A new book, ‘Delhi University: Celebrating 100 Glorious Years’, edited by Hardeep Singh Puri was launched at the prestigious Hindu College of Delhi University on 27 September 2022 to commemorate the university’s landmark birthday. The university celebrated its 100th anniversary on 1 May 2022.
Editor of the book, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, who is himself an alumnus of Hindu College, is a career diplomat with an illustrious four-decade-long career in diplomacy. An author of three books, he said at the launch that the university is among the most successful in the country and a leading centre of excellence. The book launch was attended by other contributors to the book, including former Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh, and former assistant secretary-general, of the United Nations and deputy executive director of UN WOMEN, Lakshmi Puri. Renowned actor, Amitabh Bachchan wrote the foreword for the book.
Popularly called DU, Delhi University, or the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university that was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly. Recognized as an Institute of Eminence by the University Grants Commission of India, it has become one of India’s largest institutions of higher learning and is among the largest universities in the world. The university has 16 faculties and 86 departments distributed across its North and South campuses, 77 constituent colleges and five other institutes. The Vice President of India serves as the university chancellor.
The university initially had two faculties (Arts and Science) and approximately 750 students. At that time, only four colleges existed in Delhi, namely, St. Stephen's College founded in 1881, Hindu College founded in 1899, Zakir Husain Delhi College (then known as The Delhi College) founded in 1792 and Ramjas College founded 1917. They were subsequently affiliated to the university.
The silver jubilee year of the university in 1947 coincided with India's independence. Then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru attended a special ceremony held in 1948, as no convocation ceremony could be held in 1947 due to the partition of India. The special ceremony was also attended by Lord Mountbatten, Lady Mountbatten, Abul Kalam Azad, Zakir Husain and Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar. The golden jubilee celebrations of the university in 1973 were also attended by then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. Satyajit Ray, Amrita Pritam, and M. S. Subbulakshmi were amongst the other eminent guests.
It is this interesting journey that inspired the book. A number of India’s consequential nation-builders and opinion-makers have emerged from the grounds of this University. Its alumni include political leaders, jurists, artists, diplomats, entrepreneurs, and litterateurs. Ever since its inception in 1922, a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research has made the University of Delhi a role model and a trendsetter. Its rich academic tradition has attracted talented students, many of whom have made important contributions to society.
The book includes 14 engaging essays that highlight the unique appeal of the University, reflecting its glorious past, inspiring present, and progressive vision for the future. In his graciously written foreword, Amitabh Bachchan gives a disarmingly humble account of his time at Kirori Mal College. Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor has written an eloquent piece about his time at St. Stephen’s College, and the honourable Justice D. Y. Chandrachud has written about the quality of education at DU and the academic temperament that two of its colleges instilled in him. Minister Kiren Rijiju has narrated his experience of studying at Hansraj College, where he could absorb the DU experience that helped expand his horizons.
Dr Meenakshi Gopinath, former Principal of Lady Shri Ram College added a scholarly account of the engendering of Higher Secondary Education in India as well as DU's instrumental role in the cause. A leading student of the same college, former Ambassador and UN executive, Lakshmi Puri, has written about the formative role the institution played in shaping her later work towards gender empowerment.
Speaking at the event, Minister Puri said that there are far greater tributes that lie ahead for the esteemed institution. He expressed the hope that the anthology, which brings together the views and opinions of some of the University’s alumni from various fields, would be just the beginning of a more serious and thoughtful examination of the legacy of the university and its indelible impact on higher education in India. The anthology will provide an inside view of one of the most prestigious public universities in the country to prospective students who have hitherto only seen the university from afar. Those intimately familiar with the institution will be able to reconnect with their fondest memories through the words of some of its most famous alumni.
