The DAV Movement – Perpetual Progression/Eternally Progressive

Inspiring Leadership

The DAV Movement was conceived, put into motion and has ever been led by a
group of visionaries who have unremittingly believed in building a better society
and hence a great nation through its medium. Their first and last commitment
was always towards the betterment of society in general. They have always
adhered to the process of democratic principles, be it in choosing their leaders or
selectively stressing upon values and ethics to be believed in and followed to
attain universal social equality. And the promotion and spread of the basic guiding
principles of the DAV Movement had always been their first priority. The founders
of the Movement had unequivocally believed in the Arya Samaj as being its
progenitor. Each leader of the movement has been selected or more precisely
elected through a process based totally on democratic principles as all those
associated with the Movement have believed strongly in equal participation of
each and every contributor to it. But electing a single leader has never meant a
regression from the concept of collective responsibility in the functioning of the
DAV movement. The democratic principles are followed as much in the everyday
functioning as they are in choosing a leader. The leaders were and have always
been personas of inequitable esteem, men or women of strong principles and
those who had the necessary all round skills to lead from the front. Inspirational,
vision oriented, knowledgeable and committed to the good of society. They are
the ones with nothing short of an exemplary record of public service. They have
always been respected for such qualities. This has also been the major reason for
such wide-spread cooperation, respect and recognition that the movement has
received from the entire nation and even beyond over the past century and a
quarter.

The DAV luminaries had always dreamt of a strong nation further bolstered and
sustained by a clean and a morally just society. The problems and issues plaguing
the society and their possible solutions thus have always been a major motivating
factor for their efforts. Spread over three centuries, the nineteenth, the twentieth
and the twenty-first, the DAV Movement has always attracted the efforts and

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commitment of the best of the nation’s minds. The entire gamut of professionals
and ideologues including law makers, doctors, teachers, engineers, journalists and
even military personnel have reached out and lent a helping hand to the
movement. The Movement has survived and thrived through eras and periods
that tested its foundations to the core and the credit for this goes both to the
timeless relevance of the guiding principles of the Arya Samaj and the progressive
mindset of the Movement leaders.

The DAV Movement at present is led by Shri Punam Suri, another exemplary
visionary, an acclaimed journalist, a staunch believer of the Arya Samaj way of life
and a persona who believes strongly in a balanced fusion of tradition and
modernity not just in education but as a wholesome guiding principle for life. Sh.
Suri has always led from the front and he has ever stressed on an incessant
process of value addition to the basic tenets of the movement. He is a believer in
change for the good and that the route to such change lies in not compromising
neither on the quality nor the effectivity of the movement. And that the path to
such perpetual progression lies in constant introspection and self-evaluation that
forms the guiding spirit for consistent betterment. He also lays stress on guidance
being more important that mere instruction. That the country needs better
citizens much more than mere specialists and learned individuals. He has ever
been a firm believer in the seamless fusion of the traditional and the modern. And
a forthright supporter of the utility of constructive dialogue between different
ideological sub-elements, the interaction leading to not just more diverse inputs
but also resulting in exhaustively thought-out conclusions. For a steadfast believer
in the Arya Samaj principles, Sh. Suri is of the opinion that its uninterrupted
continuity and consistent appeal is attributable not just to the purity of the
founding principles and values laid by Swami Dayanand Saraswati but also to this
tradition of constant self-monitoring and relative evaluation of how effectively
and truthfully the principles are being applied in practice. An example of this is
unequivocal stress on DAV’s efforts towards providing for and catering to the
needs of children with special needs with as much alacrity and dedication as it has
been done in general. He has always expressed special interest in this endeavor.

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As someone who has always received unconditional and contiguous support of
prominent, capable and distinguished personalities from a variety of professions,
Sh. Suri has interminably taken the DAV Movement forward on the road to
progression. His vision for DAV’s future includes a strong emphasis on building the
organization into a brand so that each entity originating in and supported by DAV
begets a unique identity and an assurance of the good being done through it. He
is also a very hands-on personality as far as the administrative control of the
movement is concerned and this committed involvement in all the aspects of
administration vis-à-vis academic, financial or institutional has resulted in the
Chitragupta Road, New Delhi situated DAV CMC headquarters being the
movement spearhead as its origin and nerve center. He has ensured that the
organizational functioning of DAV is constantly and consistently monitored by
specialists and proven professionals in their respective fields and hence not just
ensuring smooth functioning but a constant evolution and development occurs
within in harmony with the founding principles propounded by Swami Dayanand
Saraswati. Needless to say he has always been supported by the entire
organization at the DAV secretariat with each department fulfilling their
respective responsibilities in a commendable manner.

Complimenting such commendable leadership is the code of conduct embedded

within the DAV management ethos that ensures not just efficiency and
commitment but also functional transparency on both qualitative and qualitative
terms. This operational clarity is the prime reason for such impeccable
coordination between the various constituents of DAV’s nationwide network of
institutions and other social/educational organizations. And that has resulted in
our students leading from the forefront be it academics, sports or cultural
activities.

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The all-pervasive DAV Movement

The DAV movement and its beneficial effects can be seen, felt and appreciated
across the length and breadth of the nation – right from Srinagar to Chennai and
the Rann of Kutch to Imphal. Unique is the position of the DAV organization and
even more exceptional and matchless is its reach that spreads liquid like into even
the remotest nooks and crannies of the national geographical fabric. A full
century and then a quarter more is an impressively long period for any single
organization not just to sustain its relevance and status but to grow. And when
that growth happens across drastically different eras, political scenarios and
decades spanning several technological revolutions, calling it all-pervasive is
definitely not an over-statement. The effective manner in which the movement
has successfully spread literacy, education and social reforms through the
mechanism of its organization is proof enough of its timeless relevance through
its unequivocal adherence to equally timeless principles and guidelines it is based
on. DAV run educational institutions are located from right across the
international borders of the country to deep inside its biggest and busiest metros.
The spread is further still, penetrating into at places the smallest of villages,
remotest of mountain villages and even tribal settlements inside forests. The
primary premise spurring this massive spread being the recognition of the
universal need for education and literacy for all, irrespective of their geographic
location, social status, financial prowess, caste, creed, religion or gender. And also
the internal awareness that there is no better and proven road to social reform
than through the spread of education and literacy. The considerable resources at
hand for the DAV organization when coupled with unshakeable belief in the
enduring relevance of the Movement’s guiding principles makes even the almost
impossible goals reachable. These DAV run organizations were not only there to
buttress and push the fight for independence from the British rule but was also
equally energetically involved in spreading literacy and sustaining social reform in
post-Independence India.

In fact even if we look at DAV’s presence and effectivity taking Indian

independence as the pivotal point, there is no area of possible contribution
towards national and social growth and betterment that has been left untouched
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by it on both sides of the pivot. In fact this holds true even globally. The youth of
the nation saw the DAV Movement as both its driving force and social glue that
kept the fight for complete Independence alive, relevant and consequential. From
populating anti-British rallies to getting arrested en masse in conformity with the
then political revolutionary call, DAVians were ever eager and on the forefront.
Innumerable students and associates of the DAV movement were jailed, shot,
beaten and tortured during this fight for independence. The post Independence
era saw DAVians as eager and willing to sacrifice their lives for protecting the
borders of the nation from foreign aggression, in combating natural disasters, in
battling droughts and floods and in helping control and suppress social unrest as
and when they were called upon. The nation’s industrial progress, technological
advancement and proficiency in medical facilitation have all been deeply and
fruitfully touched upon by proponents and elements of the DAV movement. The
nation on the whole has become a better place due to the contributions made by
followers, beneficiaries and believers of the DAV movement.

