Our Guiding Light
Dewan Anand Kumar
In an age where great men and the quality of greatness have become a far off dream, to write about a man who was great in the real sense of the term seems like a mere exercise in romanticism. But with the kind of life that Sahab Dewan Anand Kumar lived and all that he stood for, this exercise in romanticism becomes worthwhile. After losing nearly everything in Lahore post-Partition, he began from scratch in India. But even in hopeless times like that it would have taken great strength of character to not only live for oneself but for one’s society and nation.
Dewan Anand Kumar was born on 6th February, 1894 as the youngest and only son in an aristocratic Kashmiri Pundit family. They were cousins to the great Nehrus in India. Like Sardar Dyal Singh, Dewan Anand Kumar was born in royalty and privilege, yet he chose to achieve his own mark in the world. An amusing anecdote would make a perfect example of the impulse of independence in him- after returning from England, where he studied at the glorious Cambridge University- Dewan Sahab decided to polish his own shoes. It was an act of blasphemy in the class-conscious Indian setup where duties and roles are preconceived. Hence, it is a matter of privilege and pride for Dyal Singh College, Karnal, to call him our guiding light.
Owing to his academic and scholarly brilliance, he was nominated to the exclusive ICS. He could have chosen a life of power and riches by serving as the highest civil servant in the country or by running a successful political career. Rather, what he chose to do was to become an educational administrator and builder of academic institutions of high repute and excellence. The greatness of his mind and soul reflects in his achievements as an educationist. Like Sardar Dyal Singh, Dewand Anand Kumar sought to promote the ideals and values of Liberal Humanism through his contributions in the society.
Dewan Anand Kumar was the heir to a whopping 6000 acres of land in Lahore. However, all his land, properties, books, manuscripts and other belongings were left in Lahore when Partition occurred in 1947. B.K. Nehru remembers Sahab’s words as he landed in Delhi, “I have come…but there is nothing left”. Indeed, nothing was left, as his family was allotted a small house in Sundar Nagar and 300 acres of Barren land in Ambala, Haryana. Through all the hardships and challenges Dewan Sahab never let go of his calm and composure and looked forward to better times ahead. The strength of his character and farsightedness of his vision led to him not only re-establishing Dyal Singh College in Karnal but also such other establishments as Dyal Singh College, New Delhi; Dyal Singh Library, New Delhi; National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal; Thapar Engineering College, Patiala; Medical College, Ludhiana; and F.C. College for Women, Hissar.
He also held such reputed high positions as Honorary Secretary of Dyal Singh College Trust Society; Dean of University Instructions at Panjab University, Lahore; Vice Chancellor of Panjab University, 1949-1957; Chairman of Inter-University Board, 1955; Member of University Grants Commission, 1958-1964; President of Vishveshvaran and Vedic Research Institute, Hoshiarpur, etc. He also served as the Director of many industries and mills e.g. Ballarpur Industries Ltd., Malwa Sugar Mills Ltd., Jagajit Cotton Mills Ltd., etc.
Dyal Singh College finds pride and honour in calling this man its guiding light who was great in its true sense, yet disdained blowing his own trumpet. Whoever remembers him recollects him fondly and with cherished memories. His vision and passion to create a legacy of excellence that would stand the test of time is reflected in the motto and ideology that Dyal Singh College, Karnal, lives by.