A Staunch Nationalist

O P Sharma
Madan Mohan Malviya  was an Indian educationist and freedom fighter notable for his role in the India’s Independence movement and his espousal of nationalism. Due to his popularity, he was also addressed as Mahamana (a great soul).
He was founder of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) the largest residential university in Asia and one of the largest in the world, at Varanasi in 1916. Now this center of higher education learning has various streams in the academic, professional and technical on its vast campus. He also remained its Vice Chancellor for about two decades (1919-1938). Incidentally, Pandit Malviya was one of the founders of scouting movement in India and also started The Leader, an English newspaper published from Allahabad from 1909.
Today is his  birth anniversary and is being celebrated across the country including Jammu and Kashmir. Since last year a Centre for Malviya Studies has been set up at the Banaras Hindu University and in addition, some scholarships and education related awards in his memory have been established.
He was also the Chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 for 22 years and during his tenure its Hindi edition was also launched in 1936.
Kick-start in Learning
Pandit Malviya was born in Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) on December 25, 1861 in the Gaur Brahmin family of Brijnath and Moona Devi. His ancestors, known for their Sanskrit scholarship, originally belonged to Malwa, a small principality in  Madhya Pradesh but shifted and settled in Parag, Allahabad  and hence came to be known as ‘Malviyas’. His father was also a learned man in Sanskrit scriptures and used to recite Bhagvat Katha and Ramamyan to earn a living.
Pandit Malviya’s education began at age of five only in Sanskrit. Later, he joined Allahabad school where he started writing poems under the pen name Makarand and were published in some journals. Young Malviya matriculated in 1879 from the Muir Central College, now turned into Allahabad University and subsequently completed BA from the University of Calcutta.
Though he wanted to pursue further studies of M.A. in Sanskrit but he had to become a school teacher in Allahabad. In December 1886, he attended the second Indian National Congress session in Calcutta held under chairmanship of Dadabhai Naoroji, where he also addressed the gathering and impressed not only Dadabhai but also Raja Rampal Singh, ruler of Kalakankar estate near Allahabad. In July 1887, he left his school job and joined as the editor of the nationalist Hindustan and remained on this job for over two years and then left for Allahabad to join L.L.B. After finishing his law degree, he started practising law at Allahabad in 1891 and after two years moved to Allahabad High Court. He was contemporary of Moti Lal Nehru and had bright career as also a leading social activist and political leader.
Mass Leader
Malviyaji became the president of the Indian National Congress and held this post four times in 1909-10, 1918-19, 1932 and 1933 playing a crucial role in the freedom struggle.
At Jammu every year the alumni of the Banaras Hindu University hold commemorative function, like elsewhere in the country, in which broad vision, nationalism and liberal educational outlook of Mahamana Malaviyaji are deliberated upon. The former students comprising of engineers, lawyers, professors, administrators and others in this State assemble to remember the founder of BHU and also an illustrious nationalist leader. It is stated that he visited Jammu and Kashmir and infused spirit of nationalism, harmony and forward looking vision.
He was a unique political leader of mass following and was a widely respected educational luminary. To redeem his resolve to serve the cause of education and social service, he renounced his well established practice of law in 1911 but subsequently when 177 freedom fighters were convicted to be hanged in the Chouri-Choura case; he appeared before the court, despite his vow and got acquitted 156 freedom fighters!
Founder of BHU
In April 1911, Madan Mohan Malviya along with another prominent leader Annie Besant decided to work for a common Hindu University at Varanasi. Thus Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was established in 1916 as a prominent institution of higher learning in India.
He remained a member of the Imperial Legislative Council from 1912 to 1919 and when this House was converted into Central Legislative Assembly, Mr Malviya remained its member till 1926.
During the Non-Cooperation movement of Mahatma Gandhi in 1920s, he emerged as an key figure and later became the President of Congress party after the arrest of Sarojini Naidu. Then in 1928 he joined Lala Lajpat Rai, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and many others in protesting against the Simon Commission. Just while the “Buy British” campaign was then sweeping England, Mr Malviya issued, on 30 May 1932, a manifesto launching “Buy Indian” movement in our country India.
He also represented India at the First Round Table Conference in 1930. In 1939, he left the Vice Chancellorship of BHU and was succeeded by none other than S. Radhakrishnan, who later rose to become the President of India.
It is a noteworthy feature that it was Malviyaji who popularized the slogan Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone will triumph).
Malaviya ji also remained chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 for 22 years and it was due to his efforts that its Hindi edition, India’s first Hindi paper, Dainik Hindustan was also launched in 1936.  He was an excellent communicator and has authored a number of books on law profession.
Visionary of Insaniyat
It is noteworthy that he worked tirelessly for the eradication of caste barrier in temples and other social barriers and rid the society of many social ills. Significantly, he organized a rally of 200 Dalits including their noted leader P. N. Rajbhoj to demand entry at the Kalaram temple on a Rath Yatra day. While participating in this event they took a dip in river Godavari and chanted sacred mantras.
He passed away on November 12, 1946 at the ripe age of 84 at Banaras but due to his monumental contributions, the grateful nation fondly remember this great son of India who is a towering freedom fighter, founder of Banaras Hindu University, an educationists and social reformer. Many prominent places in Allahabad, Lucknow, Delhi, Bhopal, Durg, Jaipur and other areas are named after him. An Indian postage stamp has also been issued in his honour, besides there is prestigious Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) at Jaipur as also Madan Mohan Malaviya Engineering College, Gorakhpur (UP). People fondly remember this great son of India.
For his noble deeds and missionary work, Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya still lives in the hearts of millions of people.
(Starline Syndicate Service)

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