Remembering Daulat Singh Kothari .

Abstract

When Dr Krishna of noble mien and resplendent culture puffed the last of his cigars and died suddenly in the Education Minister's room in the North Block where we were meeting for a discussion about the UGC Budget, the post of the Chairman fell vacant soon after CD Deshmukh had retired. I had run to fetch a doctor from the Health Ministry across the verandah, but the medical assistance was of no avail. In a few minutes the President, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan arrived and sadly we bade farewell to the remains of a great gentleman. The search for a new Chairman started soon, and while the one very hopeful candidate was on his way to the Prime Minister's House, Dr Radhakrishnan advised the Minister to announce the appointment of Daulat Singh Kotbari who was not in the running among several aspirants. The third Chairman of the recently constituted University Grants Commission on the lines of the British model, took office in 1961.