Amaranath Jha (25 February 1897 – 2 September 1955) was the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the

University of Allahabad The University of Allahabad is a Central university (India), Central University located in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. It was established on 23 September 1887 by an act of Parliament and is recognised as an Institute of National Importance (INI). ...

and the

Banaras Hindu University Banaras Hindu University (BHU), formerly Benares Hindu University, is a collegiate, central, and research university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, and founded in 1916. The university incorporated the Central Hindu College, ...

. He was the son of Mahamahopadhyay Dr. Sir

Ganganath Jha Mahamahopadhyaya Sir Gaṅgānāth Jhā (25 December 1872 – 9 November 1941) was a scholar of Sanskrit, Indian philosophy and Buddhist philosophy. He is considered to have probably translated more Sanskrit philosophical texts than any o ...

, a great scholar of Sanskrit Amaranath Jha was reputed as the ablest professor of English literature in India of his time. He was Head of the Department of English at the University of Allahabad for a long time, being appointed to the post at the young age of thirty-two. He succeeded his father as Vice-Chancellor of the Allahabad University and then became vice chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University in succession to Dr.

Radhakrishnan Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (; 5 September 188817 April 1975; natively Radhakrishna) was an Indian academician, philosopher and statesman who served as the President of India from 1962 to 1967. He previously served as the vice president of ...

. He worked as Vice Chairman of the committee for the project leading to the establishment of the

National Defence Academy The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the joint defence service training institute of the Indian Armed Forces. Here, cadets of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force train together before they go on to their respective service a ...

. He was one amongst eminent dignitaries associated with the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sanstahan, Allahabad. At the end of his academic career, he was made the Chairman of the

Bihar Public Service Commission The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) is a government body under the state of Bihar, India, established by the Constitution of India, to recruit candidates for various state government jobs in Bihar through competitive examinations. Histor ...

(1 April 1953 – 1 September 1955).

Honours

In 1910-11 the Muir Hostel was constructed.

Allahabad University The University of Allahabad is a Central University located in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. It was established on 23 September 1887 by an act of Parliament and is recognised as an Institute of National Importance (INI). It is the 4th oldest mode ...

renamed it as "Amarnath Jha Hostel" to pay him regards. hostels' history say that Dr. Amarnath Jha as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Allahabad was himself also the warden of the Muir Hostel. He was among the first recipients of the civilian honour of

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

(1954).

Personal life

Dr. Amarnath Jha was born in a Maithil Shrotriya Brahmin family of

Mithila Mithila may refer to: Places * Mithilā, a synonym for the ancient Videha state ** Mithilā (ancient city), the ancient capital city of Videha * Mithila (region), a cultural region (historical and contemporary), now divided between India and Nepa ...

( Sarisab-Pahi ) in

Bihar Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...

. He died at an early age of fifty nine on 2 September 1955 at

Patna Patna (; , ISO 15919, ISO: ''Paṭanā''), historically known as Pataliputra, Pāṭaliputra, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, ...

. Dr. Amarnath Jha was a great scholar, a consummate speaker and an administrator par excellence. In 1920, he edited the 15th century's famous Sanskrit literature text "''Rasarnava''" written by the eminent Sanskrit scholar

Sankara Mishra Sankara Mishra (Sanskrit: शंकर मिश्र), also known as Shankara Mishra, was an Indian Vedic scholar during the 15th century in Mithila. He was a scholar of Vaisheshika school of thought in the Indian philosophy. Vaisheshika philoso ...

References

External links

University of Allahabad official webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jha, Amarnath Scholars from Bihar University of Allahabad alumni Vice-chancellors of Banaras Hindu University Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education Indian Sanskrit scholars 20th-century Indian scholars 1897 births 1955 deaths