 Dr. G.P. Sinha, one of the most brilliant products of Patna University, a professor of national repute and a distinguished scholar of Cornell University of U.S.A. was born on the 1st day of September 1921 in Kala Dumra, a village in the district of Siwan, Bihar. His father Late Shri Sita Ram Sinha was a farmer. His Mother Late (Mrs.) Tetri Devi was a pious household lady.Right from early childhood he was interested in learning. He had a curious mind and was eager to know about everything, which he could find new within his surroundings. On his own initiative he started attending a primary school in the village at the age of seven years. His first teacher was Late Shri Ram Baran Tewari.
Once, the school inspector, Late Mr. Gaya Ojha visited the school for inspection purposes. During the course of inspection he was very much impressed by the responses of a little boy ‘Ganesh’ (Nick name of Prof. G.P. Sinha) and decided to take him to Atauli Rampur for proper education. He persuaded his parents and thus he was allowed to go along with the school inspector. He was admitted into the Rampur Atauli High School from where he passed the matriculation examination securing first division. The head master of the school, Late Shri Sakal Prasad, was so happy by his result that he himself managed for his admission into Rajendra College Chapra for further studies. He graduated from this college in 1944, which was then a unit of Patna University. He obtained his M.A. degree in Economics from Patna University in 1946 and in the same years he was appointed a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science of Patna University on adhoc basis. In 1947 he was appointed a lecturer in the Department of Economics in Ranchi College, Ranchi.
Through his lectures, articles and scholarly researches he acquired on outstanding position in the academic world. For the students and teachers of the Department he was a symbol of inspired versatility and an epitome of illimitable energy. |
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| A TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE |
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| Dr. G.P. Sinha was a teacher in true sense of the term. He had a forceful personality creative methods with a high sense of dedication. As he was himself an ideal person he had wholesome influence upon his students. Despite having engagements of diverse nature he used to engage maximum number of classes in the department himself. He was very punctual and used to motivate all his colleagues to be good time managers. His professional ability provided him the faith in the nobility of the students. His sympathy, love and equable temper created such qualities in the students as well. He used to encourage them to rely upon themselves by initiating them into the scientific methods of analysis and synthesis. They used to develop self-confidence and ability to solve many of their problems themselves. He strongly believed that education must result in the perfection of humanity. Besides giving his students insights into various issues relevant to their course he strived hard to inculcate in them the eternal values of morality, righteousness, justice, truth, goodness and beauty. He engaged classes even after relinquishing the post of vice-chancellor honourarily. Even a day before he died he came to engage classes when the weather was very foggy and temperature was considerably low. |
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| A FIRM BELIEVER IN SECULARISM, SOCIALISM AND DEMOCRACY |
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| Dr. G.P. Sinha was a strong believer in secularism, socialism and democracy. He carried forward the rich traditions and glorious heritage of his teacher Dr. Gyanchand and gave his students and friends the desired orientation towards secularism, socialism and democracy. Inside classrooms and outside Dr. Sinha’s commitment to these values inspired generations of students and carried in them an urge to uphold these values in their lives. In close cooperation with Dr. A.K. Sen, a famous physician of Patna and several other prominent persons of Bihar he established the Citizens Forum, ‘Ekta Manch’ (Centre for Communal Harmony); ‘Pustak Manch’ and ‘Centre for Secularism, Socialism and Democracy’. Adult Literacy centers were also established under his guidance in different localities in Patna. He had a strong conviction in the desirability of social and national integration, which he thought to be crucial to the creation of a strong and united country and an essential pre-condition for all progress. According to Dr. Sinha promotion of mutual understanding, respect for the culture, traditions and ways of life of different sections of the Society was the prime need of the nation. He used to lay great emphasis upon the need to develop ‘responsible and alert citizenship and growing identification of people not with sectional loyalties. |
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| A PERSON SENSITIVE TO DISASTERS & NATURAL CALAMITIES |
