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States » NorthPosted at: Apr 29 2025 10:36PM


MP Shiksha Parishad, cornerstone of Gorakhpur University

Gorakhpur, Apr 29 (UNI) Deen Dayal Upadhyay University, the first state university of Uttar Pradesh post-independence formerly known as Gorakhpur University, is set to celebrate its 75th anniversary on Wednesday.
Established on May 1, 1950, with the foundation stone laid by then-CM Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, the university will mark its platinum jubilee with a grand celebration, attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the chief guest.
The CM's presence at the event carries both official and personal significance. As the current Mahant of Gorakshpeeth, which played a key role in the university's founding through the Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad, his involvement underscores the deep historical connection between the institution and the Peeth.
The Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad was founded in 1932 by the then Mahant of Gorakshpeeth, Mahant Digvijaynath. At a time when the idea of setting up a university in Gorakhpur was still in its infancy, Mahant Digvijaynath had already opened two degree colleges under the banner of the Parishad, one for men and another for women, both named after Maharana Pratap.
Principal of Maharana Pratap Degree College Dr Pradeep Kumar Rao said that after India gained independence in 1947, the government began considering establishing a university in UP, with western UP being the initial preference. At this critical moment, Mahant Digvijaynath, along with Bhai Ji Hanuman Prasad Poddar and Sardar Majithia, appealed to the then CM to set up the first state university of independent India in Gorakhpur.
One of the major hurdles in setting up the university was the requirement of assets or funds worth Rs 50 lakh. Mahant Digvijaynath addressed this issue by donating the Maharana Pratap Degree College and the Maharana Pratap Women's Degree College, both run under the MP Shiksha Parishad, for the university's foundation.
These two colleges were valued at Rs 42 lakh. The remaining Rs 8 lakh was arranged through donations from royal families of the nearby princely states. Pandit Surti Narayan Mani Tripathi, the then District Collector and ex-officio chairman of the university’s establishment committee, played a crucial role in acquiring land for the university.
Dr Rao said that the role of MP Shiksha Parishad in the founding of Gorakhpur University is also evident in the composition of the university's establishment committee. Out of the 18 members of the committee, 11 were from the Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad.
To this day, the Parishad considers the university an integral part of itself and continues to have representation in the university's executive council.
On Wednesday, when Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attends the platinum jubilee celebration, memories of Gorakshpeeth, the MP Shiksha Parishad, and its visionary founder, the late Mahant Digvijaynath, will naturally resonate.
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Tags: #MP Shiksha Parishad# cornerstone of Gorakhpur University
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