Hari Singh Gour
Encyclopedia
Hari Singh Gour also known as Sir Hari Singh Gour and Dr. Hari Singh Gour, was a distinguished lawyer
, jurist
, educationist, social reformer, poet
, and novelist. He was one of the greatest visionaries of education
of this century on the Indian subcontinent
and even on a global scale. Gour was the Founder Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi
and Nagpur University, founder and Vice Chancellor of the University of Sagar
, Deputy President of the Central Legislative Assembly
of British India, an Indian Delegate
to the Joint Parliamentary Committee
, a Member of the Royal Commission
on the Indian Constitution (popularly known as the Simon Commission
), and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
.
. The family had to be supported by Hari Singh's eldest brother who provided an allowance of 50 rupees per month. Hari Singh's father was a carpenter
, but the young boy did not have an interest in this trade. At the age of ten, Hari Singh won a scholarship of two rupees per month which enabled him to attend a night school in Sagar. Later, with the help of another scholarship he went to Jabalpur to undertake further studies. Mathematics
was his favorite subject and for this he received a special prize. He passed his Intermediate examination from Hislop College
, Nagpur
, a free church institution, standing first in the whole province. This successful foundation paved the way for a bright future. Hari Singh was the only student to receive Honors in English and History.
in England
where he took Moral Sciences Tripos
and Law
Tripos
. Unfortunately, the young Hari Singh experienced a great deal of racism
as a student
and throughout his life. He participated in a mathematics
competition
, of which the results were not declared. Some years after obtaining his LL.D. he learned that the scholarship which the competition awarded was not given to foreigners, especially "blacks," as India
ns were referred to by the British
. Since Hari Singh came first in the competition, the scholarship ended up not being awarded to any one. He faced similar treatment in other situations and academic competitions, however he never let this unfair treatment by the British discourage him. Instead, he began to write poetry
. In fact, while in England
he came to be known in literary circles as a promising poet
, becoming acquainted with the likes of George Bernard Shaw
. He wrote a book of poetry entitled Stepping Westward and Other Poems due to which he became somewhat of a celebrity and was thereby selected a Member of the Royal Society of Literature
.
He was admitted as a pensioner
at Downing College, Cambridge
on June 5, 1889. Gour received his B.A.
in 1892; the M.A.
in 1896; LL.M. in 1902; and finally the LL.D. in 1908. After his time at Cambridge
, he read for the D.Litt. and LL.D. at Trinity College, Dublin
. He received an honorary
D.Litt. from the University of Delhi
, where he served as the institution's first Vice-Chancellor.
he became a successful lawyer
at Raipur. He was called to the Bar
, Inner Temple
on November 26, 1872. Gour practiced in the High Courts of India
, including the Central Provinces
, Calcutta, and Allahabad
. He wrote two monumental works, The Law of Transfer in British India and The Penal Law of India. Another book entitled Hindu Law Code published later added to his reputation as a great jurist. In the Central Legislative Assembly
in 1921, Gour denounced the sequestration and suppression of women. He was also a great social reformer and was successful in getting an act
passed to enable women to be enrolled as lawyers, while his Civil Marriage
Bill
of 1923 showed him to be a reformer thinking ahead of his time. Gour was not only a progressive
scholar; he demonstrated such forward thinking in his personal life as well. He married Grace Kamalini Chauhan, one of the first female doctors
in India
. Hari Singh Gour was knight
ed in 1925.
By his determination and industry combined with a gift of oratory, Sir Hari Singh Gour rose to an eminent position in the political scene. He became a Leader
of the Opposition
and of the Nationalist Party in the India
n Legislative Assembly
from 1921 to 1934. He was a Member of the Constituent Assembly
that framed India
’s Constitution
, working alongside Mahatma Gandhi
and Jawaharlal Nehru
. Gour was also President
of the High Court Bar Association in Nagpur
and President
of the Hindu Association. He was an Indian Delegate
to the Joint Parliamentary Committee
on the Government of India
Bill
in 1933.
was passed by the Legislative Council of India on October 6, 1860 on which date it received the assent of the Governor-General
. Since that time, the Indian Penal Code
had come to be the law of the land, with its amendments and modifications. However, the Indian Penal Code
retained very severe means of punishment
. Sir Hari Singh Gour vehemently opposed such measures, stating:
The Indian Penal Code
was "draconian in its severity with regard to punishment," according to Gour, who firmly believed that solitary confinement
as a form of punishment
under Section 73 of the Indian Penal Code
lacked rational basis. Solitary confinement
had been abolished in England
and Gour claimed that it would be in keeping with the civilized culture of India to wipe out this kind of punishment—an inhumane mark ironically left by the British
colonialists themselves in the Penal Code.
