Academics rue lack of benefactors for PU

Patna: Will 99-year-old Patna University (PU) get some benefactors to help it overcome its acute financial crisis and ensure infrastructural and academic development? This question is being asked by academics even as the university is gearing up to organize its centenary celebrations in a grand way shortly.
Ironically, a large number of philanthropists had contributed significantly to the growth of PU in the pre-British era, but now very few of them are coming forward for its help.While in 1925, Raja Devki Nandan Prasad of Munger donated Rs 1.75 lakh for the construction of the Wheeler Senate House, the Maharaja of Darbhanga also contributed liberally for PU's development. The Darbhanga House complex, accommodating most of the postgraduate departments of humanities and social science faculties, used to be the residential palace of the Maharaja.
Another great benefactor of the university was Sir Ganesh Datta Singh, who donated much of his belongings to it. He created two funds, Sir Ganesh Datta Loan Scholarship Fund in 1931 and Sir Ganesh Datta Singh Trust Fund in 1933. In March 1920, Raja Kalanand Singh and Raja Krityanand Singh Bahadur of the erstwhile Banaili Raj offered Rs 20,000 for the creation of a university readership in Indian economics and a sum of Rs 5000 for the PU library.
While in February 1924, Rai Bahadur Sukhraj Ray of Nathnagar in Bhagalpur donated Rs 20,000 for the endowment of a university readership in natural sciences, in 1925, Rai Bahadur Ram Ran Vijay Sinha, the proprietor of Khadga Vilas Press in Patna endowed the Ramdin readership in Hindi. Later, Rai Bahadur Bindeshwari Prasad Singh of Darbhanga offered to make an annual grant of Rs 2,500 for the appointment of a lecturer in Hindi to be known as the Ganga Prasad lecturer.
Other prominent donors included Sir Edward Albert Gait, Sachhidanand Sinha, Rai Bahadur Surendra Nath Banerji, Ali Hasan, Rai Bahadur J L Dhar, and Rai Bahadur Braj Raj Krishna.
During the post-independence era, several ex-students came forward to help their alma mater. Former Lok Sabha member Ranjan Yadav donated more than Rs 30 lakh from the MP's fund for the construction of a geological museum-cum-auditorium at Patna Science College. The second floor of an examination hall of the college was constructed and furnished with the generous contribution of Anita Sharma, wife of late Chandrashekhar Sharma, a renowned mathematician and alumnus of the college. Sharma donated Rs 25 lakh for the construction of the hall.
A few years back, Patna College, the oldest institution of higher education in the state, had also attracted some of its alumni with generous grants. Former Rajya Sabha member Mahendra Prasad and Patna College alumnus, had donated Rs 2 crore for the development of his alma mater. While a sum of Rs 1 crore was earmarked for the development of Patna College, Rs 50 lakh was given for repairing Jackson Hostel. Another sum of Rs 50 lakh was meant for purchasing computers for the use of students and faculty members.
Unfortunately, PU has never approached its alumni for financial support. "If sincere efforts are made in this direction, the university will not face any problem of funds for completion of its pending projects," said former PU social science faculty dean Nawal Kishore Chaudhary.
Patna University Teachers' Association general secretary Anil Kumar pointed out that quite a few higher educational institutions were started in India by Indian philanthropists. While Tatas started Indian Institute of Science, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University was started by Madan Mohan Malviya. But gradually with the government taking charge of the higher education system in the country, philanthropy for this sector has dried up. In its centenary year, PU should bring back the culture of giving back with many of its alumni in India and abroad contributing significantly, he added.