“Dehra Dun is Part of My Being” : Dr.Indu Singh By Jaskiran Chopra Even if she had not told me that she comes from a well-known Zamindar family of the Doon valley, the aura of grace and dignity she exudes would have told me that her family background has a lot to do with her character and personality . It is difficult not to be impressed by her calm demeanour .She is a picture of simplicity and gentleness and every word she speaks is honest and meaningful and carries a lot of weight .Her measured way of talking can easily hold peoples’ interest . One of the most well-known academicians of Uttarakhand ,Dr.Indu Singh is the role model for thousands of students . And also for the teachers . They look up to her for guidance and inspiration and she has never let any of them down. Principal of the Mahadevi Kanya Pathshala (MKP) PG College,the oldest girls’ degree college(founded in 1902) in the state, she has played an important role in girls’education in the region. The MKP (PG) college has faculties of Arts, Science and Commerce in its curriculum at the undergraduate level and Chemistry, Economics, Hindi, English, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, Home Science and Drawing and Painting classes at the post graduate level. Today there are more than 6000 girls getting education in the primary, intermediate and degree college sections. And Dr.Singh is the highly capable head of this Post Graduate institution. Born and brought up in the Doon valley, Dr.Indu Singh is from the distinguished Rawat family of Ajabpur ,she has beautiful memories of the times when Dehra Dun was a veritable heaven of tranquility and splendour.In conversation with “The Pioneer’ , she relived those lovely times : Q) Tell us about your childhood in the valley. A) It was indeed an idyllic time. I am so proud of the fact that I was born in this beautiful valley . Dehra Dun is part of my being ,my psyche.We rode in Tongas to school . No house had a fence ,there were only hedges ,most of them wild rose hedges.There were lichi and mango orchards all around .I remember how we used to climb the trees ,sit on the branches and eat the fruits –lichis, plums ,mangos, guavas..it is difficult to describe that feeling in words (she smiles).We were never pressurized by our parents or our teachers and had plenty of time to play outdoor games in the evenings .There was no rat race and life was laid back and happy. I am really nostalgic about those times gone by. .How I wish I could turn back the clock! Q) We would like to know about your family. A) My father ,Bharat Singh Rawat , worked at The Doon School in the Central Stores . He cycled every morning from Ajabpur to the Doon School .He left at sharp seven o’clock .We are four sisters and he brought us up all by himself as my mother passed away when I was just four. He used to ready our uniforms and school bags at night .He used to clean his bicycle lovingly and it always used to shine. We all had to leave early and not for a day did we reach our schools late. In the evenings, sackfuls of fresh cucumbers and bhuttas coming in from our fields.In winters , we sat around the fireplace and heard stories from our elders. I don not think there could be a more perfect childhood ! I am blessed to have grown up in this town. My father was a great perfectionist-both at home and at work. He worked with the legendary Mr A.E..Foot and Mr. John Martyn ,the first two headmasters of the Doon School. He used to tell us that at The Doon School, food was served in the most impeccable manner. The bananas included in the breakfast had to be of the same size! No guest at any function was to be served a cup of tea which was even mildly hot. Every cup had to have hot tea. They used Samovars for doing that. Q) Your family owned tea gardens in Niranjanpur. A) The exquisitely flavoured green tea from our gardens came in to our homes. Every guest would be given several packets when we bid them goodbye . The benevolence of our family was something everyone spoke about and still does.We have always been attached to our lands which we cultivate. As long as I can, I would like to grow vegetables and grains in my fields .if everyone sells cultivable land, then who will grow food? Q) Tell us about your school. A) Convent of Jesus and Mary, Dehradun, is my alma mater .It is one of the oldest schools in the valley .When I was at CJM, we had only Irish nuns there. And of course, all our teachers were Anglo Indians who are actually born teachers .Ours was a holistic education.They taught us how to conduct ourselves, how to perfect our speech and grammar ,how to walk, how to sit. It was an education far beyond bookish learning .They inculcated strong values in us not just through the Moral Science Classes but in all our interaction with them.The kind of commitment those nuns and teachers had cannot even be imagined these days.They were concerned about every single student . The nuns had renunciated their families and hardly ever met them. For them, the school and its staff and children were their entire world. We were extremely important for them. The lessons we learnt from them have stood by us in our lives.They were simple lessons of being honest, being upright and being gentle. They taught us the beauty of simplicity. It is because of those lessons that I can be proud