Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi

Banaras Hindu University (BHU), is a premier central university and a world class eductaional institution located in Varanasi, India [1]. It is regarded as the largest residential university in Asia.[2] The fully-residential campus has more than 128 independent teaching departments. The total enrollment in the University stands at just over 15000. Several of its colleges, including engineering (IT-BHU) and medicine (IMS-BHU), are ranked amongst the best in India.

BHU Institute of Medical Sciences MBBS, BDS Program Admission !yearBanaras Hindu University (BHU), is a premier central university and a world class eductaional institution located in Varanasi, India [1]. It is regarded as the largest residential university in Asia.[2] The fully-residential campus has more than 128 independent teaching departments. The total enrollment in the University stands at just over 15000. Several of its colleges, including engineering (IT-BHU) and medicine (IMS-BHU), are ranked amongst the best in India.

The university teaches a vast range of subjects pertaining to all branches of the humanities, social science, technology, medicine, science, fine arts and performing arts.

The university comprises 3 Institutes, 14 Faculties, 124 Departments, 4 Inter-disciplinary Centers, a constituent college for women and 3 constituent schools. It has 6 centres of Advanced Studies, 10 Departments under the Special Assistance Programme and a large number of specialized Research Centers.

The main BHU campus is 1,300 acres and includes faculty housing and 55 student hostels. A list of hostels is available at the BHU website.

Besides academic buildings and sports facilities, included within the campus are:

* A Shiva temple (Birla Mandir), popularly known as VT (an abbreviation for Vishwanath Temple)
* An air strip and flying club
* A library system including the central Sayajirao Gaekwad Library with over 14 lakh (1.4 million) volumes
* A famous museum of rare collections (Bharat Kala Bhavan)
* A 927-bed hospital associated with the medical college,ayurvedic college IMS-BHU
* A printing press

Another campus of the university at Barkachha, in Mirzapur district, covering an area of 2,700 acres (11 km²) is being built.

Four off-campus Degree Colleges of the city of Varanasi are affiliated with the University.

Apart from concrete buildings, the campus features open spaces, greenery and peacocks, the national bird of India, which are found roaming around almost every part of the university.

The Founding of BHU

The Idea of a Hindu University was made by 'Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya'at a meeting held in 1904 at Varanasi.Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya gave up his lucrative practice at the Bar and launched his mission in January, 1911. Almost at the same time, there was another proposal of Annie Besant for establishing a University at Varanasi under the name of "The University of India". In 1907, she submitted a memorandum for the grant of Royal Charter for the establishment of the University. In April 1911" Mrs. Annie Besant and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya met and decided to unite their forces and work for a common Hindu University at Varanasi.

Besides the proposal of Pandit Malaviya and [[Annie Besant ]], there was another scheme for the establishment of a Sarada Viswa Vidyalaya at Varanasi which was sponsored by a number of prominent Hindus interested in study of Hindu Religion under the auspices of the Maharaja of Darbhanga, Sri Rameshwar Singh Bahadur.However, Maharaja of Darbhanga agreed to extend his support to the Hindu University scheme after having been assured of the support of the Government of India. A society under the name, "The Hindu University Society", was soon formed and registered in December, 1911 with Maharaja Sir Rameshwar Singh Bahadur of Darbhanga as its President and Sir Sundar Lal, a Judge of the Allahabad High Court as its Secretary, its office was opened at Allahabad on the 1st January, 1912. The then Government of India had required that a sum of rupees fifty lakhs must be collected before the scheme could be put into effect. By the beginning of the year 1915, this target was achieved. Another pre-condition set by the Government of India was that the Central Hindu College should become Part of the University. Dr. Annie Besant, Dr. Bhagwan Das and their fellow Trustees of the Central Hindu College agreed to hand over the institution to be made the nucleus of the proposed University. The charge of the Central Hindu College was handed over to the Hindu University Society on the 27th November, 1915.

The Banaras Hindu University Bill was introduced in the Imperial Legislative Council In March, 1915 by Sir Hartcourt Butler. The Bill was referred to a Select Committee and it came up along with the report of the Select Committee for final reading before the Imperial Legislative Council. The Council passed the bill on 1st October, 1915 and the same day it received the assent of the Governor-General and Viceroy of India and became law. On 4th February, 1916 Lord Hardinge, the then Governor General and Viceroy laid the foundation stone of the University. A series of lectures in the name of University Extension Lectures were delivered on the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th February 1916 by distinguished specialists like Dr. Sir J.C. Bose, Dr. PC. Ray, Dr. Harold Mann, Prof. Sam Higginbottom, Mrs. Annie Besant, Prof. C. V. Raman and others. Mahatma Gandhi who had just returned to India from South Africa and had come to Banaras to attend the Foundation stone laying ceremony addressed his first public lecture in India on the 6th February. The closing functions were held on the 8th February 1916, the Vasant Panchami Day.By a Notification published In the Gazette of India on the 25th March, 1916 the Banaras Hindu University Act of 1915 was brought into force from the 1st April, 1916. Dr. Sir Sunder Lal was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor.

The University started functioning from 1st October, 1917 with the Central Hindu College as its first constituent College. In July, 1918 the College of Oriental learning and Theology was opened and in August 1918, the Teachers' Training College. The first University examinations were held in 1918 and the first Convocation on the 19th January, 1919. The Chancellor of the University, Maharaja Sir Krishnaraja Wadiyar of Mysore who had come to preside over and address the Convocation, also performed the opening ceremony of the Engineering College Workshop buildings. An Artisan course was started on 11 February, 1919. Thus the Engineering College was the first to start functioning in the University campus, within a Couple of years it started attracting students from all parts of India.

A "Hindu" University

Though the name of the university includes the word "Hindu," the university has always been accepting of the various religions of its members, including students and faculty. A message on its website says:

"India is not a country of the Hindus only. It is a country of the Muslims, the Christians and the Parsees too. The country can gain strength and develop itself only when the people of the different communities in India live in mutual goodwill and harmony. It is my earnest hope and prayer that this centre of life and light which is coming into existence, will produce students who will not only be intellectually equal to the best of their fellow students in other parts of the world, but will also live a noble life, love their country and be loyal to the Supreme ruler"