V University Lectureships 1 STEPHANOS NIRMALENDU GHOSH LECTURESHIP. In August, 1919, Mr. G. C. Ghosh of 2, Simla Street, Calcutta, made over to the University 3 per cent. Government Promissory Notes for one lac of rupees for the institution, in memory of his son, of a course of lectures on Comparative Religion to be delivered before the University of Calcutta according to appointment made at stated intervals of not more than three years, the lecturer to be appointed after advertisement in the celebrated Universities of the world. The donor stated that his desire was that the lecturer should, in dealing with the subjects of his lectures, endeavour to show that the highest ideal for man lay in love and service to his fellowmen according to the essence of the teaching and life of Christ, and that life lived under the Guidance of this ideal constituted the highest advancement of human personality, the acceptance of a particular creed or dogma being of subordinate importance. From G.C. Ghosh, Esq., 2 Simla Street, Calcutta, to the Vice-Chancellor, I am desirous of making over to the University of Calcutta 34% G.P. Notes for one lac of rupees for the following purpose :— The University is to appoint an eminent Savant by advertising to the celebrated Universities of the world to deliver a series of lectures in Comparative Religion quinquennially in the cold season in Calcutta, to be called " Stephanos Nirmalendu Ghosh Lectures, whose remuneration will be paid from the 4 years' accumulated income from the above described Securities, after deducting from it the approximate cost of printing about 1,000 copies of his Lectures. By a previous arrangement by the Calcutta University with the Lecturer, tif he kindly so agrees and one or two other Universities in India so desire, he may deliver such lectures also in other places in India. It is my desire that in dealing with the subjects of his Lectures it will be the aim of the Lecturer to show that the highest ideal for man is in unselfish love and service to his fellow-man which is the essence of the teachings of Christ. I shall be glad if my offer is accepted. From G. C. Ghosh, Esq., 2, Simla Street, Calcutta, to the Vice-Chancellor, Calcutta University, Calcutta, dated, the 11th March, 1919, In continuation of my letter to you on the 10th instant regarding the foundation of lectures in Comparative Religion by me quinquennially in Calcutta, I desire to say for removal of any ambiguity that the lectures to be arranged by your University to be delivered in other places shall be after such lectures have been first delivered in Calcutta every time, From G. C. Ghosh, Esq., 2, Simla Street, Calcutta, to the Vice-Chancellor, Calcutta University, Calcutta, dated the 28th April, 1919. With reference to my previous correspondence regarding the Lectureship. on Comparative Religion founded by me, I have the honour to request you to consider this letter as a part of the same for the future guidance of the University and the Lecturers to be appointed under the scheme. (1) If the University thinks that quinquennial lectures would make the intervals too long for effect and that three years' income from the Endowment will be adequate for securing the service of the Lecturer, the lectures may be given quaternially and the three years' accumulated income may be availed of, instead of four years' as stated in my first letter. (2) I think it would be well under the circumstances if Rs. 1,000 or so be spent towards the publication of the lectures, instead of having a thousand copies of them published as suggested in my first letter, as I consider the latter measure would mean too much expense in view of the increased cost of paper and printing. (3) As I have stated in my first letter I beg to state, in order to be more explicit, that my object is to show the young men of my country that it is not meant that men's eternal welfare should depend upon any belief, the interpretation of a particular text or the acceptance of a religious creed, but that he is required to love and serve his fellow beings whereby he would be able to live the life that is required of him by God. It is found that centuries of schools of thought and religious discussions have resulted only in hatred and persecu tion of those who have sincerely differed from the views dominant at the time, instead of producing love and sacrifice which only are acceptable offerings to God. (4) My object is not to show the superiority of a particular religion but to show that in the dealing out of man's unselfish love and service to man, i.e., in living the religion of love constitutes the highest advancement of his personality. From