Swami Dayanand had literally shaken and stirred the social temperament of the
country in those years through the sheer power and veracity of his thoughts. He
was the first among a later string of Indians who genuinely understood the true
reasons behind the backwardness and enslavering of our country. And he proved
that it was primarily a debilitating lack of education among the masses that led
not just to ignorance and apathy but also led to a debilitating estrangement from
the Indian Vedic dharma, two evils that could empower any outsider with enough
advantage to rule us. The then contemporary Indian way of thought was confined
mainly to ritualism without really understanding the need, basis and philosophy
behind the origins of the said rituals. Swami Dayanand persistently hammered
away at the foundations of this senseless ritualism by bringing forth the
suppressed knowledge and truth contained in religion and our scriptures. He
pressed forward for and stressed upon the need to discard narrow-minded
traditions and religious intolerance that led to differences between people. He
was the one to give the clarion call of going ‘Back to the Vedas’ and the wisdom
contained within them.

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The following years saw the DAV established institutes grow in numbers, bringing
a significant change in the social fabric and making education available not just to
a chosen few but to all who aspired for it. But most important of all, the DAV
Movement succeeded in retaining and further inculcating ‘Traditional Indian’
values in its students without depriving them of the opportunity of learning
English and the vast amount of knowledge that could be accessed and imbued by
being conversant with this language of the then rulers.

Swami Dayanand’s ideology added pace to social change and to further spur it on,
he established the Arya Samaj in Mumbai in the year 1875. The tragic failure of
the Mutiny of 1857 and the subsequent oppression by the British had
demoralized the Indian masses but the revival of indigenous ideology exemplified
by the Arya Samaj revitalized the psyche of the country’s teeming millions
especially in the North and North-west. Marking a watershed period in the history
of modern India, the new thought direction impelled the people to take onus for
their sorry state and unite to become a substantial force that could bring about
change and eventually freedom from oppression.

Initiation of a Revolution

These were the times of political turmoil in the country. There was an almost
universal feeling of dissatisfaction and of being subjugated under British
occupation. But the majority of this feeling was unexpressed. The youth of the
nation especially were restive and raring to do something that would propel the
nation towards independence from the British. The Arya Samaj had seeded a
feeling of resurgent pride in the country’s ethos and mythos especially amongst
the youth and the impending clouds of the possibilities of positive change began
to be visible over the dark horizon of domination by a foreign power. And this
expectation of change began to spread across all channels of human life –

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political, social, financial and intellectual. And the goal was complete freedom
from any form of oppression and slavery.

Swami Dayanand’s untimely demise at this juncture was a serious blow to the
growing momentum of the revolution, especially the aspects directly and deeply
linked to the Arya Samaj. Lahore was the then epicenter of revolutionary tremors
and it was here that a section of young men decided to build a fitting memorial to
Swami Dayanand. Those were the very first murmurs of rebellion against the
British. In those times of ruthless oppression and suppression of even a mere
thought of rebellion by the British, establishing an entity eulogizing virtual anti-
British sentiment was a virtually unthinkable challenge. Whatever little dissent
existed was just aimed at gaining certain ordinary concessions from the British,
concessions that in any case should have been the citizen’s fundamental rights.
There was support for the Arya Samaji’s from a large section of eminent residents
of Lahore and its neighboring towns and cities. As a consequence,, it was after
much thought and deliberation that it was decided to put into place a working
organization based entirely on Swami Dayanand’s principles and making it the
source of enlightenment for the country’s citizenry, impelling them towards
awareness and inspiring them to rise and fight for complete independence.

Battle-plans for the Revolution

Even though the decision of launching an organization described along the lines
described afore was taken in November 1883, it could only be set into motion in
1886. The organization edifying Swamiji was to be a new system of education for
the masses that would be a pragmatic and value based fusion of western and
Indian concepts. Both spiritual and materiel aspects would be equally stressed
and developing a scientific temper would be as vital as imbuing the students with
traditional values. And it was after long deliberation and on the suggestion of
Pandit Gurudutt Vidyarthi that the educational institutions were to be named as
‘Dayanand Anglo Vedic’, the ‘Anglo’ in the middle being under firm control of
both ‘Dayanand’ and ‘’Vedic’. Even though the initial plans were to open a college
for young people but paucity of funds meant the initiation of a school. The initial
curriculum was to include Vedic studies, western studies and science, Sanskrit

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(Dev bhasha), Hindi and English. To give physical shape to all these decisions, the
year 1886 saw the Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) College Trust and Management
Society come into being, was registered under the Societies Registration Act of
1860 and the first DAV School of the country was established in Lahore in the
same year. The sheer importance of this event, both contextually and historically
can be gauged by the fact that noted lawyer Rai Bahadur Justice Lal Chand
became the first President of the Society. The contributions of both, the then
leader of the Independence Movement Punjab Kesri Lala Lajpat Rai and young
Pandit Gurudutt Vidyarthi were invaluable in getting the DAV movement into
shape and on the road to progression. Apart from them Lala Saidass, Lala Ishwar
Das, Lala Moolraj, Lala Dwarka Das and Sir Gangaram were also to play pivotal
roles in establishing the DDAV Movement into the Indian social fabric. It is of
utmost importance to note here that all of these enlightened and dedicated
people were active on a number of other contributory activities, all directed
towards eventually attaining freedom, be it in the form of establishing the Lahore
National Bank or similar indigenous insurance and financial institutions.

Aiding them and assisting them in bringing Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s dream
were innumerable unknown people who became the motive force for the
Movement. It had been unanimously decided by the DAV College Trust and
Management Society that no government aid would be utilized in the running and
upkeep of any of the institutions run by it and they held on to this decision till
India’s independence.

Mahatma Hansraj’s resolve

The systematic initiation of the DAV movement presented a new challenge to

those involved – that of not losing either direction or force when moving forward
towards its charted goals. Resources were lacking and even though there was no
dearth of enthusiasm either in the organizers or the populace, there still was
some prevailing confusion over the actual modalities of action needed to move
ahead towards fulfilling the aspirations and intent of the movement. It was the
tireless efforts of a young Hansraj that strengthened the foundations of the DAV
Movement. The search for the Headmaster of the newly established DDAV School

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ended with young Hansraj as he was considered eminently capable of doing
justice to all the three elements of DAV i.e Dayanand, Anglo and Vedic. A man of
impeccable credentials he showed immense character and altruism by stating
that he would not be charging even a single rupee as salary for the work he would
do for the school. For him, giving strength to Swami Dayanand’s principles was a
personal mission. Despite being so highly educated, he renounced a bright and
prosperous career that awaited him but chose the path of struggle and strife to
see Swamiji’s dream take shape and come true. And young Hansraj could not
have sacrificed so and still live on without the unconditional support of his elder
brother who, out of his monthly wages of Rs. 80/- would give half to his younger
brother. Unsung selflessness of the highest order and an ideal to emulate, both as
far as kinship within the family and love for one’s country go.

