MRS. HELENA KAUSHIK WOMEN'S COLLEGE

Timeline of Events

Inaugural speech by Dr. Surendra Kaushik

Foundation stone laying ceremony

Present and Future Plans

Dr. Suredra Kaushik

Remarks at the Inauguration of Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College, Malsisar 331 028, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, India on Wednesday, August 4, 1999

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen.

This is a great and most fortunate day for Malsisar and the surrounding area.  The presence of so many dignitaries here today heralds a new dawn and a bright future for Malsisar area.  There has never been an opportunity of an intellectual endeavor here before.  So I express my most sincere thanks and gratitude to the leaders in education and politics at the national, state, district and local level to take the trouble to honor the birth of an idea and the first step in the implementation of that idea and ideal.

The notion of a college in Malsisar has been around a long time.  I heard it many times growing up here.  A few years ago my dear friend and classmate from primary school days, Jagdish Prasad Verma, suggested that we should give something back to Malsisar area.  The idea of a college appealed to me but the challenge of creating one seemed daunting.  In the meantime I visited India for ten weeks in 1996 and gave lectures at many universities and research institutions.  In Delhi I stayed at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy created by Dr. Raja J.Chelliah.  NIPFP has become a premier institution of research and policy in economics and budget.  Dr. Chelliah had already set up another research institution, the Madras School of Economics, with M.A. and Ph.D. degree programmes.  He most kindly invited me to the inauguration of the Madras School of Economics by then Vice President K.R. Narayanan in November 1996.  I also gave lectures at the Institute of Economic Growth at the time under the direction of Dr. S.N. Mishra and at the Department of Economics, University of Rajasthan, where I had received my M.A. when Dr. Chelliah was the Chairman, at the time headed by Dr. C.S. Barla.  My hosts were Dr. Ramakant, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the time and Dr. Narain Sinha, currently chairman of that department.  These experiences were inspiring.  Subsequently I discussed the idea with Jagdish Prasad and another dear friend, Dr. Ramesh Bhatia. We then decided to proceed even as the prospect of a political and bureaucratic process to get the necessary approvals made it look like an impossible task.

The horrendous experience began in January 1998 when Dr. G.C. Chaturvedy most kindly introduced me to the then Education Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Lalit Kishore Chaturvedy who sent me to the department of college education.  He made an advance telephone call to the director in which he asked the director to arrange all approvals within ten days.  Ten days became fifteen months.  After fifteen months of hard work, it was most satisfying to receive a positive recommendation of the department of college education inspection team headed by Shri Chiranji Lal Sharma, Principal, Kalyan Post-Graduate College, Sikar.  We cannot forget his remark at the time of inspection that all we had was an idea in the air, no land, and no new buildings.  But he realized, and we truly appreciate his very sharp perception, that idea and willingness to follow it is the most important ingredient in this dream.  We are most thankful to him for his subsequent support.  To cut a very long and painful story short, finally with the help of Honorable Shri Ramnarain Chaudhary and, through his good offices, the help of Honorable Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot we received approval from the Education Minister, Dr. Jitender Singh, MBBS, and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) was awarded on April 12, 1999. 

We had requested the government to grant this land-where we are meeting now-for the new campus in January 1998.  The file was approved, by the Collector of Jhunjhunu, Dr. Manjit Singh,IAS, in January 1999 subject to our obtaining the NOC.  We moved the new Collector Shri Sudhansu Pant, IAS, in April 1999 to forward his recommendation to Jaipur.  He did and today we are very thankful to him.  In respect of getting the land, Shri Hira lal Chaudhary, Sarpanch, and other members of Gokhari Panchayat, the local Patwari, the Naib-Tanshildar, the Tahshildar, the SDM, the ADM, and other officers have been most helpful at the district level. The officers in the education and revenue departments were also helpful.  Shrimati Kamala Beniwal, Minister for Revenue, Rajasthan who approved the land allotment and Dr. Girija Vyas,MP from Udaipur and President, Pradesh Congress, Rajasthan have taken special interest in our college.   The Government of Rajasthan has issued the order on Tuesday, August 3, 1999 grating us 30 acres of this land.