Act
had established that the minimum age of consent
within marriage
for girls should be 12 years. In 1922, Rai Bahadur Bakshi Sohan Lal proposed that the age of consent
should be raised from 12 to 14. This motion was defeated. Then in 1924 Sir Hari Singh Gour brought the age of consent
issue back into the Legislature
with a similar proposal to raise the minimum age from 12 to 14 years for girls. After amendments and the appointment of a select committee, Gour's Bill
was passed to raise the age of consent
within marriage
to 13 for girls in 1925.
In March 1928, Gour, who had always been a steadfast proponent of age of consent
bills, appealed to the importance of realizing standards of modern clinical psychology
and pointed out the emotional problems of early marriage, such as the incidence of polygamy
as grooms grew up and decided they desired more compatible partners, possible occurrence of suicide
and early death, and generally marital unhappiness for both partners.
and jurist
, Dr. Gour was also a great educationist. He organized the University of Delhi
as its first Vice-Chancellor and was Vice Chancellor of Nagpur University for two successive terms. Of his most important contributions was the founding of the University of Sagar
, now officially known as Dr. Hari Singh Gour University, the oldest university
in the state of Madhya Pradesh
, in 1946 for which he made a munificent donation
. He started the University of Sagar
with 20 lakhs and gave about two crores in property as a donation
to the University
. He became the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Sagar
and occupied this position until he died on December 25, 1949. He bequeathed the greater part of his life's savings, a large fortune, to the University of Sagar
. The new campus
of this University
, laid out on the summit of the Patharia Hills with a panoramic view of the town and lake, has been built largely through the benefaction of Dr. Hari Singh Gour and is a fitting memorial to this man of great vision.
He accomplished much, overcoming initial poverty
and lasting discrimination
. For example, in 1941 Gour was turned away by a hotel in England
on account of his race. The India
n Posts and Telegraphs Department issued a commemorative stamp of Dr. Hari Singh Gour on November 26, 1976.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
, educationist, social reformer, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and novelist. He was one of the greatest visionaries of education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
of this century on the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
and even on a global scale. Gour was the Founder Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi
University of Delhi
The University of Delhi is a central university situated in Delhi, India and is funded by Government of India. Established in 1922, it offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the Chancellor of the university...
and Nagpur University, founder and Vice Chancellor of the University of Sagar
University of Sagar
Dr. Hari Singh Gour University |Central University]] in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. It was founded Sir Hari Singh Gour on 18 July 1946, during the British Raj and is the oldest university in the state.-Campus:...
, Deputy President of the Central Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
of British India, an Indian Delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to the Joint Parliamentary Committee
Joint parliamentary committee
Joint Parliamentary Committee is one type of ad hoc Parliamentary Committees constituted by Indian parliament.-Formation of JPC:Joint Parliamentary Committee is formed when motion is adopted by one house and it is supported or agreed by the other house....
, a Member of the Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on the Indian Constitution (popularly known as the Simon Commission
Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission was a group of seven British Members of Parliament that had been dispatched to India in 1927 to study constitutional reform in Britain's most important colonial dependency. It was commonly referred to as the Simon Commission after its chairman, Sir John Simon...
), and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
Royal Society of Literature
The Royal Society of Literature is the "senior literary organisation in Britain". It was founded in 1820 by George IV, in order to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". The Society's first president was Thomas Burgess, who later became the Bishop of Salisbury...
.
Early years
Hari Singh Gour was born on November 26, 1870 in a poor family near Sagar, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The family had to be supported by Hari Singh's eldest brother who provided an allowance of 50 rupees per month. Hari Singh's father was a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
, but the young boy did not have an interest in this trade. At the age of ten, Hari Singh won a scholarship of two rupees per month which enabled him to attend a night school in Sagar. Later, with the help of another scholarship he went to Jabalpur to undertake further studies. Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
was his favorite subject and for this he received a special prize. He passed his Intermediate examination from Hislop College
Hislop College
Hislop College, Nagpur is one of the first college in the city of Nagpur. It is currently affiliated to Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University. It was named after Rev. Stephen Hislop , who was an Evangelist, Educationist and Geologist. He worked for 18 years in the Vidarbha Region.It was...
, Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
, a free church institution, standing first in the whole province. This successful foundation paved the way for a bright future. Hari Singh was the only student to receive Honors in English and History.
