A Tribute To David Hare || A Philanthropist || Hare School || Pioneer Of Modern Education In India
David Hare (1775 - 1842) a Scotch philanthropist, came to Calcutta to make fortune out of watch making. Born in an ordinary watch making artisan family of Scotland, came to Calcutta in 1801. By making and repairing watches, Hare made reasonable fortune and he might go back home and spend the rest of his life comfortably. But, unlike most other adventurers of his time, Hare resolved to make Bengal his home and dedicate his life to the welfare of the depressed humanity.
David Hare’s first major initiative as a social benefactor was the establishment of the hindu college in 1817. Next year, Hare founded the calcutta school-book society for printing and publishing English and Bengali books. With a view to devoting full time to social work, David Hare transferred his business concerns to one Gray in January 1820 (Gray was his assistant and possibly a relative with whom he continued to live in Hare Street (after his name) till death). David Hare maintained very close contact with Raja Rammohun Roy and Henry derozio. As a guru of the young bengal, Hare became the patron of their organisation.
Several schools and roads of Calcutta were named after him in his honour. What Derozio did intellectually, David Hare did organisationally and socially. It is said that under the given social circumstances, the Calcutta Medical College would not have drawn students at all without David Hare's incessant canvassing with the Hindu society in favour of the college.
Hare launched the social movement for female education by establishing several informal female schools in Calcutta. The contemporary native gentlemen highly respected him because he had no personal interest to grind in social work. His personal sacrifices were very clear and absolute. Furthermore, he spoke Bangla, adopted native food habit and often dressed himself in native style and joined all social festivals of the natives.
He founded many educational institutions in Calcutta, such as the Hindu School, and Hare School and helped in founding Presidency College. Pioneer of modern education in India, Hare befriended reformers such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy and conservative Hindus like Radhakanta Deb.
He successfully kept religion out of the classroom, no mean feat in an era when traditional learning was deeply religious and efforts were being made to spread the Christian evangelical influence in schools and colleges through missionaries.
David Hare is that rarest of the rare personages of the colonial era who worked for the sole benefit of his adopted country without any expectation of reward or even, recognition.The place where he lived, is presently named as Nicco House at Hare Street. A plaque is imbedded there. A life-size statue (pictured) was built with public donations and placed in the compound of Hare School.
David Hare was instrumental in establishing the School Book Society on 6 May 1817. It took the initiative to print and publish text books in both English and Bengali. This society contributed substantially to the flowering of the Bengal Renaissance. On 1 September 1818, he established the Calcutta School Society'. Every day, he visited the schools and Hindu College and met almost every student. It was much later that Alexander Duff or Henry Louis Vivian Derozio came on the scene and influenced the course of events. David Hare was instrumental in founding premier educational institutions like the Hindoo College (Erstwhile Presidency College and now Presidency University) and the Calcutta Medical College. Hare died suddenly of cholera on 1st June 1842. Irrespective of caste and creed, religion and race, all mourned his death. The Calcutta public raised a memorial statue of him by public subscriptions. The Memorial Statue (1847) reads that Hare 'having acquired an ample competence cheerfully relinquished the prospect of returning to enjoy it in his native land in order to promote the welfare of that of his adoption.
[ Song Credited to- Singer: Rajalakshmee Sanjay;
Dance: Kaushiki Dass - Class IV student of RKSM Nivedita VIdyamandir, NEW Delhi ].
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15 сен 2024