G. C. Ghosh, Esq., 2, Simla Street, Calcutta, to the Registrar, Calcutta University, dated the 5th August, 1919. "I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 2nd instant intimating to me that my offer of one lac of rupees for founding a Lectureship on Comparative Religion to be called "The Stephanos Nirmalendu Ghosh Lectures" has been accepted by your University, and that any suggestion s that I might make in its connection your University would take them into consideration and that one lac of rupees in Government Promissory Notes might now be sent by me to the University. (1) I am glad that your University is willing to let the Lectures be founded by me on the conditions stated in my first letter and I am grateful for its acceptance of the suggestions made by me in my letter of the 28th April last and that it is willing to take any further suggestions that I would like to make about them. (2) If the University will make the Lectures quaternial as has been desired by me in my letter of the 28th April last, the lectures for the first time will be delivered in the Winter of 1922, and the interest of the Government Promissory Notes for 1919, 1920 and 1921 will be used to meet the expenses of the same. (3) I trust your University will be so good as to arrange for all things I have desired in connection with the Lectures before they are delivered in Calcutta and elsewhere, (4) It is my wish the lectures should be delivered in a central academic place where a large audience is expected to gather by previous notifications in public places and in two public prints for the information of the Mofussil people. (5) I think it would be well if the delivery of the lectures be inaugurated and opened every year by a distinguished gentleman. (6) I think it would be well also if some University authority will kindly be present during the delivery of the lectures till their end to keep order at the place. (7) I shall be obliged if you will inform me to whom I shall endorse over and deliver the Government Promissory Notes. (8) I shall be grateful if I be supplied with the abstracts of deliberations of the University about my endowment from time to time. (9) In conclusion I beg to suggest for the consideration of the Lecturer that my object is (a) to help the moral and spiritual advancement of my countrymen by helping the unfoldment of the Divinity in them which is calculated to make them truly happy, (b) that the Lecturer will aim to show that excepting the fundamental truths of the Godhead and its attributes, viz., Love, Wisdom, etc., which are acknowledged by all civilized men, creeds, dogmas, canons, etc., of the religions past and present which were necessary in the time of their first promulgation have no permanent value, just as in all living organisms we find elimination of the old and decayed cells is incessantly going on and newer cells are coming forth for the formation of newer bodies. So it may be proper to think that God's revelation was not closed in the past when the creeds, etc., were fixed, and so if the fountain of revelation has not dried up they should not be made to hinder the reign of an ever higher conscience in human mind, if a religion is to be taken as an institution having a norm of life within it. So the true and lasting form of religion will be based upon the inner supremacy of reason purified by revelation above any external authority, dogma, etc., which are inadequate to sustain a feeling of obligation. Although I venture to make these my humble suggestions, I do not like to make them binding upon any Lecturer who I trust will be a Godfilled man and knowing his duties well." The generous offer of Mr. Ghosh was thankfully accepted by the Senate at their meeting held on the 29th March, 1919. The following rules were adopted by the Senate at their meeting held on the 27th September, 1919. (1) (a) That a course of lectures on Comparative Religion be delivered in English once in every three years; (b) that the Course do consist ordinarily of eight lectures, and be delivered not more than twice a week. (2) That the honorarium of the lecturer be Rs. 9,000. (3) That the copyright in the lectures do vest in the University. (4) (a) That the cost of publication of an edition (consisting ordinarily of 500 copies) be paid by the University; (b) that of the sum required for this purpose, Rs. 1,000 be paid out of the endowment fund, and the balance if any be paid out of the general funds of the University, and (c) that the sale proceeds be placed to the credit of the endowment fund. (5) That the first course of lectures be delivered during the cold weather of the session 1921-22, (6) That applications be invited