DAV Movement’ Founded in 1886 by Lala Lajpat Rai, picked up momentum due to arduous efforts of Mahatama Hans Raj, Pandit Gurudatt Vidhyarthi and many other dedicated AryaSamaj activists. The First D.A.V. School was started at Lahore on 1st June 1886 in the memory of Swami DayanandSaraswati, a versatitle genius, social reformer, educationist, a benefactor of humanity and a harbinger of the national movement. The school received tremendous success in imparting education to the Indian students. Since its inception over a century ago, the D.A.V. institutions have played a significant role in education and cultural rejuvenation of India. The D.A.V. Schools have endeavoured to provide education that is a unique synergy of values from Vedas and modern educational methodologies and technologies. Presently, D.A.V. Organization is the largest Non-Government Organization in the country managing over more than 700 educational institutions with rare values of national and global level.
The aim of the D.A.V. Schools is to inculcate in students a thirst for knowledge, devotion to duty, honesty and a patriotic fervour besides humanism. DAV institutions have rendered a unique service, in not only dispelling ignorance and illiteracy but also in producing patriots, freedom fighters, social reformers, intellectuals, thinkers, legal luminaries, scientists, doctors, engineers and sports persons of unparalleled merit, integrity and calibre.
Mahatma Hansraj (19th April, 1864 – 15th Nov., 1938)
Lala Hansraj is rather a metaphorical designation among the cultural think tank of Vedic Aryans. Characterized by different stands of human values aiming at the creation of proud India of nobel souls, Hansraj was a commited educationalist, devout, spiritualist, and above all a great humanitarian. Mahatma Hansraj was one of the early Aryans to disseminate throughout the world Swami Dayanand’s message of “Back to the Vedas” to save the culture and enable us to raise our heads up as Aryans. He, in fact was greatly influenced by the principles of Dayanand since his very student life and his tribute to him resulted in the historic establishment of D.A.V. High School at Lahore on 01.06.1986 after the demise of Swami Dayanand. He was the founder of the Non-Government Educational Organization now in the world in the form of a chain of a Dayanand Anglo Vedic Schools and colleges spread throughout the country and even extending its branches abroad.
His uncanny vision and undying urge to see India as an “Unageing Monument of Intellect” found expression in the total submission of his life to benevolence. Beginning his odyssey from a barefooted student to the Nobel president of D.A.V.C.M.C, Mahatma Hansraj weathered many a storm and emerged as a champion at all stages. He set up the very ideals of humanity and framed the fine texture of nobility, He was a sacred soul dressed in utter simplicity fighting for the cause of welfare, abandoning all mundane pleasures. He had rock solid faith in Vedic Dharma and had a patriotic feeling for the mother tongue “Hindi”. He came forward for the betterment of the suffering people and bravely combatted the crisis caused by natural calamities such as famine, earthquakes, floods etc. campaigning programmes and collecting funds.
Mahatma Hansraj was thus an institution in himself. The views of the supreme court in terms of education are relevant to justify the tenets of Hansraj as an educationist.
“Victories are gained, peace is preserved, progress is achieved, civilization is built up and history is made not on the battlefields, not in the council chambers, not even in factories, but in educational Institutions which are the seed-beds of culture, where children, in whose hands alter the destiny of the future, are trained…..Education is a preparation for a living and for life, here and hereafter”.
This immortal son of India was an epitome of self sacrifice , penance, dedication and selfless service rolled into one. He was the one who lived up to the standards of morality, humanity, spirituality and divinity. Eventually, he breathed his last on the 15th Nov., 1938. Indeed, he justified the humanity as the gorgeous flowers justifying the muddy roots from which they sprout.