Overwhelmed by care and generosity of Kalam

SCHOLAR OF science and poet of Hindi and English, Professor Hari Raj Singh (popularly known as Prof HR Singh), former Vice-Chancellor of Allahabad University, considers teaching a quite challenging profession.

SCHOLAR OF science and poet of Hindi and English, Professor Hari Raj Singh (popularly known as Prof HR Singh), former Vice-Chancellor of Allahabad University, considers teaching a quite challenging profession. He is such a modest person that if you ask about his achievements, he gives credit not only to his parents, teachers and colleagues but also to his students.

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A recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award, Prof HR Singh remained the best student throughout and taught zoology at several institutions of repute, including Bareilly College, Bareilly, KN Government College, Gyanpur and Government Degree & PG Colleges of UP.

He was Professor and Head of the Zoology Department at Garhwal University when he was offered the same position by Allahabad University. Yes, he was offered the position by AU (he had not applied for the post). Though it may sound surprising, it is true. Being offered the cadre post is a rare honour.

He recalls that when, after his joining at AU, he went to call on Professor RC Mehrotra, the then Vice-Chancellor, he (Prof Mehrotra) highlighted the importance of the cadre offer and told him that this rare honour had been given to only three-four professors earlier.

Father of Quantum Physics and Nobel laureate Prof Shroedinger of Germany too was offered the cadre post by AU and he had even left Germany to join the post at AU. But due to the Second World War Prof Shroedinger could not join the post. Prof Mehrotra told Prof HR Singh to come up to varsity's expectations.

However, when Prof Singh got offer for a collaborative project from the University of London, Prof Mehrotra congratulated him and remarked: "Your selection is justified, once again." The University of London said in its letter: "It is reputation of Prof Singh that led us to Allahabad."

Recipient of many prestigious awards for his publications in various science journals, zoology books and collections of poetry in Hindi and English, Prof Singh is highly impressed by knowledge and magnanimity of President of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former UGC Chairman Prof Yashpal, Late Prof Jagdish Gupta, two former Garhwal University VCs BD Bhatt and UC Ghildyal, former AU VCs Prof RC Mehrotra, Prof RP Mishra and Prof T Pati. Besides, Justice MN Shukla, former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court (AU alumnus) also impresses him immensely for his love for literature and knowledge of English. He praises Giridhar Gopal, IAS, for his deep understanding of human behaviour and his ability to solve intricate problems with aplomb.

Following are the excerpts of the interview:
President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is very particular in taking care of people's sentiments. I can never forget his generosity. I sent a type-written copy of the collection of my English poetry 'I have no mirror' and sought his permission to dedicate it to him. The President read all my poems and wrote back to me that he had liked my poems and particularly 'Honeybee.' However, he gently advised me not to dedicate the collection to him and instead dedicate it to either my parents or teachers.

Late Professor Jagdish Gupta, a great poet of Hindi and known as exponent of 'Nai Kavita' was a great human being too. He used to encourage and promote those who had interest in Hindi poetry. When I went to see him at his Daraganj residence, he had a long discussion on poetry with me. He praised my interest in Hindi poetry and expressed surprise that despite being a science teacher I was writing Hindi poems. When I sought his permission to leave, Prof Gupta said: "Main samajhta hoon ki swayam samudra merey paas chalkar aaya hai (I think the sea has itself come to me)."

After bestowing the 'Distinguished Teacher Award, 2002,' on me on the Teachers' Day, former UGC Chairman Prof Yashpal addressed the function and advised university teachers to desist from the business of private coaching. He had also expressed concern over decline in the interest of science study and exhorted the teachers to make the science education more interesting.

It is a matter of pride for me that I could pay tribute to Late Prof DR Bhattacharya, who was AU VC and HoD, Zoology by naming the auditorium of the Nehru Science Centre after him when I was Pro-VC of AU. Prof Bhattacharya had started the Music Department during his tenure as VC. He also became the first HoD of the department. His student Prof Krishna Swarup told me that Prof Bhattacharya used to go to Banaras Hindu University and served both the purposes at the same time-- examining practical examinations of MSc final, Zoology, and MA final, Music.