Mahatma Hansraj became the founder principal of the fledgling DAV School and it
was in fact the manner in which he sacrificed a promising career for the sake of
upholding the principles and values of DAV and dedicating his life towards
building the school into a future institution in its own right is what earned him the
respect that appended ‘Mahatma’ to his name. And if ever a man deserved such
respect, it was he. A staunch believer in the balanced fusion of the traditional and
the modern, he was ever mindful of imparting education that was a measured
blend of modern science and the ancient Vedic wisdom. And through this medium
of giving equal importance to modernity and tradition, he was able to undercut
the British strategy of alienating Indians from quality education within their own
country. And the premise of spreading such education across the social and
communal spectrum all the more strengthened that strategy. He was very
encouraging towards educating women and girls, a true proponent of the words
‘when you educate a man you educate an individual but when you educate a
woman you educate a family’. Relentless work along these lines soon made the
DAV movement the renaissance benchmark for India. The tiny seed planted by
Mahatma Hansraj, nurtured by his self sacrifice and protected by the strong
values imbued from the DAV movement soon resulted in a flourishing tree that
bore the fruit of goodness, progression and education for all to nourish upon.

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By June 1889, the DAV movement had spawned a College in Lahore and quite
fittingly, Mahatma Hansraj became the founder Principal of the DAV College,
Lahore. In fact he was the first Indian citizen to be appointed as the Principal of
any college in the country at that time. The establishment of DAV College Lahore
despite the nation being under British occupation was a milestone in the history
of education in modern India and an exemplary instance of something happening
through huge public support.

Mahatma Hansraj remained the founder Principal of the DAV Public School in
Lahore till 1889 whereon he handed over the reins to Lala Diwan Chand and
himself took over as the first Principal of the newly established DAV College
Lahore. He was instrumental in introducing some strong and lasting initiatives in
respect of college education. The DAV College Lahore not just offered engineering
and ayurved courses as a part of its core curriculum but there were sufficient
facilities and ample scope for further research and development work in these
fields. During his time as the principal of the college, Mahatma Hansraj was far-
sighted enough to have nurtured a group of exemplary students who would have
the capabilities to take up the responsibility of other DAV institutions in times to
come and they did. It was only when he was sure of the all round stability of the
college and also of a team of capable people who would run it with as much
commitment and enthusiasm as he had did he resign from the post of the
principal in 1911. Thereon from 1912, he focused all his energy towards adding
strength and momentum to the DAV Movement and also upon spreading the
essence and values of the Arya Samaj nationwide.

It takes a supremely mature mind, an iron will and superlative intelligence to have
lived and worked like Mahatma Hansraj did during the entire time he served the
cause of the DAV movement. His was not a simple life though he lived it with
utmost simplicity. In a nation oppressed and controlled by a foreign power, it was
always a challenge tougher than a tight-rope walk to establish educational
institutions in an environment of abject intolerance and yet not collide with the
powers that were. Cultivating and maintaining co-ordination between the
innumerable luminaries who were contributing to the cause, all the while not
losing focus on the ultimate goals was never an easy task. His heart and soul was
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always immersed in finding ways and means for progressive growth of the DAV
movement irrespective of the level or position he was functioning at. Displaying a
sense of honor and responsibility beyond the call of any duty, Mahatma Hansraj
showed immense courage when his son, Sh. Balraj was falsely convicted in the
Delhi Conspiracy case and sentenced to death by the British. He even lost his wife
Mata Thakur Devi during that time. But trials and tribulations of even such
dreadful proportions could not sway him from his chosen path.

During his years as the leader of the DAV Movement, Mahatma Hansraj steered it
from strength to strength, ensuring that the movement spread beyond the limits
of its epicenter, Lahore to other parts of the country. He managed to collate
various schools and colleges established by the Arya Samaj in different parts of
the country under the aegis of the DAV banner. The visionary within him guided
the DAV organization to contribute in nation-building through acts beyond
educating the masses. Be it the disastrous earthquake of Bihar or the debilitating
drought of Gharwal, DAV was omni-present to lend a helping hand to the
government rescue efforts. Never shying away from a social cause or betterment
of society in general, the DAV Movement had metamorphosed from a shaky
sapling into a sturdy Banyan tree under Mahatma Hansraj’s able and devoted
guidance. His demise on the 16th of November in 1938 was an irreparable loss not
just for DAV but also for the nation at large.

To ensure that there would be a capable and proficient team of educators,

administrators and social reformers to further the cause of the Arya Samaj and
the DAV movement, Mahatma Hansraj had hand-picked some of DAV’s brilliant
and dedicated students to be groomed as the future leaders of the movement.
Notables like Lala Sai Das, Lala Gokul Chand and Bhai Parmanand were sponsored
by DAV for higher education at Kolkata (then Calcutta). Not only that, Mahatma
Hansraj endured that Lala Sai Das be sent to Cambridge University, England for
further studies in Chemistry. And as it turned out, it was the very same Lala Sai
Das who was entrusted with the principalship of the DAV College Lahore when
Mahatma Hansraj took voluntary retirement.

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Worth pondering upon is the fact that inspired by Swami Dayanand Saraswati,
many institutions were established by several organizational committees across
the nation which eventually, mainly due to paucity of resources and dearth of
expertise volunteered to be taken care of by the DAV movement. In the interest
of organizational clarity and functional transparency, DAV’s constitution was also
suitably amended for this. In time due primarily to the quality of education
imparted by DAV run institutions, they became a brand by themselves. There
were more and more demands for similar educational institutions from various
parts of the country. Nobody wanted to miss upon the chance of being able to
provide quality education to their young populace through a truly indigenous
organization that not just imparted learning but also helped preserve the
traditional Indian values in the students. However due to DAV’s policy of not
accepting funds from the foreign government and restricted availability of its own
resources, some 16 institutions could come into existence by the end of the
1900’s. But things accelerated thereon and influenced strongly by the high
esteem in which mahatma Hansraj was held by people, 55 institutions had been
established during his lifetime. Notable is that of these, 5 were fully functional
colleges with 3 teaching the regular curriculum while one each was for Vedic
training and Ayurved respectively. All this happening in a country subjugated by a
foreign country that ruled with an iron hand was nothing short of remarkable.

The movement gained momentum over the years and spawned numerous
educational institutions whose managing committees appealed for absorption of
the institutions within the fold of the DAV organization. At most times
geographical difficulties like distances involved or the remoteness of the place
precluded such formal inclusion but the DAV organization did remain in an
advisory position providing in-depth guidance and technical inputs pertaining to
the syllabi and course content to the institution for its proper functioning and
progress. Around 1888, DAV College, Ajmer was one such example.

Another such prominent institution was the DAV College at Kanpur which
received personal attention in its establishment from none other than Mahatama
Hansraj himself. Founded in the year 1919, DAV College Kanpur had Lala Dewan
Chand, a contemporary of Mahatma Hansraj, as its first principal on the
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Mahatma’s personal recommendation. Eventually he went on to become the
Chancellor of Agra University and ever remained a major contributor to the cause
of the DAV movement.