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| Dr. G.P. Sinha was highly sensitive to disasters and other crisis situations, such as floods, draughts, industrial accidents, earthquakes etc. He used to give quick response in proportion to his capacity wherever and wherever the situation so demanded. In 1967 he formed the Patna University Relief Committee and mobilized the teachers and students of Patna University to engage themselves in relief operation for the sufferers of draught in Bihar. He and his associates also collaborated with Late Shri Jai Prakash Narain at whose initiative the Bihar Relief Committee was formed and relief work was taken up on a massive scale. The city of Patna witnessed the fury of floods twice i.e.; in 1966 and again in 1975. The whole southwest portion of the city was inundated. Under the leadership of Dr. G.P. Sinha and Dr. A.K. Sen rescue work was started immediately in all the concerned areas. Relief materials were collected and proper distribution was made among the sufferers specially those who were the slum dwellers and needy persons of other localities. During the period of Bihar Sharif riot of 1981 continuous efforts were made to re-establish peace and harmony in the affected areas and to identify such persons of Bihar Sharif and its adjoining areas who had saved the lives of persons of other communities at the risk of their own lives. On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti all such persons were invited and were publicly honored in Gandhi Sanghralya, Patna. The idea of identifying and publicly honoring the persons concerned was given by Dr. G.P. Sinha himself.Immediately after the holocaust of Bhopal Gas Disaster in 1984 Dr. G.P. Sinha decided to launch a P.G. Diploma course in Industrial Safety Management in Patna University. He realized the need to prepare a group of young students who have the necessary skill to identify and evaluate process hards for the purposes of taking control measures which otherwise may lead to disasters. This course is effectively being run and the students after completing this course are serving not only in India but in Turkey, Iran, Egypt and other Middle East Countries.He also introduced a P.G. Diploma Course in Rural Management and Development in the university which is now a full fledged Master’s Course of two years duration with the approval of the University Grants Commission.Dr. G.P. Sinha used to say that disaster situations cannot be handled by government machineries alone. The whole community should involve in the process and should take part in the activities undertaken to meet the crisis situation. He used to lay great emphasis on the need to evolve some permanent mechanism to meet the challenge. He was of the view that the existing system of education was responsible for increasing the gulf between the educated and un-educated classes. He used to say that the intellectuals should try to become a real service group striving to uplift the masses and should resist from mere protecting and promoting their self-interests and privileges. He used to emphasis the need for community services and called upon the teacher and students of Patna University to play a crucial role in organizing such services wherever possible. He strongly supported the idea of making N.S.S. a compulsory part of the curriculum in educational institutions. |
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| A PASSIONATE LOVER OF SPORTS AND GAMES |
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Dr. G.P. Sinha was a passionate lover of sports & games. Being the in charge of games and sports in Patna University he did his best to promote sportsmanship among the students and teachers of the university. This is why he used to have a galaxy of sports loving teachers like Dr. A.K. Ganguli, Dr. S.N. Sinha, Dr. Suresh Prasad, Dr. Prem Kumar, Dr. Shamshad Hussain etc. around him who were always ready to act as per his advice. They used to encourage students to take part in games and were able to identify the talented sportsmen from among the students of various colleges and departments. In those days Patna University teams of various disciplines such as cricket, hockey, football, table tennis, badminton etc used to comprise very smart and talented students and bagged trophies at various tournaments organized at the state and the zonal levels.  Patna University had the distinction of holding inter-university and inter-zonal meets of football, hockey, volleyball, badminton and cricket at frequent intervals. The people of Patna used to have the opportunity of watching players of national teams in action. Some prominent players who participated in such inter-university and inter-zonal meets included Prakash Padukune, Ashok Mankad, Vengsarkar, solkar, Parsanna etc. When Dr. G.P. Sinha became the Vice-chancellor of Patna University he decided to form two separate Boards one for sports and games and the other for fine arts. These boards were constituted on sound lines and were provided necessary financial assistance to build strong teams of various disciplines. Boys and girls were motivated to take part in dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music and other areas of fine arts such as photography, sculpture etc. The special measures taken yielded fruitful results and the Patna university team at the National Youth Festival bagged highest number of gold medals, consecutively in two years. His love for sports and games culminated in his death in Moinul Haque Stadium of Patna where he had gone for his morning walk and received a massive heart attack. Thus he took his death also sportingly on a sports ground. |
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| HOLDER OF DISTINGUISHED POSITIONS |
