Irony of Dyal Singh Majithia

A controversial decision to rename Delhi University's Dyal Singh College as 'Vande Mataram Morning College' was taken by the management committee in November 2017. The decision was taken "to remind our students of (the) freedom struggle," Pawan Kumar Sharma told India Today.

Dyal Singh College Campus, New Delhi

The move has evoked strong reaction from Sikh bodies as well as Congress backed student body NSUI. Opposing this decision are SGPS and DSGMC. Sikhs have claimed that the resolution adopted by the governing body was unconstitutional and illegal. and any effort to belittle the contribution of Dyal Singh Majithia that would not be tolerated.

The Dyal Singh College website acknowledges that the college owes its existence to Majithia and his foresight in setting up an education trust for a truly secular college. The move is being perceived as a design to wipe out the legacy of Dyal Singh Majithia.

Who was Dyal Singh?

Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia (1848–98) was a progressive Sikh leader who made several key contributions and social reform measures in Punjab. He managed the affairs of Golden Temple for 30 years. He also established Tribune newspaper in Lahore in 1881, and later remained founder chairman of the Punjab National Bank, established in 1894. He established Dyal Singh Trust Society.

Dyal Singh Majithia

Dyal Singh Majithia managed the Golden Temple affairs for thirty years after annexation of Punjab by the British. He was the liberal and pro-British voice but worked collaboratively alongside the pro-freedom Akalis on issues affecting the Sikh nation.

A successful businessman and philanthropist, Dyal Singh Majithia was the founder of The Tribune newspaper and Punjab National Bank. His first creation was Tribune - a newspaper in English with the Indian and Sikh perspective. It is quite remarkable that Dyal Singh could achieve the impossible, create a worthwhile Indian-owned newspaper in English, only a few years after Punjab was annexed.

Tribune Lahore - Bhagat Singh execution

The newspaper grew from strength to strength during the life-time of the founder. Now it was time to do something different. Sardar Dyal Singh launched Punjab National Bank, the first Punjabi bank. This bank soon gained strength and popularity until it was nationalized by Indira Gandhi in 1970s.

Founders - Punjab National bank

Dyal Singh Trusts

Dyal Singh was a great reformist and philanthropist but he wanted his legacy to live after him. He first approached Sikhs in establishing a Trust in his name that would be managed by the Sikhs but carry his name. The Sikh  leaders refused the offer and did not want the trust in the name of an individual. Dyal Singh then approached the Bram Kumari movement started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a Bengali freedom fighter and reformist of his time.

After his death, his wealth was divided between three trusts. One of these was an education trust that set up Dyal Singh College in Lahore in 1910. The college moved to India only after Partition. A Dyal Singh College was established in Karnal and in Delhi. The other trust established the Dyal Singh Trust Library in Lahore.

The Great Betrayal

After the partition of the country in 1947, Dyal Singh College, Dyal Singh Majithia Hall, Dyal Singh Mansions and Dyal Singh Library still exists by the same name, it is a tribute to Sardar Dyal Singh’s transcendent qualities that Pakistan Government retained his name for the college and library.

Amitabh Sinha, the chairman of the governing body and a BJP leader has broken the promise made to Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia that the college would maintain a secular profile and carry his name in its legacy.

Betrayal by Amitabh Sinha of Dyal Singh College

The Sardar had founded these trusts with great care. His trustees were well-chosen, and they have tried so far to keep his inspiring philosophy alive. Even Partition has not killed the trusts but the right wing organization now wants to erase the name of Dyal Singh Majithia from its history. The trust had purchased this land in Delhi to set up Dyal Singh College and not any other institution.

Did Sardar Majithia made a blunder in donating his estate to those who will one day betray his trust and legacy? Let's hope the sanity and gratitude prevails over these ungrateful management of Dyal Singh College ...

References

1. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/dyal-singh-evening-college-vande-mataram-morning-college-delhi-university/1/1092308.html
2. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/who-was-dyal-singh-majithia/article20739500.ece
3. https://punjabupdate.com/design-wipe-legacy-philanthropist-dyal-singh-majithia-delhi.html
4. https://lahorenama.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/lahores-proud-son-sardar-dyal-singh-majithia/
5. http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr98/f0409984.html
6. http://www.tribuneindia.com/1998/98sep09/founder.htm