NEW DELHI: H L Dutt, a renowned educationist, author and principal of top residential schools in India, including the Daly College, Indore, passed away in Gurugram on Friday after a prolonged illness.
In a tweet, the school mourned the “sad demise of its former principal” and said, “Dutt will always be remembered for his dynamic style and suave disposition.”
Dutt was the principal of the Daly College from 1979 to 1983, including when the school celebrated its centenary in 1982. He was also the principal of Mayo College in Ajmer, Colvin Taluqdar College in Lucknow and the Hyderabad Public School.
The Daly College expanded and modernised many of its infrastructure facilities during his tenure, adding new academic blocks, the current dining hall and library.
In a condolence message, the Old Dalians Association said it was “deeply saddened by (the) demise of Harkishanlal Dutt, former principal and an eminent educationist.”
“A momentous journey comes to an end. He was the centenary year principal whom all the people loved from the bottom of their hearts,” the association added.
A biography of Dutt titled My princely colleges describes his difficult journey to the top after his father’s death. “After his father’s untimely death, Dutt’s mother told him that as the eldest son it was his duty to look after the family—his sister, four brothers and mother,” it said. “For the first time, he faced reality, wept tears and began to plan the future. Income had dried up and they had to make do with his father’s gratuity and some savings. Life was stark, life was real and ominous,” the book said. “He was an educationist and a visionary with modern ideas,” said Jogesh Jerath, a former student of the 1980 batch.
Ashutosh Varma of the same batch credited Dutt for topping the National Defence Academy entrance examination.“I remember that after we cleared the exam and before going for the SSB interview, he called all of us and told us how to face the interview. The tips he gave really helped. The fact that I managed to do well is all because of him,” said Varma, who later joined the Indian Air Force.
“An era has ended. If you close your eyes and imagine a teacher, then his image comes to mind,” said Atul Mehrotra, a former student of Colvin Taluqdar College.