Education
When he was 18 years old, Hari Singh Gour went to the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he took Moral Sciences Tripos
Tripos
The University of Cambridge, England, divides the different kinds of honours bachelor's degree by Tripos , plural Triposes. The word has an obscure etymology, but may be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations...
and Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
Tripos
Tripos
The University of Cambridge, England, divides the different kinds of honours bachelor's degree by Tripos , plural Triposes. The word has an obscure etymology, but may be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations...
. Unfortunately, the young Hari Singh experienced a great deal of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
as a student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
and throughout his life. He participated in a mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
competition
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
, of which the results were not declared. Some years after obtaining his LL.D. he learned that the scholarship which the competition awarded was not given to foreigners, especially "blacks," as India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
ns were referred to by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Since Hari Singh came first in the competition, the scholarship ended up not being awarded to any one. He faced similar treatment in other situations and academic competitions, however he never let this unfair treatment by the British discourage him. Instead, he began to write poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. In fact, while in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
he came to be known in literary circles as a promising poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, becoming acquainted with the likes of George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
. He wrote a book of poetry entitled Stepping Westward and Other Poems due to which he became somewhat of a celebrity and was thereby selected a Member of the Royal Society of Literature
Royal Society of Literature
The Royal Society of Literature is the "senior literary organisation in Britain". It was founded in 1820 by George IV, in order to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". The Society's first president was Thomas Burgess, who later became the Bishop of Salisbury...
.
He was admitted as a pensioner
Pensioner
In common parlance, a pensioner is a person who has retired, and now collects a pension. This is a term typically used in the United Kingdom and Australia where someone of pensionable age may also be referred to as an 'old age pensioner', or OAP. In the United States, the term retiree is more...
at Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1800 and currently has around 650 students.- History :...
on June 5, 1889. Gour received his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1892; the M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1896; LL.M. in 1902; and finally the LL.D. in 1908. After his time at Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, he read for the D.Litt. and LL.D. at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. He received an honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
D.Litt. from the University of Delhi
University of Delhi
The University of Delhi is a central university situated in Delhi, India and is funded by Government of India. Established in 1922, it offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the Chancellor of the university...
, where he served as the institution's first Vice-Chancellor.
Career
On his return to IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
he became a successful lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
at Raipur. He was called to the Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
, Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
on November 26, 1872. Gour practiced in the High Courts of India
High Courts of India
India's unitary judicial system is made up of the Supreme Court of India at the national level, for the entire country and the 21 High Courts at the State level. These courts have jurisdiction over a state, a union territory or a group of states and union territories...
, including the Central Provinces
Central Provinces
The Central Provinces was a province of British India. It comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur....
, Calcutta, and Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
. He wrote two monumental works, The Law of Transfer in British India and The Penal Law of India. Another book entitled Hindu Law Code published later added to his reputation as a great jurist. In the Central Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
in 1921, Gour denounced the sequestration and suppression of women. He was also a great social reformer and was successful in getting an act
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
passed to enable women to be enrolled as lawyers, while his Civil Marriage
Civil marriage
Civil marriage is marriage performed by a government official and not a religious organization.-History:Every country maintaining a population registry of its residents keeps track of marital status, and most countries believe that it is their responsibility to register married couples. Most...
Bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
of 1923 showed him to be a reformer thinking ahead of his time. Gour was not only a progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
scholar; he demonstrated such forward thinking in his personal life as well. He married Grace Kamalini Chauhan, one of the first female doctors
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Hari Singh Gour was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1925.
By his determination and industry combined with a gift of oratory, Sir Hari Singh Gour rose to an eminent position in the political scene. He became a Leader
Leader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
and of the Nationalist Party in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
from 1921 to 1934. He was a Member of the Constituent Assembly
Constituent assembly
A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution...
that framed India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
’s Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, working alongside Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
and Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
. Gour was also President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the High Court Bar Association in Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
and President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Hindu Association. He was an Indian Delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to the Joint Parliamentary Committee
Joint parliamentary committee
Joint Parliamentary Committee is one type of ad hoc Parliamentary Committees constituted by Indian parliament.-Formation of JPC:Joint Parliamentary Committee is formed when motion is adopted by one house and it is supported or agreed by the other house....
on the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
Bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
in 1933.
Indian Penal Code
The Indian Penal CodeIndian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
was passed by the Legislative Council of India on October 6, 1860 on which date it received the assent of the Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
. Since that time, the Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
had come to be the law of the land, with its amendments and modifications. However, the Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
retained very severe means of punishment
Punishment
Punishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong by an individual or group....
