Quick Facts
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya
- Founder of Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
- Key figure in the Indian independence movement.
- Advocated for education to foster national awakening.
- Collaborated with Maharani Annie Besant to establish BHU.
Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
- Founded in 1916, located in Varanasi.
- Spans 1,370 acres with 60 hostels for 12,000+ students.
- Libraries: Over 1.3 million volumes across multiple libraries.
- Top-ranked central university in India.
- Chancellor: Krishna Raja Wadiyar.
- Anthem: Composed by Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar.
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was the founder of Banaras Hindu University (BHU); he was a great activist for Indian independence and a prominent lawyer. The great soul considered primary education to be the only source for national awakening. Banaras is a historic place where the 21st session of the Indian National Congress was held in December 1905. In the same year, for the first time, Madan Mohan Malaviya expressed his intention to establish a central university in Banaras, which is today known as Varanasi. His vision for the university’s development was supported by other Indian nationalists, and the final plan was revealed in 1911.
The main focus was to reduce the poverty line in India, which had increased due to the decline in the income of Indians compared to Europeans. A major point was to focus on the advancement of science and technology in India, alongside the study of Indian culture and religion. Malaviya evaluated the plan and wished to operate the university without any interference from governing bodies. For the first time, English was decided as the medium of instruction, with other Indian languages gradually added. The distinct feature of Malaviya’s vision was to establish a residential university, whereas other universities at the time were only authorized to conduct examinations and award degrees to students.
During the same era, Maharani Annie Besant was also working to expand her Central Hindu School, which had been established in 1898 in the Kamachha area of Varanasi. Besant’s vision was to develop a Hindu philosophical institute, and Madan Mohan Malaviya supported her in 1903. A significant sum of money was provided for hostel construction without any government assistance. In April, Malaviya met Besant, and they finally agreed to combine their efforts, leading to the formation of Banaras Hindu University, which was the result of the collaboration of these two great forces. Malaviya left his legal practice to dedicate himself completely to the development of the university.
On November 22, 1911, he registered the Hindu University Society to gather national support and raise funds for the university’s construction. After a 4-year struggle, Kashi Naresh Narayan Singh and Sir Rameshwar Singh provided their support. Krishna Raja Wadiyar was the first Chancellor of BHU and performed at the opening ceremony of the BENCO workshop on February 1916, during his first visit to the university. The university has its anthem, known as Kulgeet, which was composed by Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar.
BHU is located in the southern region of Varanasi, near the banks of the Ganges River. The university spans over 1,370 acres. The campus is laid out in a semicircular shape with intersecting roads along the radii and arcs. The campus has 60 hostels that provide comfortable residential accommodation to more than 12,000 students. The Sayajirao Gaekwad University Library had over 1.3 million volumes recorded in 2011. There are three institutional libraries, including eight faculty libraries and over 25 departmental libraries, all of which are accessible to students and staff at all times. BHU is one of the top-ranked universities among all Indian central universities.
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