Mahatma Hansraj had always believed the Arya Samaj as being the progenitor of
the DAV Movement and this ideological standpoint played a major role in his
impeccable ability to keep the two progressing in synchroneity. Personally he was
happy and satisfied with the manner in which the DAV run schools and colleges
were performing. His only unease remained about the way in which the task of
popularizing vedic teachings and values was proceeding. He felt that full justice
was not being done to it and so requested the help of Lala Khushal Chand, his
colleague and childhood friend, to take on the responsibility. Lala ji was Mahatma
Hansraj’s friend, philosopher and guide and was the last person to let him down.
And thereon Lalaji dedicated the rest of his life to propagating and consolidating
the position of Vedic values and teachings in the social and academic milieu in the
country. He worked incessantly towards drawing people in to the Arya Samaj and
also towards strengthening the DAV Movement as a consequence, becoming a
bridge between the two all through his life. His efforts in the past exist currently
in the guise of numerous schools and colleges that were built using resources,
both land and money, donated by influential and accomplished believers in the
cause of the Arya Samaj and the Vedic values who had been so convinced through
Lala Khushal Chand’s efforts. Having fulfilled his promised responsibility towards
the Arya Samaj, he retired into spiritualism and became known as Mahatma
Anand Swami thereafter. He embraced asceticism without its accompanying
materiel denouncement and remained a staunch proponent of the swadeshi
concept in addition to being a resolute believer in Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s
ideology.

His house became the epicenter of the nationalist movement. During his early
years, Lala Khushal Chand had started publishing Milap, a daily in both Hindi and
Urdu. His impressive writing skills and expression was put to full use in furthering
the principles of the Arya Samaj. His writings were rooted in the customary
everyday life and so could be easily related to by the most ordinary of readers. His
manner of making the profoundest of truths so easily understandable through the
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sheer simplicity of his language was not only the mark of a true genius but also of
someone who understood the need of the times with utmost sensitivity. His
thoughts had the erudition of a visionary and yet the minimalism of an ascetic.

In totality, the DAV movement progressed multi-dimensionally due both to the

efforts of its highly motivated, passionate and committed originators and the
conducive nationalistic environment that welcomed an indigenous and ‘back-to-
the-roots’ way of education and progression. Bhakt Ishwar Das, Lala Dwarka Das,
Lala Durga Das, Principal Sai Das, Bakshi Ram Rattan, Dr. Mukand Lal Puri, Bakshi
Tek Chand, Justice Mehar Chand Jain and many more unnamed here were the
lynchpins and prime-movers of the movement. Between the years 1886 and 1946,
61 educational institutions and organizations were functioning and progressing
under the direct control of the DAV College Trust and Management committee.

The Spread of Nationalism

The DAV movement was as much a wave of spreading literacy and education
among the Indian masses as it was an acclivitous force for the resurgent Indian
nationalism. It was strengthening the rising groundswell of the demand for
independence in a subtle but definite manner. Both Mahatma Hansraj and Lala
Lal Chand, the leader of the DAV movement, were against British occupation of
India but they were against the direct involvement of educational institutions in
the independence struggle. Because they both believed that it was primarily
illiteracy and ignorance that led India to subjugation, that the British were just
taking advantage of the situation. So principally the institutions did not really
visibly and directly support the overt revolutionaries but they surely were
nurturing the seed for ‘poorna swaraj’ within its scholars and students through
ideological exchanges along the lines of the virtues of being free and independent
as a nation. None of the DAV institutions ever faced closure from the authorities
due to their proximity to the independence movement. And this was despite the
fact that no DAV institution openly discouraged either its staff or students from
actively participating in the freedom struggle. In fact their hostels were usually
the epicenters for all the strategizing and planning done in respect of the anti-
British freedom movement. The British were surely aware of this all but lacked

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proof and so did not dare to touch any institution or its constituents. Though
every activity against them would lead to the police perform thorough checks on
the students, teachers and the institution premises. That they could never find
any proof was the result of the caution and thoroughness inculcated amongst the
students and the staff by the leaders of the DAV movement. Both anecdotal and
documented history of the Independence movement reveals that Shaheed Bhagat
Singh and his associates were secretly residing in DAV college premises. It is also
said that DAV School Ajmer was another epicenter of the anti-British activities
and that Shaheed Bhagat Singh had bided time in a small basement room during
the time he was on the run from the British police. In fact Shaheed Bhagat Singh,
his paternal uncle Sardar Ajit Sigh and Bhai Bal Mukund had all been DAV school
alumni. Punjab Kesri Lala Lajpat Rai was in fact also one of the most visible and
prominent founders of the freedom movement as were Bhai Parmanand and Shri
Bhim Sen Sacchar. Apart from this, DAV staff and students were also ever present
to lend a hand in any of the Indian National Congresses’ anti-British activities. In
fact the success of the Congress party’s national conference held in Lahore in
1930 under the leadership of Pandit Nehru and considered a major turning point
for India’s struggle for independence from the British occupation, is also
attributable to the immense help and support provided by the DAV movement.

Both the DAV school and college steadily grew in popularity, mainly due to the
qualitative mix of traditional and modern education, the stress on inculcation
good human values and the infusion of that nationalistic identity among its
students. And this growing popularity also led to people from other places in
North-Western parts of the country desiring the same value based quality
education for their children and so raising demand for DAV schools and colleges in
their towns and cities.

With India’s independence from British rule came the sad and wounding partition
of the country into two – India and Pakistan. The division along communal lines
led to retributive genocide on both sides forcing people to flee their homes and
the DAV Movement was a great source of help and relief to the displaced
refugees from West Pakistan. Since partition in 1947, most of the places where
these institutions existed became a part of Pakistan, including the DAV
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Headquarters at Lahore, an event in history that had a momentary stalling effect
on the growth of the DAV Movement. Though the damage done to the movement
due to post-Independence partition of the nation did lead to disappointment
amongst its believers but they were not giving up just yet. They braced
themselves for another long innings of re-building it in the coming years and
prepared a fresh strategy to keep the momentum going. They knew that they still
had the biggest assets of all with them – the experienced and committed leaders
who would again lead from the front and give a new direction to the movement.
Prior to independence, the DAV organization was run entirely through self-
generated resources from amongst its followers and believers. They neither
expected nor received any help from the British government. The post-
Independence era however urgently demanded an educated, capable and skilled
populace who would help rebuild a nation that had been ravaged by more than a
century of foreign rule. And DAV had in its fold just such an ethos, system and
experience at hand that could give the nation such helping hands in just a few
years. Taking view of the resources and commitment that DAV had on offer, the
newly formed government decided to extend a helping hand in support of DAV’s
efforts towards providing quality education to the nation’s citizens. The DAV
Movement of course was ready and willing with an eminently workable plan of
action towards setting up educational institutions as soon as possible and get
them working. The DAV School, Lahore was formally reinstituted as DAV School,
Chandigarh and was located in Sector 8 of the city. Back in 1927, Mahatma
Hansraj had laid the foundation for Hansraj College in Lahore. This was re-
inaugurated at the Arya Samaj Bhavan Jallandhar in 1948. During its initial days
some 80 girl students were enrolled at the college which presently boasts a
student strength exceeding 5000 in numbers. As a consequence of the process of
establishing new educational institutions, DAV College, Chandigarh; Justice
Meharchand Mahajan for Women, Chandigarh; DAV College, Amritsar and
Hansraj College, Delhi were a few of the notable ones that came into being. Today
they stand counted amongst the best colleges in the country.