. Sir Hari Singh Gour vehemently opposed such measures, stating:
The Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
was "draconian in its severity with regard to punishment," according to Gour, who firmly believed that solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
as a form of punishment
Punishment
Punishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong by an individual or group....
under Section 73 of the Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
lacked rational basis. Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
had been abolished in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Gour claimed that it would be in keeping with the civilized culture of India to wipe out this kind of punishment—an inhumane mark ironically left by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonialists themselves in the Penal Code.
Age of Consent Bill
The 1891 Age of Consent1891 Age of Consent Act
The Age of Consent Act, 1891, also Act X of 1891, was a legislation enacted in British India on 19 March 1891 which raised the age of consent for sexual intercourse for all girls, married or unmarried, from ten to twelve years in all jurisdictions, its violation subject to criminal prosecution as...
Act
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
had established that the minimum age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
within marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
for girls should be 12 years. In 1922, Rai Bahadur Bakshi Sohan Lal proposed that the age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
should be raised from 12 to 14. This motion was defeated. Then in 1924 Sir Hari Singh Gour brought the age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
issue back into the Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
with a similar proposal to raise the minimum age from 12 to 14 years for girls. After amendments and the appointment of a select committee, Gour's Bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
was passed to raise the age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
within marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
to 13 for girls in 1925.
In March 1928, Gour, who had always been a steadfast proponent of age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
bills, appealed to the importance of realizing standards of modern clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
and pointed out the emotional problems of early marriage, such as the incidence of polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
as grooms grew up and decided they desired more compatible partners, possible occurrence of suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
and early death, and generally marital unhappiness for both partners.
Legacy
Besides being a great lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
, Dr. Gour was also a great educationist. He organized the University of Delhi
University of Delhi
The University of Delhi is a central university situated in Delhi, India and is funded by Government of India. Established in 1922, it offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the Chancellor of the university...
as its first Vice-Chancellor and was Vice Chancellor of Nagpur University for two successive terms. Of his most important contributions was the founding of the University of Sagar
University of Sagar
Dr. Hari Singh Gour University |Central University]] in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. It was founded Sir Hari Singh Gour on 18 July 1946, during the British Raj and is the oldest university in the state.-Campus:...
, now officially known as Dr. Hari Singh Gour University, the oldest university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in the state of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, in 1946 for which he made a munificent donation
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
. He started the University of Sagar
University of Sagar
Dr. Hari Singh Gour University |Central University]] in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. It was founded Sir Hari Singh Gour on 18 July 1946, during the British Raj and is the oldest university in the state.-Campus:...
with 20 lakhs and gave about two crores in property as a donation
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
to the University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. He became the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Sagar
University of Sagar
Dr. Hari Singh Gour University |Central University]] in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. It was founded Sir Hari Singh Gour on 18 July 1946, during the British Raj and is the oldest university in the state.-Campus:...
and occupied this position until he died on December 25, 1949. He bequeathed the greater part of his life's savings, a large fortune, to the University of Sagar
University of Sagar
Dr. Hari Singh Gour University |Central University]] in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. It was founded Sir Hari Singh Gour on 18 July 1946, during the British Raj and is the oldest university in the state.-Campus:...
. The new campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
of this University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, laid out on the summit of the Patharia Hills with a panoramic view of the town and lake, has been built largely through the benefaction of Dr. Hari Singh Gour and is a fitting memorial to this man of great vision.
He accomplished much, overcoming initial poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and lasting discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
. For example, in 1941 Gour was turned away by a hotel in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on account of his race. The India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Posts and Telegraphs Department issued a commemorative stamp of Dr. Hari Singh Gour on November 26, 1976.
Selected works
- The Transfer of Property in British India: Being an Analytical Commentary on the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 as Amended ..., Published by Thacker, Spink, 1901.
- The Law of Transfer in British India, Vol. 1-3 (1902)
- The Penal Law of India, Vol. 1-2 (1909)
- Hindu Code (1919)
- India and the New Constitution (1947)
- Renaissance of India (1942)
- The Spirit of Buddhism (1929)
- His only Love (1929)
- Random Rhymes (1892)
- Facts and Fancies (1948)
- Seven Lives (1944)
- India and the New Constitution (1947)
- Letters from Heaven
- Lost Soul
- Passing Clouds
Further reading
- The Great Indian Patriots, by P. Rajeswar Rao. Published by Mittal Publications, 1991. v.1. ISBN 817099280X. Page 251