After finishing high school, papa returned to Haldwani. Tauji had already started making a living for himself as a farmer. While papa enjoyed watching things grow, he could not be bothered with supervising the farm hands. Instead of supervising and directing the farm workers, papa would often be found curled up somewhere in the field reading a copy of Popular Mechanics or Natural Geographic - if you recall his interest in photography had already been kindled by the court photographer in Tehri. He kept telling the family they needed to buy a tractor. He could farm the entire property if they just got a tractor. However, an investment in a tractor was difficult to justify in the face of incredibly cheap labor that was available in those days.
But how does a young man living on a farm in Haldwani get a hold of Popular Mechanics or Nat Geo in the late 1930s ? Now that is another story.
The Kilachands, a prominent industrial family of Patan (yes, the same Patan that mom is from) and Mumbai, had established a sugar factory in Baheri - about 50 Kms south of Haldwani. The factory was managed by Chhotalal Kilachand's son, Jivanlal Chhotalal.
Jivanlal consulted Dad's father - Ghanshyam Das on a legal issue with the local contractors that had built the factory. As a result of this Ghanshyam Das spent several days a week in Baheri. Frequently, young Satish, popular with the Kilachands, went along with him.
The Kilachands home was a large mansion along the lines of a home in Patan - but most importantly it had a large collection of magazines - Popular Mechanics and National Geographic - which young Satish often borrowed and brought back to Haldwani.
Through all of this reading, emerged the determination to become an engineer.
Unfortunately, the engineering schools of England, a popular place for young men to go study, was out of Papa's reach. It was a time of turmoil as the struggle for independence was underway. Schools of advanced study were being shut down as they were being suspected of harboring freedom fighters.
One day, Tauji - papa's older brother - came home and reported that he had seen an advertisement for an engineering college in Brindavan. Brindavan, closer to Agra, was one of the towns on the banks of the Jamuna river. Education at the Prem Maha Vidyalaya was free and included room and board for students from out of town. This was the perfect place for papa to fulfill his aspiration of becoming an engineer.
The story of the Prem Maha Vidyalaya and its founder, is equally fascinating. Papa mentioned a few things, and I found the rest on the net. A true prince - Raja Mahendra Pratap had donated his family estate to the cause of technical education, because he strongly believed that that was the key to India's development and freedom. This institution was shut down from 1932 to 1938 as it was seen as a threat to the British government. Read all about it at http://www.rajamahendrapratap.net/pmv.htm (also reproduced below)
There were only 2 teachers at the Brindavan College of Engineering, and they were not particularly good. So young Satish taught himself from the books that were available at the school, some text books and the guidance of the principal Narender Dev, whom papa found particularly inspiring. I remember seeing some of those college textbooks on the L-Shaped black bookshelf in the Anand Vihar house. And I also remember seeing Popular Mechanics and National Geographic copies forever.
Raja Mahendra pratap singh
"No religion is greater than love"
Prem Maha Vidhyalaya :
Founded on May 24th 1909 byRaja Mahendra Pratap Singh.PMV was one of its own kind and one of the first polytechnic institution in India. This institution provided all the technical courses which wasmuch needed at that time. After travelling all over the world and seeing the progress in other countries Raja saheb had decided that this kindof institution would give benifit to people nation wide.The institution offered courses like carpentary,metal works,weaving textiles and carpets,pottery,etc.It also had its own hostel so that students coming from faroff places could reside.The main objective was that students could learn the skill and use it to earn their living.
Estate gifted-Prem Mahavidyalaya inspired by foreign technological advance. We may briefly recall his thoughts at the gift of his estate and property for the technical college; for he took the technical education to be the foundation for all round development of India, In his own words, "I returned home and began to prepare for the great event - giving away of my property ! I sent out invitations that in August, during the famous Jhulan festival of Brindaban, the ceremony to give name to my first child would performed. On a large scale plans were laid out for a religious ceremony as well as merry making festivities. Our relatives brought gold ornaments and clothes for my son! Friends brought presents. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya ji kindly arrived at my special request. After yagya meeting was held. But here I announced that my son was a technical college wchich i mean to found...Finally the name 'Prem Mahavidyala the college of Love was unanimously adopted." Rani Balbir Kaur Sahiba had not much of objection to the gifting of propery for the technical college,the other mothers of Rajaji, Rani Swarup Kaur and Hanuwant Kaur, had, however, objections to the gifting of the property.It was due to their objections and the advice given by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya ji only half of the Raja's ancestral estate was gifted for the purpose. institution became the symbol of not only the need to train the youth in all round technical education, but the center of the nationalistic aspirations.
Its importance can easily be assessed by looking at the persons who headed as its Acharyas, Shivsaran Fatakwala, Bhai Kotwal,Puranik,Ayodhya Prasad Fatakwala, Sampurnanand, Paripurnanand, Anand Bhikshu,Nand Kumar Dev Vashista, Acharya Gidwani, Acharya Jugal Kishoreand others. Acharya Narendra Dev headed its management committee during 1938-40. Mahatma Gandhi took personal interest in the institutiolin the absence of Raja Mahendra Pratap, and many of the principals were choosen and sent by him. The British became so much obsessed and and afraid of it that it was banned and closed in 1932, and this restriction could only be liftedwhen the first Congress ministry was formed in UP. under pandit Govind Ballabh Pant in 1938.
Trust : Prem Maha Vidhalaya Association formed under the Societies Registration ACT of 1860.on the 29th July 1910 which was created by Rajajii.It has 100 trustees as members.Five villages namely
Sukhea - Entire village
Bural- Entire village
Ukhtearpoor- Entire village
Dhumera- Entire village
Jasnaolee- Entire village
had been donated to support the institution which fetched thirty thousand anually.In thosedays it was considered a big amount.
Present Situation: Today is a sorry sight of the PMV.Unfortunately the trustees have not fulfilled their duties.As a result PMV does not function like how it functioned under Rajaji.The building needs renovation which would require huge expense.The trustees are unable to understand the importance of rajaji's dream.Some organisation has to come forward and save this dream from the clutches of these selfish beings and revive the golden era of specialised education.
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