In parallel with all this was a continued activity towards establishing more
educational institutions across the length and breadth of the newly independent

16
country. The priority as to educate the masses who would in turn contribute
towards rebuilding the country in the years and decades to come. Colleges like
DAV College Chandigarh, Justice Mehar Chand Mahajan College for Women also
in Chandigarh, DAV College Amritsar, Hansraj College Delhi, PGDAV College in
Delhi and Sholapur (Maharashtra) were some of the high quality institutions
established for higher education and stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in
the country even today.

This progressive co-operation between the government and the DAV resulted not
just in helping the government achieve its goal of providing education for all but
also propelled the DAV Movement ahead ever faster towards its goal that was
similar to that of the government. A new generation of youth educated at the
DAV institutions and inculcated with not just knowledge and skills but also a deep
love for the nation soon joined the mainstream of nation-builders. Within a few
years of independence of the country, the DAV Movement became the largest
Non-Government Organization (NGO) in the country. Numerous new schools and
colleges were established and run along time tested systems that encompassed
more than half a century of collective experience in the field of social
development through education. The DAV Movement became an indelible part of
a progressive nation’s story of development.

By the 1970’s rampant red-tapism and unnecessary government interference led

to a gradual decline in the quality of education at DAV run institutions, especially
the schools. In tandem with this, there was an incessant increase in the
expectations people had from DAV run institutions. This was good in the sense
that it always had been the enthusiasm shown by the people and the intensity of
their expectations that had led to the phenomenal acceptance and success of the
DAV Movement. And the ability to stay true to its vision and mission while
adapting with a winning strategy in accordance with changing circumstances had
always been DAV’s prime strength. And so the decision to go ahead with Public
Schools was a part of this new strategy helping schools become independent of
unwanted and negative government interference. While the post independence
era had seen immense contributions from the likes of Principal Dr. Diwanchand,
Lala Balraj and Justice Meharchand Mahajan adding to the momentum of the DAV
17
movement, Dr. Govardhan Lal Dutt’s decision of establishing public schools under
the aegis of the DAV movement infused a new surge of energy into it. Justice
Jeevan lal Kapur, Lala Surajbhan, Professor Ved Vyas, Babu Darbari lal, Sh. T R Tuli
and Padma Bhushan Sh. Gyan Prakash Chopra collectively added tremendous
impetus to establishing public schools nationwide in the following years. In time
the flag bearing the symbol of ‘Om’ fluttered with Vedic chants resounding in
concert across the length and breadth of India.

No one in the late 19th century India who had witnessed the soft entry of the DAV
movement would have predicted the level of influence and contribution it would
make in the decades and centuries to follow. The founders of the movement had
demonstrated great vision and astuteness in laying the ideological and
administrative foundations of the organization as they did. Their efforts led to a
positive social revolution of gigantic and historic proportions. Few had envisioned
that education could be such an effective medium for social reform and a few
decades of concerted efforts along those lines led to global recognition of the
unprecedented results achieved by the movement. Post partition in 1947, the
setback suffered by the organization was soon put behind and the DAV
movement plodded on relentlessly. The schools and colleges that remained in
Pakistan were reestablished in earnest, had a fresh outlook while preserving the
existing value system. DAV schools and colleges played a major role in helping
eradicate social differences along religious, caste and economic lines and helped
the nation unite despite the diversity it exhibited. Each of these institutions has a
legacy of goodness, equality and progress through education that shall exist for
posterity.

The 20th century has been as much a saga of growth and development for the
DAV as it has been for the country. Present day DAV schools and colleges stand
shoulder to shoulder with the best of institutions in the country. In fact quite a
few have displayed record-breaking performances over the past years and appear
to be competing amongst themselves. This excellence and commitment has not
gone unnoticed by the government and hence the University Grants Commission,
the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the Indian Council of Cultural
Research, innumerable central and state agencies and government departments
18
have extended financial and other support to help strengthen DAV’s
infrastructure further. An ideological foundation laid on lasting values, a modern
progressive outlook coupled with top notch academic and research facilities has
resulted in DAV colleges being counted amongst the select best in the nation, a
fact corroborated by the records of the University Grants Commission rating
system.

A progressive blend of traditional values and modern technological awareness has

ensured the DAV run institutions are almost universally well equipped with
modern lecture halls, large updated libraries with electronic cataloguing of books,
advanced laboratories, wifi enabled campus, well stocked gymnasiums and sports
arenas, facilities for development in fine arts, music, dance and other allied socio-
cultural skills. And the commendable fact is that such institutions are not just
limited to big cities and towns but exist at even some of the remotest corners of
the country. Complementing the infrastructure is the presence of a highly
competent and committed teaching faculty, an aspect that has always been
stressed upon by the organizers and administrators of the DAV movement right
from its inception. Today all DAV institutions boast of the best of teaching staff
who are not just highly qualified in their respective fields but are specialists per
se. Quite a few of them are in active research and have scientific papers
presented, published and appreciated globally quite frequently. An active faculty,
a transparent organization and a literary environment that encourages exchange
of ideas at all times make DAV colleges amongst the most sought after in the
country. Of course this all has paid off in terms of the students standing out as the
best in any measure. Comparing the performance of different institutions or
selecting a few as exceptions would be quite pointless even though there is a
healthy competition between them. But the competition is not for the number of
students but for the quality of education imparted to them. All colleges managed
by the DAV Movement provide hostel/residential facilities for their students
which are at par with the best in any college/institution in the country and ensure
that the hostel environment is healthy, conducive to good relations amongst the
students and that there is respect for discipline.

Vocational Institutions
19
The advent of globalization triggered by worldwide economic changes and rapid
technological advances has led to progressively increasing resource exchanges
related to trade and industry internationally. With ever newer industry based on
the latest technology being established, an escalating demand for trained
manpower arose on the horizon. The DAV Movement was ever alert and privy to
these changes and set upon the task of making available the requisite training and
education needed by Indians to join this mainstream arena of qualified
professionals. The existing training infrastructure was upgraded to make it
relevant for modern needs and three new Engineering Colleges were established
in the country’s three different regions. They were the DAV Institute of
Engineering and Technology, Jalandhar in Punjab; DAV College of Engineering and
Technology, Kanina, Mahendragarh, Haryana and the DAV Institute of Engineering
and Technology, Palamu, Jharkhand, all recognized by the All India Council of
Technology (AICTE), are up to date in modern training facilities and charge very
nominal fees compared to other institutions of this category. Each of these can
accommodate upto 3000 students on their rolls at any time. They have an array of
courses/fields ranging from B. Tech and M. Tech in a variety of fields, MCA, Nano-
Technology, MBA etc on offer. Of note is that both the colleges at Mahendragarh
and Palamu are for the benefit of students of these regions that are not catered
for by any other institutes at that level.

The DAV movement has also catered for students wishing to acquire
Diplomas/Certificates in Engineering and Technology and quite a few institutions
serving this purpose have already been around and functioning for a while.
Notable amongst them are the Jalandhar based Meherchand Polytechnic College
(considered the best among some 300 such polytechnics in North India) and three
ITI’s/Polytechnics in the Bastar region of Chattisgarh. The Bastar region is a tribal
belt and running an higher study institution here poses its own unique set of
problems, what with the prevalent political instability and lack of proper transport
and other such infrastructural facilities. All these three institutions are financially
supported by the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), a public
sector entity of the Government of India while the academics and other
operational aspects are under DAV’s direct control. It is worth noting here that

20
apart from direct Government support, the DAV movement has also been
buttressed by both the public sector and the private corporates.