of what I am and have the confidence to face the world due to my inner strength . I must say that the Irish sisters and my teachers have had an overpowering influence in making me what I am . They strengthened my moral fibre . In those days, Doon valley was a true centre of excellence as far as school education is concerned. I did my first two years of schooling at Doon Cultural Centre and I must say that the Sookias family contributed greatly to the school. Today it is The Heritage School. Q) Where did you do pursue your higher studies ? A) I came to MKP for my graduation . To tell you the truth, I had been keen on going out of Dehra Dun for higher studies.But my father wanted me to remain in Doon. MKP was a great cultural change after CJM. But soon , it grew on me and adopted me and help me adapt myself to it. It became a part of my being just as CJM was. I realized what a wonderful place this was which brought together girls from varied backgrounds . I had friends from Welham School, from schools in the garhwal hills and from many towns of U.P. There was complete amalgamation.I completed my post graduation and then came back as a young lecturer of Political Science .Since then, I have put in 35 years of service . I have a doctorate in Human Rights. I worked on the topic: “The Politics of Human Rights in the Foreign Policy of India and Pakistan” During the course of my research, I worked intensively with PUCL and depended greatly on reports of the Amnesty International, which have been extensively quoted in my research work. I made a commitment to myself that irrespective of the place I may be in I would in my own way contribute to the upholding of and cultivating respect for Human Rights. I taught this subject to the young girls who were my students, thereby looking for opportunities to mould those young minds, who more often than not were not even aware of the fact that they had some rights. Later on, becoming the Principal of the same college, I realised that I was now in an even better position to do my bit. Hence I organized a great number of Seminars and Workshops at the state and national level, where the issue was always Human Rights. I established for the first time in our college, a Women’s Cell, a 24/7 Helpline, a Women’s Study Centre, a career counseling cell and project “Shrinkhala” that works against female foeticide and infanticide. I have spent more than half my life at MKP .Today, I am what I am because of this great institution. Q) What do you like to read? A) Reading is a passion with me. I grew up reading Victorian classics like Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Silas Marner and Wuthering Heights .Shakespeare’s plays are a favourite with me.And also G.B.Shaw’s works ,especially Pygmalion. When I wo my first debate in college, my prize was “Gone With the Wind’ which is one of my great favourites. I still have that copy of the book in my collection.It is a prized possession.I also like to travel. I went to France on a scholarship in 2006 for a diploma in Human Rights . When I went to Europe, I could feel that I had been to all those places earlier .This happened because I had read about them in all the great classics .Dicken’s characters and places came alive when I went to London. Q) Do you find that students read much less these days? A) Yes, the graph has gone down noticeably . Today, the girls have more of an outdoor life. There is not much discipline . We used to be going from home to college and then back home. Reading was what kept us entertained and enriched our minds and lives.I am glad my daughter has also inherited this love for books . The family can play an important role in inculcating the reading habit among youngsters.It will help them greatly in life. Q) What do you feel about the standard of higher education? A) There is a bulk of students and an emphasis by the authorities on excellence. There is a constant effort on the part of regulatory authorities to promote excellence but due to the large number of students pursuing higher education, this become difficult.In Uttarakhand, courses are being upgraded and the syllabi are among the best in the country.. We have observed that there is a difference in the number of students who take admission and the number which appears for the examination.The semester system and the upgradation of syllabi has made many students feel that they cannot cope up .In years to come, this will ensure the quality and excellence .I think that in a few years’ time, the picture should change. Higher education is at the crossroads. Degrees which had great importance earlier have limited scope today. We ensure that our girls get complete information about the range of courses available. We hold regular counselling and talks by leading people in the industry on career options .Technology is helping students meet international standards. Today’s student can achieve anything with determination. Dr.Indu Singh’s pleasant and straightforward manner made my meeting with her extremely informative and inspirational. She reminded me of the several dedicated educationists the Doon valley had at one time .Definitely , we need more teachers and thinkers like her today.
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 04:15:45 +0000
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