Of former PU VC’s big-heartedness

Dr VK Anand

Can anybody think of a wealthy landlord with wit and humour, humanity, simplicity, a blend of administrator and academician and dedication to duty? Perhaps, yes. There is only one personality conforming to the combination — Dewan Anand Kumar.

Popularly known as Dewan Sahib, he served as the Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University from 1949-1957 (then the university was scattered over Shimla, Delhi, Hoshiarpur, and Amritsar). This was an era of peace, justice and initial development of the university.

Dewan Anand Kumar studied at the University of Cambridge. A reputed teacher of zoology, he was appointed as the Dean of University Instructions, PU, in 1946. His stature in society can be gauged from the fact that in Lahore, he inherited 6,000-acre property.

Few instances, as narrated by employees of the university who were lucky to witness the era, speak of of this great personality.

In 1950s, when the PU library was at US Club, Shimla, mother of one of the assistant librarians passed away. On his leave application, the Librarian remarked “as the official has no leave to his credit, leave without pay may please be granted”. The final orders of Vice Chancellor were in four points: A poor man has lost his mother; are we not human being?; think !; and the official may be treated on duty during the period.

In 1957, a lower rank official was suspended due to misconduct. In those days, there was only one night bus plying between Chandigarh and Delhi. Early in the morning, the official reached the house-cum-camp office of Diwan Sahib with his mercy petition. Noticing his plight, Dewn Sahib ordered: “Take this man, see that he takes bath, gets properly dressed and has breakfast”. When the official was ready to go back, Dewan Sahib handed back his petition with the remarks in Urdu “agar garib ko taang marni hai to uski peeth par maro naan ki pait pai”.

Another instance, which reflects the wit and humour of Dewan Sahib, includes a university senior officer who had to stay over in Delhi. Using his discretionary powers, the Vice-Chancellor sanctioned two-day extra TA/DA. When the audit officer’ objected to it, Dewan Sahib’s note in Urdu was: “audit ko itla kar diya jaye ki VC apni discretion se muzra bhi karwa sakta hai aur audit wale object nahin kar sakte”.

Dewan Sahib steered the university in most cordial, peaceful, pious era with a team of utmost dedicated and devoted administrators and academicians. On any scale, this was a “golden era” in the history of the PU.

(The writer is retired librarian of PU)