532. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (1861-1946)

Born in an educated orthodox Hindu family at Prayag (Allahabad) in 1861, Madan Mohan Malaviya name to be recognized as an outstanding and noble son of India.
His multifaceted personality made him, at the same time, a great patriot, an educationist with a vision, a social reformer, an ardent journalist, reluctant but effective lawyer, a successful parliamentarian and an outstanding statesman. Among Malaviyaji's many achievements, the most monumental was the establishment of the Banaras Hindu University or Kashi Hindu Vishvidyalaya. In the course of his lifetime Banaras Hindu University came to be known as a Capital of Knowledge acknowledged across India and the World.

25.12.1861          Born in Allahabad 

1878                    Marriage with Kundan Devi in Mirzapur 

1884                    B.A. from Calcutta University 

July 1884             Teacher in Allahabad District School 

December 1886  IInd Congress in Calcutta under 
chairmanship of Dadabhai Nouroji.   Speech on the issue of representation in Councils 

July 1887            Editorship of the Hindosthan in  Kalakankar. Founding conference of Bharat Dharma Mandal 

July 1889           Leaving editorship joins LL.B. in Allahabad 

1891                    Passing LL.B. starts practice in Allahabad District Court 

December 1893   Practice at Allahabad High Court 

March 1898       Submits memorandum about Hindi to U.P. Lt. Governor 

1902-1903           Construction of Hindu Boarding House in Allahabad 

1903-1912           Service to province as member of Provincial Council 

1904                    Proposal of establishing university under chairmanship of Kashi Naresh 

January 1906     Convened Sanatan Dharma Mahasabha on Kumbh in Allahabad. 
Propagation of liberal Sanatan Dharma. Decision to open university in Banaras 

1907                    Editorship of the Abhyudaya. Propagation of Sanatan Dharma and democratic principles 

1909                    Ediotrship of the English daily Leader. Chaired the Lahore Congress 

October 1910      Presidential address in Ist Conference of Hindi Sahitya Sammelan 

22.11.1911          Formation of the Hindu University Society 

December 1911  At 50 gave up practice. Decision to serve country and work for establishing the university 

February 1915    Formation of Prayaga Seva Samiti under his chairmanship 

October 1915     The Banarans Hindu University Bill passed 

04 Feb- 1916       Foundation ceremony of the university 
 

March 1916        Bill against Indentured Labour system in Councils 

1916-18              Member, Industrial Commission 
 

1918                    Formation of Scout Association by Seva Samiti

December 1918  Chaired Annual Congress Conference in Delhi
Feburary 1919   Debate on the Rowlett Bill in Council. Resignation from Council 

Nov. 1919-Sep. 1939 Vice Chancellor, B.H.U.
 

19 April 1919    Chaired Hindi Sahitya Sammelan in Bombay 

January 1922     Convened all party conference 

16  December 1922   Speech on Hindu Muslim goodwill in Lahore 

1924                   Formation of Independent Party in District and Assembly .
Satyagraha on Sangam [Confluence of rivers] in Allahabad. Debate on the Steel Conservation Bill 

August 1926       Formation of Congress Independent Party with Lala Lajpat Rai 

February 1927    Statement before Agriculture Commission 

December 1929  Convocation address in BHU. Asked students to serve nation and be patriot 

1930                    Resigns from Assembly. Arrested in Delhi. Six months sentence 

5 April 1931       Speech on Hindu Muslim Unity in Kanpur 

1931                    Took part with Gandhi in the London Round Table Conference 

March 1932        Formation of All India Swadeshi Union in Banaras 

20 April 1932      Nominated President of Delhi Congress. Arrested 

September 1932 Chaired meeting on emancipation of outcasts in Bombay 

April 1932           As Calcutta Congress President arrested in Asansole 

August 1934       Speech on emancipation of the outcasts in Gandhi's meeting in Banaras 

January 1936     Convened Sanatan Dharma Mahasabha Conference in Allahabad. Proposal for emancipation of outcasts 

1938                    K??alpa [Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy] 

November 1939  Appointed life Rector of BHU 

1941                     Founded Goraksha Mandal 

January 1942      Gandhi's convocation address on Silver Jubilee of BHU 

12  November -1946    Passed Away

Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya  (1861–1946) was an Indian educationist and politician notable for his role in the Indian independence movement and his espousal of Hindu nationalism (being one of the initial leaders of the far-right party Hindu Mahasabha). Later in life, he was also addressed as 'Mahamana'.