Management Colleges

There is an increasing need for good trained managers both in the manufacturing
sector as well as the corporate world in general. Professionally trained managers
who are well versed with modern management practices and tools, are updated
about the latest ongoing development in their field, are technologically savvy,
globally aware and as proficient in connecting with and understanding the
individual human resource as with the collective forming a work-force.
Traditionally each large corporate would groom and train its own managers by
absorbing fresh graduates as management trainees. But progressive globalization
has led to an ever increasing demand of trained managers requiring minimal on-
the-job training and who can be functional right from the day they join. The DAV
movement has catered for this need and apart from having MBA courses as a part
of many of its institutions; it has established two notable business management
institutes – the Business Management College in Faridabad near Delhi and the
other at Bhubaneswar in Orissa.

The newest jewel in DAV’s Crown – DAV University, Jalandhar

The DAV Movement’s contribution towards school and college education has
been a much appreciated, admired and established fact. Their institutions have
not just excelled in academics but have also won laurels both in research and
management fields, something that has been lauded by our national as well as
the global academic community. There was a restlessness amongst the DAV
luminaries for a chance to extend the same innovations in education and take
enthusiastic initiatives at the university level as had been done by them and their
predecessors in the field of school, college and professional education. Their most

21
well-meaning efforts towards establishing a university had been repeatedly
stalled at the behest of some mere technicalities. But as had always been the
case, perseverance and commitment towards the goal paid off with the DAV
movement establishing the DAV University Jalandhar on the 20th of April 2013.
The reaching of this significant milestone was witnessed by numerous honoured
educationists, spiritual leaders, intellectuals and eminent personalities. The
Chairman of the DAV College Management Committee, Sh Punam Suri, handed
over the torch of enlightenment to the designated Chancellor of the University
and thus marked the commencement of a new chapter in the annals of the DAV
Movement. Quite fittingly, the new university was pronounced upon as being the
Nalanda of modern India.

Spread over sprawling 75 acres of lush green land, the University with its massive
building is a shining example of modern architecture and construction
methodology. Big airy classrooms, modern laboratories and workshops, a well
stocked library and all imaginable modern facilities not just foster an academic
mindset but the whole environment inspires the students to create beyond the
ordinary. Not only that the very ethos of imparting education has been designed
afresh for this University and is not just multi-disciplinary but more importantly is
inter-disciplinary. The students here have been provided with a unique platform
for research and development that is in close consultation and sync with the
existing industry and its real needs. This new and innovative platform has been
termed the DAV Academia Industry Synergy Hub and initially has about 50 of the
world’s major industrial organizations giving their inputs and sharing
development. It is inevitable that many more such entities shall get attracted to
the immense possibilities generated by this platform and will also join hands with
it in the near future.

The DAV movement fully understands both the importance and the sheer
necessity of higher education in our country. And so is moving ahead with
unflagging enthusiasm towards establishing more such universities all over India.
As a recent development, requisite land has been acquired in Yamuna Nagar,
Haryana for establishing a DAV University for Girls there. Such efforts have led the

22
DAV movement to be a prime contributor towards educating the nation right
from the Nursery to PhD levels.

Teacher Training Institutes

Considering the vast number of educational institutions being run under the aegis
of the DAV Movement, it became imperative that the demand of trained and
proficient teachers be met in not just a quantitative but in a qualitative manner.
With this intent, DAV also runs a number of Teacher Training Institutes in the
country. At present there are 7 such institutes nationwide administering courses
that lead to the award of Diplomas, B. Ed and M. Ed degrees etc. All of these

23
institutes are recognized by the National Council for Teacher Education and cater
to almost 5000 students in totality.

Ayurvedic College of Pharmacy

Way back in 1901 the founders of the DAV movement had the foresight to
establish the first College for Ayurveda in Lahore. The college had all the required
facilities for teaching and practice of Ayurveda and this move not only helped
impart recognition to Ayurveda as a traditional medical science but also helped
reinforce DAV’s ideology of building a bridge between tradition and modernity.
The students here were not charged any fee. Post partition this was reestablished
in Jalandhar as the Dayanand Ayurvedic College. A fully equipped
dispensary/pharmacy dispensing Ayurvedic medicine was also associated with
this college. The campus spread over some 41/2 acres catered to some 250
students who received a B.A.M.S degree on successful completion of the course
also housed a huge library of books and manuscripts on Ayurveda many of them
rare and adding up to some 12000 titles.

Vedic Research Institutes

Having always stressed upon rooting itself in tradition, the DAV Movement had
incessantly worked for the preservation and propagation of our traditional
knowledge banks both through teaching and research. Of some notable institutes
being run just for this express purpose, those that stand out are Lal Chand Library,
Chandigarh; Dayanand Brahm Vidyalaya, Hisar (Haryana) and V V R Institute,
Hoshiarpur (Punjab). Interestingly the aforementioned Dayanand Brahm
Vidyalaya was first established in Lahore in 1921 with the purpose of teaching and
propagating Vedic history, Vedic understanding and the Sanskrit language. Lal
Chand Library too had been established in Lahore a couple of years earlier in 1919
to encourage research of Vedic history. The library was a treasure house of
innumerable rare manuscripts, many of them hand-written and in a language few
were familiar with. Both these institutes were reestablished in Hisar and
Chandigarh post Independence.

Institutes for Medical and Para-Medical Training

24
The DAV ideology was ever about the fusion of the traditional and the modern
and true to this; several relatively modern avenues were explored and worked
upon by the movement. This included Dental colleges, Physiotherapy Training
Institutes, Nursing Training Schools alongwith a few other specialist trades. Apart
from this DAV has also taken the responsibility of running a few hospitals, the
ones in Malout (Punjab), Yamunanagar (Haryana) and Khunti (Jharkhand) being
notable. These hospitals not just have an Out Patient Department (OPD) but also
beds for those patients needing prolonged care and treatment. Hundreds get
treated at these hospitals which are equipped with modern diagnostic equipment
and well stocked pharmacies. Of these the ones at Malout and Yamunanagar are
under direct DAV control while the one in Khunti is run in association with an
NGO and through its volunteers. The success of these hospitals is exemplified by
the statistics related to Swami Dayanand Eye Hospital that, since its establishment
in 2008, has seen more than 12000 patients having been operated upon
successfully.