An application for affiliation has been made to the University of Rajasthan.  We hope to receive the approval with the start of the first batch in the academic year 1999-2000.  The vision of the Society (Shivharan Parvati Shikshan Sanstha) establishing this college is to start with a college of liberal arts and then open colleges of agriculture, health sciences, polytechnic and technology, and business over the next twenty years or so.  Funding will come from private donations through the Malsisar Educational and Cultural Trust.

Many people who are on this stage with us today and those who are unable to be here have been equally important is carrying this project forward.  It is most fortunate that I received a yes answer from the members of the Malsisar Educational and Cultural Trust and the Shivkaran Parvati Shikshan Sanshan on first request.  The founding members are: Dr. A.M.Khusro, Chairman, 11^th Finance Commission of India,  Former Ambassador to Germany, Former Member Planning Commission, Former Vice Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University, Former Chairman, Agricultural Price Commission, Former Director, Institute of Economic Growth, and Former professor of Economics, Delhi University termed our project as “College of Excellence” and agreed to be a member despite the great demand he has on his time; Dr. Raja J. Chelliah, Chairman, Madras School of Economics, Former Chairman, NIFPF, Former Advisor to Former Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Former Member, Planning Commission, Former Chief of Fiscal Division, International Monetary Funs, Former Chairman, Department of Economics, University of Rajasthan ; Dr. Kanta Ahuja, Vice Chancellor, University of Rajasthan, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Ajmer, Former Professor of Economics, University of Rajasthan; Dr. S.N. Mishra, Chairman, Society for Economic and Social Research, Former Director, Institute of Economic Growth; Dr. Ramesh Bhatia, Consultant, World Bank, UNICEF, Global Water Partnership, Former Director, Program Evaluation, International Irrigation Management and Research Institute and Former Professor of Economics, Institute of Economic Growth; Dr. Prem Vashishtha, Director, Agricultutal Economics Research center, Delhi University and Former Director, National Council of Applied Economic research,  Satyadeo Joshi, Esq.;  Dr. G.C. Chaturvedy, MD; Shri Mahesh Chaturvedy, Former Commissioner of Labor, and Transportation, Rajasthan;  Smt. Sukhan Chaturvedy;  Dr. Umesh Chaturvedy, MBBS, Fornmer Secretary, Jaipur Medical Society; Shri Purushottam Lal Joshi, Former Senior Lecturer in Hindi, Sujangarh College; Shri Banarsi Lal Sharma, Shri Hira Lal Chaudhary, Sarpanch, Gokhri; Shri Jagdish Prasad Verma, businessman, Malsisar; my mother Shrimati Ratni Devi Chaturvedy Kaushik who has been most supportive and a great source of inspiration ever since I mentioned this idea to her; my brothers Shri Mahabir Prasad Kaushik and Shri Sushil Kumar Kaushik, and my sister Shrimati Sushila Devi Kaushik Purohit.

The struggle to take the first step continues.  We are most happy that with the help of so many people we are taking that step today.  We hope our steps will become faster and our strides stronger with time. Our vision for this institution and for the young women of India on this auspicious occasion is that they will seek out the truth through knowledge, pursue and achieve excellence in all their activities, and be of utmost service to their communities.   We hope the young women, as well as others gathered on the first day of this new college,  are inspired and fired up in their imagination and desire to work hard towards these high but achievable ideals for an honest, hardworking, and a civil India with respect for the individual and the process for a better tomorrow.  We know these things do not happen in a day.  But we must work to create such an India to realize our dreams of progress as members of a civilized world.  We would like this college to take off from this day onwards based on great examples of intellectuals, educators and institution builders such the distinguished guests honoring this stage.

