History of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith

FOUNDATION :   Kashi Vidyapith having present nomenclature since 1995 as Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith has,in fact been the action field of Indian National Movement as also a place of pilgrimage of Indian Socialist Movement.Founding resolution of "RASHTRA RATNA"Babu Shiva Prasad Gupt,inspiration of the "FATHER OF THE NATION" Mahatma Gandhi and brilliance of "BHARAT RATNA" Dr.Bhagwan Das were jointly responsible for the birth of this national educational institution.It was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi during the Non-Cooperation movement of the freedom struggle;on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami on February 10,1921.

BACKGROUND :Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith owes its birth to the educational ,cultural & political aspiration of pre-independence India. The early period of this institution pulsated with the National freedom struggle.The teaching faculty of this institution provided original dimensions to the concept and movement of Indian Socialism . After seeing an educational institution in Japan during his visit to that country in 1913-14, Babu Shiva Prasad Gupt drew inspiration to establish an institution in India, free from goverment aid or interference.The boycott of government-aided educational institutions during the Non-Cooperation movement coupled with Mahatma Gandhi's programme of National Education exerted a great deal of influence on Babu Shiva Prasad Gupt. As a consequence the Vidyapith came into being. Students joining Mahatma Gandhi's boycott call took admission in the Vidyapith. "Bharat Ratna", Babu Shiva Prasad Gupt established the "Har Prasad Smarak Nidhi" in the memory of his deceased brother,for the operation of the Vidyapith,which subsequently proved to be a fertile nursery of National Freedom movement activities.

Bharat Ratna Dr.Bhagwan Das was the first Vice-chancellor of Kashi Vidyapith. Great persons like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Bhagwan Das, Lala Lajpat Rai, Jamuna Lal Bajaj, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Babu Shiva Prasad Gupt, Acharya Narendra Dev, Krishna Kant Malviya, P.D.Tandon were associated with the first board of Management of Kashi Vidyapith. The founding ceremomy of the Vidyapith reverberated with the recital of holy Vedic Mantras as well as excerpts from the holy Quran in the presence of Educationists, learned persons and Nationalists such as Pandit Motilal Nehru, Maulana Mohammed Ali and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. In the illustrious tradition of students & graduates of Kashi Vidyapith, names of persons like Chandra Shekhar Azad, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Pt. Kamlapati Tripathi, Prof. Raja Ram Shastri, B.V.Keskar A.R.Shastri, Mananathnath Gupt, Pranavesh Chatterjee, T.N.Singh, Harinath Shastri, Bhola Paswan Shastri & Ram Krishna Hegde deserve special mentoin.

Established in the pre-independence era with the resolution to keep the institution away from government recognition and grants the Vidyapith was accorded the status of "Deemed University" by the U.G.C. in the year 1963.This epoch making event started a new chapter in the history of the institution.Babu Sampurnanand was appointed as the Chancellor and Acharya Birbal Singh as Vice-chancellor. As the chief minister of U.P., Pt.Kamlapati Tripathi initiated a state government resolution to make his alma mater a statutory university.On 15th January 1974,his ambition fructified. At this point of time, Prof. Raghukul Tilak was the Vice-chancellor & the Governor of U.P became the Chancellor in accordance with the U.P.University Act. At present the M.G.Kashi Vidyapith is flourishing under the able leadership of Vice-chancellor, Dr Prithvish Nag.

OBJECTIVES :Commitment to democracy,equality of all religions ,staunch support to nationalism and to Indian socialism & enrichment of Hindi as a national language has been throughout a praiseworthy tradition of the Vidyapith . As per the declaration contained in the founding resolution of the Vidyapith, the objectives of this national educational institution are as follows:

To strive to enhance and propagate:

• The development of Indian civilization & culture based on spiritualism.
• Homogeneous intermingling of all the sections of Indian society.
• Coordination among different thoughts and cultures.
• The notion of independence and patriotism along with the feeling of brotherhood & the urge to serve mankind.
• Ancient and modern development in the fields of various disciplines of learning , sculpture , science , technology etc.