He was the President of the Indian National Congress on four occasions and today is most remembered as the founder of the largest residential university in Asia and one of the largest in the world, having over 12,000 students across arts, sciences, engineering and technology, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) at Varanasi in 1916, of which he also remained the Vice Chancellor, 1919–1938 Pandit Malviya was one of the founders of Scouting in India. He also founded a highly influential, English-newspaper, The Leader published fromAllahabad in 1909.

On his 150th birth anniversary (25 December 2011), Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh announced that a Centre for Malviya Studies will be set up at the Banaras Hindu University apart from establishment of scholarships and education related awards in his memory, and UPA chairperson released a biography of Madan Mohan Malaviya.

He was also the Chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 to 1946. His efforts resulted in the launch of its Hindi edition in 1936.

Early life and education

Pandit Malviya was born in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India on 25 December 1861, in a Sri Gaud (Malviya) Brahmin family of Brijnath and Moona Devi. He was the fifth child in a family of five brothers and two sisters. His ancestors, known for their Sanskrit scholarship, originally hailed from Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and hence came to be known as 'Malviyas'. His father Pandit Brijnath was also a learned man in Sanskrit scriptures, and used to recite the Bhagvat Katha to earn a living.

Pandit Malviya's education began at age five in Sanskrit, when he was sent to Pandit Hardeva's Dharma Gyanopadesh Pathshala, where he completed his primary education and later another school run by Vidha Vardini Sabha. He then joined Allahabad Zila School (Allahabad District School), where he started writing poems under the pen name Makarand which were published in journals and magazines. Pandit Malviya matriculated in 1879 from the Muir Central College, now known as Allahabad University. Harrison College's Principal provided a monthly scholarship to Pandit Malviya, whose family had been facing financial hardships, and he was able to complete his B.A. at the University of Calcutta. Although he wanted to pursue an M.A. in Sanskrit, his family conditions did not allow it and his father wanted him to take his family profession of Bhagavat recital, thus in July 1884 Madan Mohan Malviya started his career as teacher in Allahabad District School.

Personal life

As was the tradition in those days, he was married in 1878, when he was about sixteen years of age to Kundan Devi of Mirzapur. The couple had five sons and five daughters, out of which four sons, Ramakant, Radhakant, Mukund, Govind and two daughters Rama and Malati survived.

Mahamana's youngest son Pt. Govind Malaviya (1902–1961) (Freedom Fighter), was a Member of India's Parliament till his death in 1961. He was the only one from Mahamana's family who became Vice-Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University. At the stroke of the midnight hour when India was granted freedom on 15 August 1947, it was Pandit Govind Malaviya who blew the conch three times to herald the coming of the new age and freedom for India. One of Madan Mohan Malaviya's grand daughter in-law Smt Saraswati Malviya (Freedom Fighter), wife of Late Shri Shridhar Malaviya (Freedom Fighter, and eldest son of Mahamana's eldest son Shri Ramakant Malviya) lives in Allahabad with her daughters. The house in which she currently resides has hosted numerous political luminaries including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Feroz Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi to name a few.

Political career

In December 1886, Malaviya attended the 2nd Indian National Congress session in Calcutta under chairmanship of Dadabhai Naoroji, where he spoke on the issue of representation in Councils. His address not only impressed Dadabhai but also Raja Rampal Singh, ruler of Kalakankar estate near Allahabad, who started a Hindi weekly Hindustan but was looking for a suitable editor to turn it into a daily. Thus in July 1887, he left his school job and joined as the editor of the nationalist weekly, he remained here for two and a half years, and left for Allahabad to join L.L.B., it was here that he was offered co-editorship of The Indian Union, an English daily. After finishing his law degree, he started practising law at Allahabad District Court in 1891, and moved to Allahabad High Court by December 1893

Malviya became the President of the Indian National Congress in 1909, 1918, 1930 and 1932. He was a moderate leader and opposed the separate electorates for Muslims under theLucknow Pact of 1916."mahamana" title given by Mahatma Gandhi.

To redeem his resolve to serve the cause of education and social-service he renounced his well established practice of law in 1911, for ever. In order to follow the tradition of Sannyasathroughout his life, he pursued the avowed commitment to live on the society's support. But 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.

He remained a member of the Imperial Legislative Council from 1912 and when in 1919 it was converted to the Central Legislative Assembly he remained its member as well, till 1926.