Ashrams and Orphanages

The DAV movement has ever been on the forefront in extending a helping hand
towards those in need and ashrams and orphanages are a natural consequence of
a means to doing so. The Arya Anathalaya (Orphanage) situated in Ferozepur is
probably the oldest among those in modern India. Spread over 21 acres, this
orphanage was established in 1877 by Swami Dayanand Saraswati himself.
Housing both girls and boys between the age groups of 5 to 18 years, the
orphanage is a home for them, a haven of warmth and security that they so
totally lacked. Apart from providing them with a safe place to live and clean
nourishing food, they are also schooled till they complete matriculation. The
children are also familiarized with Vedic studies and perform havan’s too. There is
an in-house dairy that the older children help in maintaining. On completion of
their schooling, the orphanage makes efforts to get them placed with proper
employment and even once they become financially independent, they usually
stay in close touch with the orphanage. For them that is where their family is and
at times the orphanage even ends up matchmaking for them and getting them
married!
25
The Vedic Mohan Ashram situated just a mile off the Har ki Pauri in Haridwar is an
exemplary illustration of the long-standing legacy of social reform initiated by
Swami Dayanand Saraswati himself when in 1866 he had hoisted the Pakhaand
Khandani Pataka, a symbolic flag that represented a concerted war on social evils
like deceit and trickery in the name of religion, blind ritualism and regressive
practices in the name of faith. To commemorate his ideology and in honor of his
selfless devotion towards the betterment of the society in general, the Vedic
Mohan Ashram was founded in 1908 and put under a governing trust in 1912 on
the behest of Mahatma Hansraj. Many noted and renowned Arya Samaji’s
became members of the trust. The ashram became a center for meditation and
free exchange of ideas on religion and spirituality. Frequented by the likes of
Mahatma Hansraj himself, Mahatma Anand Swami and Swami Prakashanand
Saraswati, it eventually became a nodal center for those desiring to steep
themselves in the principles of the Arya Samaj. The scholars and thinkers residing
there were known as Arya Sanyasis and customarily performed hawans, yagnas
and organized satsangs which were participated in also by non-inmates of the
ashram. The Vedic Mohan Ashram still remains a major source of both
preservation and propagation of the Vedic form of life and a purveyor of ancient
Vedic wisdom and values.

Nationwide Framework of Public Schools

Before Independence, the DAV movement depended solely on funds generated

through its own resources and did not accept any aid from the ruling British, very
obviously to avoid the inevitable interference that would accompany the
resources. Independence brought about a positive change in the circumstances
with our own government extending a helping hand of healthy proportions
towards widening the reach and effectivity of school and college education.
However by the 1970’s rampant red-tapism and unnecessary government

26
interference led to a gradual decline in the quality of education at DAV run
institutions, especially the schools. In tandem with this, there was an incessant
increase in the expectations people had from DAV run institutions. This was good
in the sense that it always had been the enthusiasm shown by the people and the
intensity of their expectations that had led to the phenomenal acceptance and
success of the DAV Movement. And the ability to stay true to its vision and
mission while adapting with a winning strategy in accordance with changing
circumstances had always been DAV’s prime strength. And so the decision to go
ahead with Public Schools was a part of this new strategy helping schools become
independent of unwanted and negative government interference. The Hansraj
Model School in Punjabi Bagh, Delhi was the first in a chain of public schools to
eventually spread throughout the country. The move was widely appreciated and
soon there was pressure upon DAV to establish similar schools in places apart
from Delhi. It was only a matter of time that such schools established by the DAV
movement were standing shoulder to shoulder with those schools that had a long
and glorious legacy to fall back upon. Also since these schools were steeped into
preservation and propagation of traditional Vedic values which meant a strong
direct connection with our roots, it touched a sensitive chord amongst the
general populace leading to the school’s popularity. The DAV managing
committee was meticulously systematic in ensuring that it initially spread its
reach only into areas where the movement not just had land readily available for
building the school premises but resourceful, effective and committed people to
take the responsibility of running the school. It is notable here that even the
government was impressed by the vision, commitment and ability demonstrated
by DAV’s eminent functionaries and offered them important
organizational/administrative positions. The DAV Movement too recognized these
exceptional individuals and entrusted them with furthering the cause of the
movement at an increased pace and over wider regions. They were also
encouraged to establish DAV Public Schools in their areas of influence to help
spread the cause of the movement and continue the task of social reform and
upliftment through education.

27
Over a short period of time DAV public schools spread far and wide across the
country with a reach extending to its remotest corners and yet bringing quality
education to their doorstep. There are schools that can only be approached by
boat, some only by walking long distances over hills and through forests. And yet
there is no compromise in the kind of education offered there. That apart, DAV
has also been managing and running schools in regions of political instability,
insurgency, near borders with hostile nations and areas that threaten the well
being of human life and property.

Globalization has touched school education too in a big way and various school
education boards, the Central Board of Secondary Education have altered the
sylabii and course content in accordance with these global needs. The role of
modern technology in both teaching and learning has not been underestimated
by the DAV movement and so technological aids to education have been adopted
across the schools. As for a change in the teaching methodology and curriculum,
DAV implemented adoption of the changes on two distinct levels. At the first level
the changes were introduced in the existing schools in a comprehensive manner.
The second level involved establishing new global schools that had the curricula
and academic methodology at par with international standards. Both these types
of school received the wholehearted support from society.

Crucial Social Concerns and Initiatives

The core stimulus for the DAV Movement has been humanitarian concerns for
society in general and in particular those that exist on the fringes. The movement
has ever laid special emphasis towards enfolding the specially-abled within the
wider folds of normalcy, to help them get above and beyond the generally
discriminatory practices so common in everyday life. The movement has always

28
taken particular care to reach out to these who have been advertently or
inadvertently relegated to the darkness of deprivation and provide them with
equal opportunities to develop, grow and prosper.

Even though a large number of governmental and non-governmental

organizations have been contributing for this social group, the DAV movement
has focused their resources for their betterment along a number of levels and
through different channels of activity. Broadly the specially-abled children can be
categorized at two levels – those who are so from a physical point of view and
those from the mental point of view. DAV has made specific arrangements for
those with physical disabilities to ensure their education progresses at par with
any other student. Even the infrastructure of the schools has been suitably
modified with features like ramps, elevators, books in Braille and several other
means so that such students face no difficulty in their lives as school students.

When it comes to specially-abled children from a mental point of view, particular

care needs to be taken as they usually cannot be expected to study with
mainstream students and cope with the mental and intellectual demands put on
them there. They need a special environment where they can be rehabilitated
and educated at a pace they are comfortable with. DAV runs many such
institutions for mental development of the specially-abled where such children
are educated and trained in accordance with their mental and physical abilities
and they are charged a very nominal fee for that. There is special emphasis on
making them computer literate and the focus is not just on academic education
but helping them develop vocational skills that will in future provide them not just
with a strong sense of accomplishment but also with the possibility of building a
career on the basis of that learnt skill. The idea is not just to rehabilitate them in
society but also to bring about a positive transformation in the way they are seen
and related to by society in general.

Awards and Recognition by the Government

The DAV Movement is extremely proud of its leaders, visionaries, teachers and
students who in lieu of their exemplary work or performance in education,
academics, social development, sports and games, fine arts and music have been
29
awarded and recognized both by the government and several other organizations.
The awards include the Nobel Prize, the Bharat Ratna, Padma award, the Arjuna
Award, the President’s Award amongst others. Needless to say these luminaries
are the inspiration and a source of immense pride not just for DAV but for the
nation at large. The DAV organization also honors its exceptional doers and
contributors with awards and citations from time to time.