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Dr. G.P. Sinha, by virtue of his scholarship became a professor of international repute. He was invited to deliver a series of lectures in the School of Industrial and Labour Relations of Cornell University U.S.A . He was also invited to deliver lectures by the whittmore school of Business and Economics and The Centre of International Studies Chio University. He visited France, German Democratic Republic (GDR), Yugoslavia, North Korea, Soviet Union, Japan, China, Philipines and Libya where he presented papers and presided over the sessions of international Seminars. He also visited some other countries as member of friendship delegation under the Cultural Exchange Programme of the Government of India. He was one of the founders of the Indian Society of Labour Economics and acted as its secretary cum treasure for several years. He was elected the conference President of the Society consecutively for two years i.e.; in the year 1969 and 1970. He was a member of the study Group of The First National Labour Commission, Central Wage Board, Bihar State Labour Advisory Committee, Board of Directors of the United Commercial Bank, Zonal Committee of the Life Insurance Corporation at India and the International Industrial Relations Association. In all capacities he discharged his responsibilities most gracefully. |
| A CRUSADOR FOR TEACHERS’ CAUSE |
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| Dr. G. P. Sinha firmly believed that the effectiveness of the educational systems primarily dependent on the quality of teachers. He was of the view that Endeavour must be made to have a set of highly competent teaching personnel dedicated to the sacred task of imparting knowledge, skill, ability and insights. He pleaded that the Society should pay to them whatever it can afford for them very gracefully and teachers also must work with a high sense of commitment and sacrifice, but, subsequently it was experienced that the policies of the Government were just reverse. They were not paid whatever were recommended for them by the UGC, other pay commissions and committees. In view of the injustices, done to them we decided to form teachers’ organizations on university and State levels. He was elected the President of PUTA (Patna University Teachers’ Association) and of FUSTAB (Federation of University Service Teachers’ Association of Bihar). Several times led the university teachers’ movement successfully in a grand manner. He also strived hard to infuse among the teachers a sense of commitment and sacrifice. He was a widely respected teacher and was considered to be one of the pioneers of the University Teachers’ Movement in India. |
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| A FAIR AND STRICT ADMINISTRATOR |
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| Though Dr. G.P. Sinha acted in various administrative capacities during the period of his service but his administrative acumen was best demonstrated when he became the Vice-Chancellor of Patna University in 1983. The post of vice-chancellor was offered to him by the then Chief Minister of Bihar Dr. Jagannath Mishra himself. Initially, he was reluctant to accept the offer but on the repeated requests of the Chief Minister he gave his consent on the condition that he should be given complete freedom to manage the University in his own style and if in the larger interest of the university he felt it necessary even to violate the order of the Chief Minister he should be allowed to do so. As Dr. Jagannath Mishra had great regards for him he agreed to give him full freedom. He managed the affairs of Patna University for about 3 years nicely. He is still remembered for his openness in the sense of having wide contact with the people administered; for his sense of justice fair play and impartiality in dealing with men and matters; for his sensitivity and responsiveness to the urges, feelings and aspirations of the teachers, employees and students; for his extra-ordinary care for securing and preserving the honors and grace of the post of vice-chancellor. He succeeded in creating and sustaining an atmosphere conducive to development, growth and change maintaining his honesty and integrity in thought and action.Dr. G.P. Sinha breathed his last on the 26th of January 1990 and left a large group of mourners. But he continues to be a source of inspiration and hope for all those who are struggling against the forces which frustrate the progress of humanity. |
Immediately after the passing of the Factories Act of 1948 which provided for the appointment of Labour welfare officer in establishments registered as factories the need was felt to establish a separate post graduate department which could prepare competent personnel for appointment to the post of welfare officers. On the initiative of Late Shri Jagjeewan Ram, the then union minister for Labour & Employment, Government of India, a decision to this effect was taken by Sir C.D.P.N. Sinha the then vice-chancellor of Patna University and Dr. G.P. Sinha who was working in Ranchi College at that time was approached by Prof. Gorakh Nath Sinha, the then D.P.I. Government of Bihar and Sir C.P.N. Sinha the then Vice-Chancellor of Patna University to come back to Patna University and take the headship of the newly created department of Labour and Social welfare. Thus, Dr. 
G.P. Sinha became the founder head of this department. Under his able leadership the department grew over the course of time and attained great heights. His assiduity in shaping the department and giving proper direction to the careers of its students yielded necessary results and the very first batch of students whom he taught produced three I.A.S. officers. They included Mr. Ishwari Prasad, Mr. Kamta Prasad and Mr. J.C. Kundra. Subsequently, Mr. S.K. Dutt of the same batch was also elevated to the rank of I.A.S. Very soon Dr. G.P. Sinha became popular in the university and began to be considered as the guiding Star of the Department. In 1954 he left for Cornell University of U.S.A. from where he obtained his Ph. D. degree. In 1956 he came back and joined the department which he served as professor and head till February 1983 when he was appointed the Vice Chancellor of Patna University.