Malaviya was an important figure in the Non-cooperation movement. However, he was opposed to the politics of appeasement and the participation of Congress in the Khilafat movement.

In 1928 he joined Lala Lajpat Rai, Jawaharlal Nehru and many others in protesting against the Simon Commission, which had been set up by the British to consider India's future. Just as the "Buy British" campaign was sweeping England, he issued, on 30 May 1932, a manifesto urging concentration on the "Buy Indian" movement in India.

Malaviya was a delegate at the First Round Table Conference in 1930. However, during the Civil Disobedience Movement, he was arrested on 25 April 1932, along with 450 other Congress volunteers in Delhi, only a few days after he was appointed the President of Congress after the arrest of Sarojini Naidu.

In protest against the Communal Award which sought to provide separate electorates for minorities, Malaviya along with Madhav Shrihari Aney left the Congress and started theCongress Nationalist Party . The party contested the 1934 elections to the central legislature and won 12 seats.

Malaviya was also the Chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 to 1946. His efforts resulted in the launch of its Hindi edition in 1936. The paper was saved from an untimely demise when he stepped in to realise his vision of a newspaper in Delhi." Malaviya raised Rs.50,000 rupees to acquire the Hindustan Times along with the help of nationalist leaders Lala Lajpat Rai and M. R. Jayakar and industrilist Ghanshyam Das Birla, who paid most of the cash. The paper is now owned by the Birla family.

Benaras Hindu University

In April 1911, Annie Besant met Malaviya and they decided to work for a common Hindu University at Varanasi. Besant and fellow trustees of the Central Hindu College, which she has founded in 1898 also agreed to Government of India's precondition that the college should become a part of the new University. Thus Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was established in 1916, through under the Parliamentary legislation, 'B.H.U. Act 1915', today it remains a prominent institution of learning in India.

In 1939, he left the Vice chancellorship of BHU and was succeeded by S. Radhakrishnan, who later became the President of India.

Social work

He worked for the eradication of caste barrier in temples and other social barriers. He is believed to have undergone a rejuvenation.Because of his Social works in Dalit areas, Sri Gaud Brahmins had expelled him initially but after understanding their mistakes the elite people has taken back Malviyaji's in Shi Gaud Brahmin samaj. Also, he organised a mass of 200 Dalit peoples, including the Hindu Dalit (Harijan) leader P. N. Rajbhoj to demand entry at the Kalaram Temple on a Rath Yatra day. All those who participated in this event took a dip in the Godavari River and chanted Hindu mantras. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya made massive efforts for the entry into any Hindu temple.

Scouting

Though, Scouting in India was officially founded in British India in 1909, at the Bishop Cotton's Boys School in Bangalore, Scouting for native Indians was started by Justice Vivian Bose, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Pandit Hridayanath Kunzru, Girija Shankar Bajpai, Annie Besant and George Arundale, in 1913, he also started a Scouting inspired organisation called Seva Samithi.

Legacy

Statue of Madan Mohan Malviya at the entrance of Banaras Hindu University

Malviya popularised the slogan Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone will triumph).

Malviya Nagar in Allahabad, Lucknow, Delhi, Bhopal, Durg and Jaipur are named after him. A postage stamp has been printed in India in his honour in 1961. Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) at Jaipur is named after him, as is Madan Mohan Malaviya Engineering College inGorakhpur, UP. The Hostels of IIT Roorkee Saharanpur Campus and BITS Pilani,Pilani campus are also named Malviya Bhawan after him, He started the tradition of Aarti at Har ki Pauri Haridwar to the sacred Ganges river which is performed till date, the Malviya Dwipa, a small island across the ghat, named after him. This was inline with the Ganesha Festival started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Maharashtra to organise the masses. A square in main city at Jabalpur is named after him and is called Malviya chowk.

Mahamana's life size portrait was unveiled in the Central Hall of India's Parliament by the then President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad, and his life-size statue was unveiled in 1961 by the then President of India Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in front of the BHU main gate on the occasion of his birth centenary. This year 2011 is being celebrated as his 150th birth centenary by the Government of India under the Chairmanship of India's prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh. In front of the main Gate leading to the Assembly Hall and outside the porch, there exists a bust of Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya, which was inaugurated by the former Lt. Governor of Delhi, Dr. A.N. Jha on 25 December 1971. Pt. On 25 December 2008, on his birth anniversary, the national memorial of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya was inaugurated by the then president A P J Abdul Kalam at 53, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, in Delhi.