Dr. Hari Singh Gaur

Dr. Hari Singh Gaur was a renowned educationist, jurist, social reformer, writer (poet and novelist), philanthropist, and patriot. He was born on November 26, 1870, in the Shani Chari Tauri ward of Sagar district (formerly part of the British Central Provinces, now Madhya Pradesh), Bundelkhand region.

He belonged to the Kshatriya varna, Bharadwaj gotra, and Gaur lineage. His grandfather, Man Singh Gaur, participated in the Bundela rebellion and later took up farming.

Early Life and Education

Hari Singh Gaur’s childhood name was Har Prasad Singh Gaur. After his father, Takht Singh, left the police job, the family moved to Jabalpur where Hari Singh completed his primary education in Sagar. He studied in a private school and then at Katra Hindi school followed by Municipal High School.

Due to his sharp intellect, he quickly became a favorite among teachers. He completed his education up to 8th grade in just two years and earned a monthly government scholarship. Though he initially failed matriculation due to mental distress after a legal case incident, he later excelled in matric and received prizes and scholarships. He studied at Free Church Institution (now Hislop College) and later went to Downing College, Cambridge for higher studies.

At Cambridge, he distinguished himself in mathematics and was deeply interested in the works of Macaulay. Despite facing racial discrimination in scholarship competitions, he continued to write poetry and gained literary recognition. He met the famous poet Lord Tennyson who encouraged him.

Hari Singh Gaur excelled in debates and was recognized as a skilled orator. He was the first among speakers in competitions between Cambridge and Oxford. He was chosen to represent Cambridge at Oxford and also invited to assist election campaigns for prominent leaders.

He completed honors degrees in philosophy, economics, and law at Cambridge. Later, he received a D.Litt. from the University of London and Trinity College Dublin.

Career as Administrator and Lawyer

After returning to India, Hari Singh Gaur was appointed Executive Administrative Commissioner (EAC) in Bhandara by Chief Commissioner Anthony Macdonald. He quickly resolved many pending court cases and became known for his legal acumen.

He left government service to pursue law due to financial ambitions and started practicing in Raipur, Nagpur, Calcutta, Lahore, and Rangoon. He also practiced in England during World War II.

He authored several authoritative legal books including:

• Law of Transfer of Property Act (1902)
• Comparative Commentary on the Indian Penal Code (1909), a two-volume work of 3000 pages, highly regarded by lawyers and students.
• Hindu Law (1919), based on deep study of classical texts.

Social Reformer and Politician

Hari Singh Gaur contested elections twice unsuccessfully for the Imperial Council. Later, he became a member of the Legislative Council from 1920 to 1935. As a lawmaker, he proposed several bills including:

• Abolishing the Devadasi system, making it illegal under IPC sections 372 and 373.
• Enacting the Hindu Religious and Charitable Trusts Act.
• Granting women the right to practice law.
• Passing the Children Protection Act.

He was the leader of the opposition Democratic Party in the council and influenced many reforms, including the establishment of a stamp and ticket printing factory in Nasik.

Educationist and Founder of Universities

• First Vice Chancellor of Delhi University (1921–1924)
• Twice Vice Chancellor of Nagpur University (1928, 1936)
• President of a conference of 27 universities of the British Empire in England

After World War II, he returned to India and laid the foundation for Sagar University (formerly Sagar University) in Madhya Pradesh in 1946 without government aid. He was the founding Vice Chancellor and donated two-thirds of his wealth (~2 crore INR) for the university.

He chose the university’s location at Patharia Hills near Sagar and established departments modeled after Cambridge University.

Literary Contributions

Dr. Gaur was a prolific writer with works including novels, poetry, autobiography, and essays. Notable works:

• Novel: His Only Love
• Book: Spirit of Buddhism — a serious and philosophical study widely respected in Buddhist countries.
• Collection: Fact and Fancies — essays reflecting his philosophy, scientific and progressive thoughts.
• Poetry collection: Random Rhymes — expressing nature love, nationalism, and mastery over English.

Legacy

Dr. Hari Singh Gaur passed away on December 25, 1949. In 1983, the Sagar University was renamed Hari Singh Gaur University in his honor.

He envisioned the development of Sagar city with facilities like a university, airport, good railway station, water projects, and even contemplated making it the state capital.

Renowned Hindi poet Maithili Sharan Gupt praised him as a great scholar and philanthropist whose knowledge gift is immortal.