Jagan Nath Kaul was the founder, president, and patron of SOS Children’s Village of India (SOS CVI)

SOS Children's Villages

SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-governmental international development organisation which has been working to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of children since 1949. It was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in Imst, Austria...

. SOS CVI provides a home to almost 15,000 children in 34 children’s villages, located in various parts of the country. In addition to the children’s villages, SOS provides indirect care to children through its 122 allied projects such as kindergartens, schools and social, medical and vocational training centres throughout 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...

. SOS CVI provides direct and indirect care to almost 2 lakh

Lakh

A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...

 (200,000) children in the country.

Early life

Jagan Nath Kaul was born in Srinagar

Srinagar

Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...

, and his early schooling was in Kashmir

Kashmir

Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...

. His education continued at the Universities of the Punjab

University of the Punjab

University of the Punjab , colloquially known as Punjab University, is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The University of the Punjab is the oldest and biggest University of Pakistan. The University of the Punjab was formally established with the convening of the first meeting of its...

, Rajasthan

University of Rajasthan

University of Rajasthan is the oldest university in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was set up on 8 January 1947 as the University of Rajputana and was given its current name in 1956.- Introduction :...

 and 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...

. After completing his master's degree

Master's degree

A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...

 in economics Kaul began his professional career with the city of Delhi

Delhi

Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

, rising to the positions of chief of probation services and assistant director of social welfare. In 1962 he received a Fulbright scholarship

Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...

, and traveled to the USA for advanced studies in child and youth care at Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...

. In 1963 Kaul met Hermann Gmeiner

Hermann Gmeiner

Hermann Gmeiner was an Austrian philanthropist and the founder of SOS Children's Villages.- Life :...

 (who was visiting India), and went on to establish SOS Children's Villages of India with the support of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...

.

SOS Children's Village

The 1963 meeting between Kaul and Gmeiner (who was visiting India to establish SOS Children’s Villages there) was a meeting of the minds. Kaul identified completely with the SOS concept, and agreed to return to India and attempt to set up SOS Children’s Villages there. He dedicated the rest of his life to caring for children, starting a movement when he established the first SOS Children's Village at Greenfields in Faridabad

Faridabad

Faridabad is a city in the south-east of Haryana state in northern India, in Faridabad district. It lies at 28º 25' 16" N Latitude and 77º 18' 28" E Longitude. The district shares its boundaries with the National Capital and Union Territory of Delhi to its north, Gurgaon district to the west and...

 in 1968 with the active support of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The first SOS Children's Village in India Greenfields cared for over 200 children. After that, Kaul's mission was to bring succour to any child suffering due to man-made tragedies

Tragedy (event)

A tragedy is an event in which one or more losses, usually of human life, occurs that is viewed as mournful. Such an event is said to be tragic....

 or natural disaster

Natural disaster

A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...

s.

Kaul was village director of SOS Children’s Village Greenfields from its beginning. He hoped to reach out to as many children in India as possible and to establish at least one SOS Children’s Village in every province. As of 2011 India has 31 SOS Children's Villages, and 75 other projects. Kaul succeeded in involving thousands of Indians in fulfilling their social responsibilities towards children. A believer in partnership between government and the people, he did not hesitate to demand and stand up for the rights of children.

Kaul served SOS Children’s Villages of India in various capacities, first as a village director and rising in position and responsibility as the organisation grew to the position of Secretary-General. From 1989 to July 2007, he was honorary president and patron of the national association. He also served two terms as Senator for SOS-Kinderdorf International. While Kaul received numerous awards for his efforts and commitment to the children of India (and is possibly the most-decorated social work

Social work

Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...

er in India), his favorite reward was being lovingly called Papaji (revered father) by all in the SOS family.

Kaul succeeded in involving thousands of Indians in contributing to the cause of child protection, maintaining: "When we give a child a home, we are expressing our belief in life and the fundamental good in people". He was associated with various government and voluntary agencies involved in child care, in various capacities:

• Senate, SOS Kinderdorf International (Austria)
• Member, Expert Committee for Care and Rehabilitation of Destitute Children (government of India)
• Member Executive Committee, Indian Council for Child Welfare
• Vice President, Association for Social Health in India
• President, Defence for Children International
  Defence for Children International
  Defence for Children International is an independent non-governmental organisation set up during the International Year of the Child to ensure on-going, practical, systematic and concerted international and national action specially directed towards promoting and protecting the rights of the...
  
