Homage to a versatile alumnus
September 13 saw the loss of a genius in the year 1963 at a not-too-old-age of 52. Its human to forget, and we do have forgotten many things and people. But some days become an excuse to remind ourselves of those whom we have forgotten in the tide of times.
September 13 saw the loss of a genius in the year 1963 at a not-too-old-age of 52. Its human to forget, and we do have forgotten many things and people. But some days become an excuse to remind ourselves of those whom we have forgotten in the tide of times.
Born on July 10, 1911 in village Bilgram of district Hardoi, this one of the six children of Pandit Jagannath Prasad Dubey, Chatur Bihari Lal Dubey, became the first district magistrate of Indian origin in 1948. He started his early education in his home-town and shifted to Etawah for his high school in 1926 from Government Inter College . He secured Ist Division and was awarded the Demello Prize worth Rs 20 for standing first. Therafter he came to Allahabad in 1928 and pursued his Intermediate at Ewing Christian College.
He was awarded distinction in Chemistry and was placed in first division . While an inmate of the Sir Sunderlal Hostel he stood first in the B.Sc examination conducted by the University of Allahabad in 1930 and was awarded the Swarmnagyi Umacharan Prize worth Rs 34. He was also awarded the Queen Empress Victoria Jubilee Medal for the same. In 1931 he appeared in the examination for the degree of M.Sc in Botany and secured a first class from Allahabad University. Thereafter he left for United Kingdom for higher education.
He got selected in the PCS in 1938 and later promoted to IAS after Independence. He became district magistrate of Deoria in 1948.
He was a man of versatile interests. Hunting, photography, science and technology and archaeology were his special interest areas. he also wrote regularly. His writings, which are preserved by his family, portray a fine picture of the yester-years.
As DM and Collector Deoria, he worked out the excavation and preservation of an ancient mound at Khinsar, in police circle Khukhundoo. It led to unearthing of the ruins of 7th Century BC.
On September 13, 1962 the story of this self-made star came to an end. He died of cancer at Agra Medical College.