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| Founders |
R.D. National College is the first college of the Hyderabad
(Sind) National Collegiate Board. Today this Board has over
22 educational institutions catering to students from all backgrounds.
A variety of courses are offered, ranging from Engineering,
Pharmacy and Education to Arts, Science and Commerce.
( Dr. Annie Besant )
The college rose like a phoenix from the ashes of communal fires
of the partition of India in 1947. Established originally in
1922 with the blessings of Dr. Annie Besant and Rishi Dayaram
Gidumal, the college saw a shift in its location from Hyderabad
(Sind) to Bombay in 1949. This was brought about through the
tireless efforts of the founder Principal Mr. K.M. Kundnani
with unstinted support from barrister H.G. Advani. Mr. Kundnani
was the Principal of the college in Sind and in a moment of
emotional impulse promised his harried and anguished teachers
that he would give them jobs in Bombay where he intended to
start a college. Having said that, he was a man possessed and
did not rest till he laid the foundation stone of a transplanted
college in its present location. Rishi Dayaram National college
was born on Linking Road, Bandra, in June 1949. Other colleges
of the Board grew from this parent college due to an extremely
focused attention of the two stalwarts Principal Kundnani and
Barrister Advani.
( Rishi Dayaram Gidumal )
In the mission statement, the college has emphasized a “liberal,
secular and an open minded education”. In this National
College is carrying forward the vision and dream of the founder
Principal.
( Principal KM Kundnani )
In fact an interesting incident speaks volumes about Principal
Kundnani’s broad-mindedness and his secular nature. The
incident concerns the enrollment of the very first student to
the college. While Mr. Kundnani was laying the bricks of the
college (literally - because he actually did the brick work
himself) a young boy came up to him and pointed at the board
“Admission Open” and asked if he could get admission.
Kundnani nodded and directed him to a clerk who was asked to
give the boy a form. When the student filled his name as “Mohd.
Shakir Gaya”, the horrified clerk whispered to Mr. Kundnani,
“Sir, he is a Muslim!”. Kundnani immediately retorted
“So what? Education knows no religion”. This, coming
from a man who still nursed the wounds of partition, having
lost everything, was remarkable. The boy, Mohd. Shakir Gaya,
was to become the apple of the eye of Principal Kundnani. He
became the General Secretary of the college. He later joined
the college as a lecturer in Persian and retired as its Head
of Department. He became the founder president of the Alumni
Association and even today takes great interest in the association
activities, organizing cultural programs among others. The first
student of National college has kept his tryst with the college
thanks to the vision and inspiration of the founder Principal.
National college proudly continues the tradition of secular
education.
Dayaram, a peon in the college, who retired many years ago,
recalled the days he spent with Principal Kundnani. He was the
Principal’s personal peon in Hyderabad (Sind) and traveled
with him to Bombay in the wake of the partition. He had many
tales to tell but the all time favorite was when he and Kundnani
“smuggled” some books and laboratory equipment from
the original college in Sind for the proposed “dream”
college in Bombay. Dayaram recalled that at Marwar station in
Rajasthan, some nasty National Guard personnel entered the train
and began to search the belongings of the passengers. One burly
fellow asked Dayaram “What is in the trunk?” Dayaram
began to sweat. Kundnani replied nonchalantly “The trunk
contains a huge treasure.” The word ‘treasure’
sent the imagination of all the guards running wild. They forced
the lock open and were shocked to see that the contents were
nothing but ‘books and laboratory equipment’. They
declared, “You call this treasure? You must be mad.”
They gave a rude shove to Dayaram and left the train in a huff.
The ‘treasure’ is still in the college today, finding
a place of pride in the library and the Physics department because
these were the academic foundation of the college.
The college stage has been the launching pad of many creative
talents. Amjad Khan, the fiery dacoit of ‘Sholay’
learnt and developed his acting talents on the college stage.
Jaaved Jaffri, put on his dancing shoes first on this stage.
There are many more to whom the college has given unflinching
support in the realization of their talents. The College has
a very dynamic faculty and has had stalwarts like Prof. Sadanand
Varde, ex-Education Minister, Prof.Vasant Bapat the great Marathi
playwright, Prof. Lila D’Souza, former principal at St.Andrew’s
College, imparting education to students.
National College is committed to fulfilling the dream of the
founding fathers – Principal Kundnani and Barrister Advani
and has kept the college motto “Play the Game” as
the guiding star. In 1949, as the college flag unfurled for
the first time, the founders knew that it would never sag. Those
who followed them would keep the flag flying. National is proud
to say that the colors of the flag have not faded and that it
is still flying high with full dignity, glory and splendor. |
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