by public advertisement in the principal Indian, British, Colonial, American and Continental Universities, selected Theological Colleges not connected with Universities and selected newspapers. (7) That the advertisement do state that applicants are expected to send a brief syllabus indicating the scope of the lectures proposed to be delivered. (8) That on each occasion, the advertisement be issued at least two years and a half before the time fixed for the delivery of the lectures and candidates be required to submit their applications on or before a prescribed date at least one and а half years previous to such time. (9) That a Committee of five members be appointed by the Senate in each instance to report on the applications received. (10) That it be a condition of appointment of each lecturer that he will deliver to the University a complete copy of his lectures within one month after their delivery. (11) That the Senate be at liberty to invite at any time an eminent scholar to accept the lectureship even though he may not have applied. Lecturer. 1921-22 Prof. A. A. Macdonell, M.A., Ph.D., D.O.L. 2 ADHARCHANDRA MOOKERJEE LECTURESHIP. Mr. Adharchandra Mookerjee, M.A., B.L., Emeritus Professor of History, Scottish Churches College, and member of the Senate, placed in the hands of the Hon'ble Sir Asutosh Mookerjee, Kt., C.S.I., President of the Councils of Post-Graduate Teaching in Arts and Science, G. P. Notes amounting to Rs. 8,000 supplemented by a further donation of Rs. 1,000 for promotion of Post-Graduate Teaching in this University on the following conditions: 1. That a Lectureship be instituted for the delivery of a course of two lectures annually by a distinguished scholar, on a selected subject connected with Letters or Science. 2. That the subject be so chosen as to represent these two departments alternately.. 3. That the Lectures and the subject be selected by the Post-Graduate Council in Arts or Science as the case may be. 4. That the lectures be publicly delivered at the Senate House and be printed and published as soon as possible after delivery. 5. That the honorarium payable to the Lecturer be the income of the Fund for the year together with such supplementary sum, if any, as the Senate may from time to time direct, 6. That the names of the Lecturers and their subjects be published in the University Calendar. The Senate at its meeting of the 23rd November 1918 accepted the gift with thanks and the Lectureship was named "Adharchandra Mookerjee Lectureship" after the Founder. RAJA KIRTYANAND SINHA BAHADUR AND KUMAR Kumar Ganganand Sinha, B.A., offered to pay Rs. 1,200 annually for maintaining a Maithili Chair in the University for the promotion of study of Maithili with special reference to research, for at least five years in case it was created with the money offered by his uncle the Hon'ble Raja Kirtyanand Sinha, Bahadur, B.A., of Benaili and Kumar Kalikanand Sinha of Srinagar. The offer was thankfully accepted by the Senate at its Meeting held on the 23rd August, 1919. Raj Benaili Lecturer. 1919-21 1922-23 Pandit Khuddi Jha. 4 TANKANATH CHAUDHURI LECTURESHIP. Mr. Tankanath Chaudhuri, Zamindar, Maldwar Estate, offered to pay Rs. 1,200 annually for 3 years as pay of a Lecturer in Maithili. The offer was thankfully accepted by the Senate at its meeting held on the 23rd August, 1919. 1919-21 Lecturer. 1922-23 Gangapati Singh, Esq., B.A. 5 GOPALDAS CHAUDHURI LECTURESHIP. Mr. Gopaldas Chaudhuri of 32, Beadon Row, Calcutta, offered to pay Rs. 1,200 annually for the maintenance of a Lectureship in Bengali for a term of 3 years. The offer was thankfully accepted by the Senate at its meeting held on the 29th September, 1919. Lecturer. 1919-21 Abhaykumar Guha, Esq., M.A, B.L., Ph.D. 1922-23 Sasankamohan Sen, Esq., B.A. 6 G. D. BIRLA HINDI LECTURESHIP. In September 1919, Mr. G. D. Birla on the representation of Pandit Madhav Misra, made over to the University a sum of Rs. 15,000 for including Hindi as a Principal Indian Vernacular in the curriculum of the University for the Degree of Master of Arts. The Senate accepted the gift with thanks at their meeting held on the 29th September, 1919. The amount has been invested in 3 per cent. G. P. Notes of the nominal value of Rs. 22,500. 7 MAHARAJA SRI SIR BIRAMITRODAYA SING DEO, DHARMANIDHI, LECTURESHIP. Maharaja Sri Sir Biramitrodaya Sing Deo, Dharmanidhi, K.C.I.E., Feudatory Chief, Sonepur State, Orissa, offered to pay Rs. 150 per month for a period of 3 years commencing with the 1st day of June, 1920, for maintaining a Chair for the lectureship on the Oriya language. The Senate at its meeting held on the 24th April, 1920, accepted the gift with thanks. |