir Pazhamaneri Sundaram Sivaswami Iyer respectively served as the Figure 1. Madan Mohan Malaviya. First and second Vice-Chancellors of BHU during 1916–1919. The Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wadeyar, was the first Chancellor. While celebrating Malaviya’s 150th birth anniversary, this piece reveals how he served as BHU’s third Vice-Chancellor from November 1919 to September 1939, and thereafter as its life rector, handing over the charge of Vice-Chancellor to Servepalli Radhakrishnan.
(Figure 1. Madan Mohan Malaviya.)
How Malaviya viewed the excellence in science and technology in the presence of Bhatnagar and Narlikar in his dream campus is described here. While spotting talent he had heard of V. V. Narlikar1 who was pursuing his research as an Isaac Newton student at the University of Cambridge under Sir Arthur Eddington, one of the most prominent and important astrophysicists of his time. While on a visit to the UK for a round table conference, Malaviya visited him in Cambridge in 1931 and invited him to join BHU as a Professor of Mathematics. Narlikar, who was 24 years old at the time, preferred the offer over visiting Caltech and served the university for 28 years from 1932 to 1960. He was also in charge of the University Telescope. In his ‘A few recollections and reflections’, V. V. Narlikar2 writes, ‘My memories of the Banaras Hindu University (1932–1960) are so many, so rich and so happy that they make the University to me Madhur Manohar Ateev Sundar [So sweet, serene, infinitely beautiful]’. The BHU Kulgeet was composed by S. S. Bhatnagar, one of the most renowned scientists, who was a Professor in Chemistry at BHU for three years during 1921–1924.
Malaviya used to attend popular lectures on science organized by S. S. Joshi of Science College and other professors of the university. For the first time in India, he established departments for mechanical and electrical engineering, glass technology, pharmaceutical chemistry, mining and metallurgy, chemical engineering as well as Sanskrit and ayurveda, apart from many other courses which existed in other institutions in India. He attracted the brilliant scholars such as U. C. Nag, Charles A. King, A. B. Dhruva, Ganesh Prasad, Birbal Sahni, S. S. Bhatnagar, V. V. Narlikar, R. K. Asundi, and many others to guide the students. This reflects his scientific vision for the technological advancement in service of the nation.
Malaviya visioned to link the heritage of ancient knowledge with modern development of science and technology. He pleaded for whole-hearted cooperation in building a modern Nalanda and a modern Takshashila in Kashi with a blend of the best of the East and with the best of the West. While he was proud of Oxford and Cambridge with their centuries old traditions, he was also proud of his university. In the 20th century, Srinivasa Ramanujan, J. C. Bose, M. N. Saha, S. N. Bose, C. V. Raman and many others asserted their intellectual potential in science. When we attained independence, many new institutions of excellence were established. It is no wonder that the BHU graduates played a pivotal role in shaping modern India – Devendra Lal, U. R. Rao, J. V. Narlikar, C. N. R. Rao, T. V. Ramakrishnan, to name a few.
C. N. R. Rao’s educational and spiritual experiences at BHU in Kashidham (as he calls Kashi or Benaras) are described with warmth in his recently published autobiography, Climbing the Limitless Ladder: A Life in Chemistry. His first research paper was on the work he carried out at BHU during Master’s. Responding to the honour of D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) from his alma mater, C. N. R. Rao said, ‘No honour is greater than the one from one’s own alma mater … When I entered this capital of learning in 1951 to pursue M.Sc. in Chemistry, the first thing I did was to take off my shoes at the main entrance and walked bare-foot to pay my respects to the Mahamana’.
Malaviya had a global view with regard to inviting persons of outstanding ability. To achieve his goal, he had correspondence with eminent scientists including Ernest Rutherford, Sir Arthur Eddington and others. In his cherished ambition, Malaviya tried hard during 1935–1936 to persuade the timeless legend in science and society, Albert Einstein to come over to India and BHU for a suitable period, on his own terms in perhaps some joint scheme and cooperation with Sir C. P. Ramaswami Aiyer, Vice Chancellor of the Travancore university (presently Kerala university)3.
Sometime in 1940, Einstein probably wrote to Malaviya, expressing his desire to serve this great university4. Unfortunately, both Malaviya and Radhakrishnan were away from town and his letter met with the usual bureaucratic procedure. By the time, Malaviya warmly invited him, Einstein was on his way to settling in America. The eminence of academic pursuit embedded in excellence in every branch of human knowledge in his dream campus, was Malaviya’s mission. Carrying forward his vision would be a tribute to Malaviya while celebrating his 150th birth anniversary.
References:
1. Narlikar, J. V., Bull. Astr. Soc. India, 1997, 25, 37.
2. Narlikar, V. V., In Inspiring Episodes on Mahamana Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya, Part I (in English; collection and compilation by U. D. Tiwari), Mahamana Malaviya Foundation, Varanasi, 2002, pp. 49–57.
3. Joshi, S. S., In Mahamana Malaviyaji Birth Centenary Volume, All-India Malaviya Centenary Celebration Committee, BHU, Varanasi, 1961, p. 105.
4. Menon, C. N., In Mahamana ke Prerak Prasang, Part I (in Hindi), Mahamana Malaviya Foundation, Varanasi, 2004, p. 283.
Article by:
Prof. B. N. DWIVEDI
Department of Applied Physics,
Institute of Technology,
Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi 221 005, India
Email: bnd.app@itbhu.ac.in
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(if you having troubles, try posting your comment on this page or send an email to chronicle @ itbhuglobal.org)Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi 221005, UP