The college is named in honor of my wife, Mrs. Helena Kaushik, an American, who had visited India five times before becoming disabled in 1991.  She is the reason I became an American.  She cannot travel but believes that education is one way, albeit a very significant way, to remove darkness that has descended on present India.  Therefore this effort has been undertaken to create this, what we believe will become, a unique institution of higher education in India.

The mission statement of the college is: Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College will strive to prepare young women in India to achieve excellence in all their endeavors, and to be visionary and effective leaders in their chosen professions and vocations in the service of their communities, India and the world.

It is a singular opportunity for us all on this auspicious occasion to dedicate ourselves to academic excellence for the future of women, indeed the future of India. As we all realize, one important key to improving living conditions in India is education.  The vision of India through its system of higher education which Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru put in place in its colleges, universities, IITs, IIMs, medical colleges and agricultural colleges is what is benefiting India today in science and technology at home and foreign exchange and prestige from its brain power abroad.  Mrs. Indira Gandhi continued that tradition and Mr. Rajiv Gandhi focused on technology and computers.  I hope the current leadership of India has strong feelings for a brighter future for India through its education system, especially increased emphasis on education of young women and men.

We know that the leadership provided by Honorable Governor N.L. Tibrewal, Honorable Dr. Girija Vyas, MP from Udaipur  and Honorable Padam Shri Sis Ram Ola, MP frpm Jhunjhunu  has been important to Rajasthan and India.  These distinguished leaders will always be known for their efforts in education among many other contributions in various leadership roles in their life times.  Rajasthan remains among the poorest of India’s states.  It is a complex problem but I believe, and I am sure you will agree with me, that education is the most important key to the future of Rajasthan and of India.

Many others who have supported us and who have been working hard behind the scenes in the United States and India are: Dr. & Mrs. Ghasi Ram Verma,  Dr. Colin and Mrs. Virginia Steel, Dr. Frank C. and Mrs. Eleanor Genovese,  Mr. Lawrence and  Mrs. Susan  Krackov,  Mr. Milton and Mrs. Barbara Lipton, Mr. James and  Mrs. Kathleen Langley,  Dr. Karel Holbik, Mr. Thomas Holbik, Dr. & Mrs. Shyam Lodha,  Shorav Kaushik, Shobha Kaushik, Mr. I.C. Srivastava, IAS, Judge Jagdish Lal Jat, RJS, Shri B.L. Varma, RAS, Shri K.C. Srivastava, Shri H.N. Tiwari, Shri Jai Kishan Jhunjhunuwala, Shri Narkar Ali Siroha, Shri Jagdish Prasad Bagla, Shri Mahesh Chandra Bagla, Shri Raghunath Vyas,  Dr. & Mrs Rishikesh Sharma, Mr. & Mrs. Yagya Vrat Chandan, Shri T.C. Sharma,  Dr. R.P.S. Malik, Dr. Dharam Pal, Shri Sushil Kumar Sen, Shri K.S. Maheshwari, Mr. & Mrs. J.N. Sharma, Shri Bajrang Lal Chopdar, Shri Banwari Lal Chopdar, Dr. & Mrs. Narain Sinha, Dr. & Mrs. Ramakant, Shri Ramesh Chaturvedy, Shri Sant Kumar Joshi, Shri Ramavtar Joshi, Shri Ranveer Katewa, Shri  and Shrimati Parmeshwari Prasad Khetan, Dr. Chandra Prakash Khetan, Shri Arjun Lal Kedia, Shri Gopal Kedia, Anjana Dharnidharka, Sudha Kedia, Manju Sharma, Nandita, Shri Radhey Shyam Sharma, Sudhir Gadia, Principal Amar Nath Saxena, Principal N. S. Rathore, Dr. Babu Lal Sethi, Shri Nand Lal Chaudhary, all members of the Aurobindo Vidya Mandir, Jhunjhunu, Shri Mali Ram Jangir, Shri Santosh Hakim, Shri Rameshwar Kumhar, Shri Tara Chand Jangir, Shri Radhey Shyam Jagnani, Shri Sudhakar Kaushik, Shri Harsh Vardhan Sharma, Shri Ravindra Kumar Sharma, Shri Gopi Kishan Purohit, Shri Neeraj Purohit, Sangeeta Purohit, Sabita Purohit, and Suchitra Purohitfor.  Let me also thank whose names may have been left out but who have supported us.