The Luminous DAV Alumni

With a history and legacy spread over more than 125 years, straddling three
centuries and spanning innumerable milestones in the nation’s freedom from
British subjugation and the progress thereafter, the DAV Movement has spawned
and nurtured multiple generations of achievers who were DAV students either
throughout their academic lives or through a major part of it. A heritage that rich
and purposeful has inevitably produced innumerable shining gems of human
achievement liberally sprinkled amongst its alumni. The impressive list of such
towering notables includes Shaheed Bgahat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat
Rai, Bhai Bal Mukund, Shri Ranbir and Shri Bhimsen amongst the many pre-
independence revolutionaries who ignited the flame of Poorna Swaraj in the
ordinary Indian’s heart and kept the flame going till we were independent of
British rule.

The other glittering luminaries amongst DAV Alumni include Nobel laureate Dr.
Hargovind Khurana, former Prime Ministers Sh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Sh. I. K.
Gujral,, Vice-President Krishnakant , Astronaut Kalpana Chawla, International
Golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, former Indian cricket team Captain sh. Kapil Dev,
famous ghazal singer late Sh. Jagjit Singh, film-star Shah Rukh Khan and
Industrialist/politician Naveen Jindal. Shaheed Saurab Kalia, who displayed
unmatched courage and valour during the Kargil conflict, was also a DAV alumni.
It would take a book by itself to bring forth and portray in detail the life and times
of these and the innumerable others who have made both DAV and the nation
proud.

Vision of the Future

30
Progress, development and betterment of life through dissemination of
knowledge, imparting education and through social reform have ever been the
prime motives of the DAV movement. That bright and talented young achievers
have consistently been involving themselves in the DAV Movement is proof
enough of not just its uninterrupted relevance but also its appeal in respect of the
times to come. And the ability to adapt its workings in accordance to the needs of
the time without losing its roots is the major reason for DAV’s sustainable
excellence. A vision of the future not only includes better and more consequential
running of the existing infrastructure that leads to newer heights of achievement
and but also bringing about the needed changes in its methodology keeping in
mind the global development so that DAV’s institutions stand abreast with their
global contemporaries. Also there shall be equal stress on promoting research
and development by bringing about a synergy between what is being done
worldwide and here in India.

The eradication of illiteracy and the spread of education have ever been the DAV
movements’ primary stand-points but there always has been stress on building
India not just as a nation of the literate but also the one whose people exude
good moral character and respect humanitarian values. The world in general
today is witnessing an unremitting loss in the respect for human values and the
resultant degeneration in character is a source of grave concern for DAV too.
Development and progress has no meaning without prevalent goodness in human
character and there is no better time than a student’s formative years spent in
school to inculcate good values in him/her. This is exactly where DAV lays stress
and ensures their students exude purity in character of as high a standard as they
maintain in academics. Respect for different religions, communities, races,
cultures and the ability to see the human beyond economic disparity are some of
the values instilled within as a part of school and college life. A tolerant
humanitarian outlook is without doubt where the future of the human race rests.

DAV Movement and National Emergencies

The DAV movement has been as active in social reforms as it has been in
extending a helping hand whenever and wherever the nation and its people have

31
needed it to. During the pre-independence days both Quetta (now in Pakistan)
and the Kangra region in Himachal Pradesh experienced devastating earthquakes
that led to immense loss of both human life and property. DAV was active on all
fronts there – rescue, support, medical treatment, rehabilitation etc. The
Movement and its volunteers were always active in helping and supporting
people affected by floods, epidemics, drought, earthquakes or severe storms.

India’s independence came at a great immediate price in the guise of the partition
of the nation into two along religious lines. Thousands died as a result of the
resulting genocide and hundreds of thousands were rendered homeless when
they had to abandon their land of birth and migrate to within the new borders of
India. The DAV Movement was itself severely affected by the partition as most of
its physical assets vis a vis schools and colleges had to be left behind in Pakistan.
And yet the human element of the movement maintained the same courage,
stolidity and steadfastness and reached out to the ‘refugees’ by extending all
manner of help to them. DAV established one of the largest relief camps in Lahore
for the displaced Hindus and Sikhs and had all the basic amenities provided for
the inmates at all times. Post partition, the relief camp in Ambala (Haryana)
became the base camp for refugees streaming in from the violence ridden West
Pakistan. Both the camps, earlier at Lahore and later in Ambala also had the
support of the International Red Cross and other similar humanitarian aid
organizations from all over the world. DAV has ever been unhesitatingly and
unequivocally involved in such humanitarian aid and relief work during times of
national emergencies be it the tsunami on the east coast, the recent flash floods
in Uttarakhand or the destructive earthquake in Kutch a decade ago. Natural
disasters apart DAV has also contributed immensely both in human and monetary
terms during all the wars and violent aggression at our borders over the past six
decades of independence.

National Social Campaign

For an organization that sees its social responsibilities as the most profound, the
DAV Movement has been the trail blazer in opposing social evils like female
feticide and national issues like environmental protection. Times have changed

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and with time, the social evils have changed their form and structure. Caste
system today is not as bad as it was 50 years ago. It is corruption that s strangling
the society today. Progress has not reached everyone. Because of all, inequality is
still prevalent in the society. DAV institutions are actively involved in rooting out
these social injustices. Such thoughts are ample proof of how far ahead of his own
time was Mahatma Hansraj when he decided upon the role of the educational
institutions.

Man’s unthinking and selfish greed has created a dangerous imbalance in nature
too. The blanket of green is incessantly reducing in size. Even huge water bodies
have shrunk and the ground water is becoming hard to get, highly polluted and
contaminated. Due to global warming, glaciers are melting and the earth’s
temperature is constantly on the rise. Pleasant and predictable weather is almost
a thing of the past. All this ‘unnatural behavior of nature is due to the
irresponsible acts of man like deforestation, polluting the rivers and air and his
general apathy towards his environment. The students at DAV are made aware of
their responsibilities towards the Mother Nature and they constantly strive
towards creating awareness as well as making personal efforts to improve the
quality of the environment. Tree protection has been taken up at a national level
on several political and administrative forums and on ground work at
regenerating the green cover is incessantly going on.

Female infanticide is on the rise even in this century. The need of the hour is to
create a widespread awareness to nourish, bring up and educate the girl child.
DAV Movement is joining hands with other such organizations to root out this
terrible social evil of female feticide. Female infanticide has resulted in a skewed
sex ratio which results, both directly and indirectly in engendering a lot of social
malpractices and evils which eventually lead to intolerance, violence and anarchy.
The DAV Movement is seeking the cooperation of various religious leaders in
going ahead in cleansing the society of this grave evil.

The DAV Movement also imparts education to those who have missed the chance
of formal education in their early years. Women with a weak financial status are
imparted Vocational training in various trades to make them self reliant and

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economically independent . Social humanitarian initiatives like organizing blood
donation camps, eye care camps and health summits for the ordinary citizen have
been done on a regular basis and at a national level.

DAV Publication Division

Education is rooted in its books as much as it is reliant upon the student-teacher

interaction. The DAV Movements publication division has been ever active in
producing quality text books for use both by its own institutions and others
schools and colleges too. Apart from such text books that adhere to the national
curriculum, DAV also publishes excellent literature related to Vedic studies, the
Indian culture and treatises/commentaries on national social issues. In a bid to
preserve and propagate our ancient knowledge base all the four Vedas have been
published both in Hindi and English languages and are available at nominal prices
all over the country. The DAV Publication division has never been profit oriented
and so has always strived to provide high quality books at low cost to students
and scholars alike.

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