   (India)

Awards

Kaul received many awards and honours for his work:

• Gold Medal of Honour: awarded in 1983 by Hermann Gmeiner (president, SOS-Kinderdorf International) at SOS Academy, Innsbruck
  Innsbruck
  - Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
  
   (Austria) for dedication to the cause of needy children in India
• Appreciation Award: presented in 1983 by the India Sponsorship Committee (Bombay)
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy Teacher's Award (1984)
• SOS Ring: for dedication to the SOS Children’s Villages organization through his life work, loyalty and attachment to the cause of needy children and women
• Bal Sahyog Award (1986): for caring for needy children throughout India
• Appreciation Award (1986): presented at the Symposium on Street Children, sponsored by Hogares Providencia IAP in Mexico
  Mexico
  The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
  
  
• Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award: presented for service to children on November 14, 1995 by Indian Minister for Human Resource Development Madhav Rao Scindia in New Delhi
  New Delhi
  New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
  
  
• Giani Zail Singh Sadbhawna Award: presented May 4, 1996 in New Delhi
• Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award (1995): presented for outstanding services, achievements and contributions in the field of child care by Indian Minister Jagdish Tytler on March 7, 1996 (the eve of International Women’s Day)
• G. D. Birla Award for Outstanding Contributions to Humanism (1995): presented by Indian Vice-President K. R. Narayanan August 22, 1996
• Shiromani Award (1996): presented for contributions to national development, integration, enrichment of life and outstanding achievements in the chosen field of activity by Lok Sabha
  Lok Sabha
  The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
  
   Speaker P. A. Sagma February 22, 1997 in New Delhi
• Louis Marchesi Fellow Award: presented by Round Table
  Round Table (club)
  Round Table is a social networking and charitable organisation for men in their 20s, 30s and early 40s, founded in Norwich, England, in 1927. It is open to all men aged between 18 and 45...
  
   December 28, 1997
• Secular India Harmony Award (1998): presented by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on behalf of the United Children's Movement June 12, 1999
• Rajeev Gandhi National Sadbhawana Award (1998)
• Dadabhai Naoroji New Millenium Award: presented by former Indian Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowdaor for excellence and achievement June 30, 1999
• Outstanding Individual Award: presented by former Indian President R. Venkataraman on behalf of CASP November 2, 1999
• Padma Shri
  Padma Shri
  Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
  
  Award (January 26, 2000): Presented by former Indian President K. R. Narayanan March 30, 2000
• Lifetime Award for Social Service: presented May 26, 2000 for Kaul's outstanding contributions by Red & White
• Order of Merit for Managemant, honoured as Samaj Shri, Man of the Millenium and Gold Medal 2000 for outstanding achievement by Indian Council of Management Executives
• Samaj Ratnakar Award: presented for contributions to peace and social welfare by Sanathan Sansthan, Goa Branch April 4, 2002
• Sewa Nidhi Prateek Chinha: by Ganga Sewa Nidhi, Dashwamedh Varanasi for social service April 5, 2002
• Manav Bhushan Award: by Viklang Samakalan Sansthan for dedication and lifetime contributions April 6, 2002
• Manav Ratnakar Award: for national social contributions by All India Patrakar Kalyan Samiti April 6, 2002
• Sant Samman Award: by Santmat Anuyayee Math Garwaghat April 7, 2002
• S. Ahajanand Samman Award: for work raising the downtrodden, by Sahajanand Vichar Manch April 7, 2002
• Rashtra Gaurav Award: for contributions to different areas of Indian society, by Sant Ravi Das Shiksha Ewam Vikas Sansthan April 08, 2002
• Karamyogi Award: for a special contribution to mainstream society, by Kashi Adyatmik Sanskritik Sewa Samiti April 8, 2002
• Bhagirath Alankaran Award: for contributions in education, social services and human development by Ganga Seva Nidhi Varanasi November 19, 2002
• Manavshri Award: from Sanskar Bharti April 2, 2003
• Swami Ram Award: from the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust November 13, 2004, for contributions to the economic, environmental, scientific, social and spiritual development of humanity
• Amity Leadership Award for Excellence in Social Welfare (2007)

External links

• Shri J N Kaul, Shradhanjali