I would like to dedicate my remarks today to my mother’s uncle late Shri R.K. Chaturvedy,IAS, Chairman, Board of Revenue, Rajasthan who was a source of inspiration and wisdom to me and a great civil servant first to the Maharajah of Bikaner and then to Rajasthan under independent India.

My message to the present and future students of this college is to pursue Truth, Excellence and Service.

Thank you.

Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College

Malsisar, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, India 331 028

                  Phone: (0159) 7576818 and 7576561

PROGRAM

Monday, February 21, 2000

12:00 Noon To 3:00 P.M.

12:15 P.M.      Prayer (Pooja) – Dedication of the Land

                        Laying of the Foundation Stone

 1: 00 P.M.      Saraswati Vandan (Invocation of the Goddess of Learning Saraswati)

                        Welcome Song By Students

                        Welcome Song By Women of Gokhari and Malsisar

1: 15 P.M.      Honorable Revenue Minister of Rajasthan Shrimati Kamla Ji – Chief Guest

Honorable Member of Parliament from Jhunjhunu, Padam Shri Sis Ram Ola – Chairman

Honorable Member of Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan from Ghuda, Shri Sheo Nath Singh – Guest of Honor

Honorable Member of Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan from Mandawa,

Shri Ramnarain Chaudhary – Guest of Honor

Shri Hem Singh, Former MLA and Former Pradhan (Head), Panchayat Samiti (Association), Alsisar – Special Guest

Shri  Sajjan Mishra, Chair,  Jhunjhunu District Congress Party Committee – Special Guest

Shri Sudhansh Pant, Collector and District Magistrate, Jhunjhunu –Special Guest

Shri C.B. Sharma, ADC to His Excellency the Governor of Rajasthan – Special Guest – Message of  Governor Anshuman Singh

Ashrimati Chanda Jangir, Sarpanch, Malsisar Panchayat (Council) – Resolution Thanking MECT, SPSS and Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College

Shri Mali Ram Jangir, Former Sarpanch, Malsisar Panchayat (Council) – Special Request on Behalf of V.R. Higher Secondary School, Malsisar

Shrimati Ratni Devi Chaturvedy Kaushik-Host

Dr. Surendra K. Kaushik, Founder – Opening Remarks

Shri Mahesh C. Chaturvedy, Chairman, Shivkaran Parvati Shikshan Sansthan  (SPSS)– Welcome

Dr. Babu Lal Sethi – Announcer

2: 15 P.M.      Shri Mahabir Prasad Sharma, Chairman, Malsisar Educational and Cultural Trust (MECT)– Vote of Thanks    

National Anthem

 2: 30 P.M.      Reception             

 R.S.V.P.:        Shri P.L. Joshi, Principal, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College, Malsisar,

Hospitality By:  Shri Jagdish Prasad Verma, Secretary, Malsisar Educational & Cultural Trust 

                        Shri Satya Deo Joshi, Secretary, Shivkaran Parvati Shikshan Sansthan

                        Shrimati Sukhan Chaturvedy, Member, MECT

                        Shri Hiralal Chaudhary, Member, MECT

                        Shri Banarsilal Sharma, Member, MECT                            

                        Shrimati Sushila Devi Kaushik Purohit, Member MECT

Present and Future Plans

Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College

Malsisar, Jhunjhunu, Rajastha 331 028

Phone: (0159) 7576818 and 7576561

Phase I: 1999-2005

Phase II: 2004-2009