Amarnath Jha

Amaranath Jha (25 February 1897 – 2 September 1955) was the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Allahabad and the Banaras Hindu University.^[1][2][3] He was the son of Mahamahopadhyay Dr. Sir Ganganath Jha, a great scholar of Sanskrit Amaranath Jha was reputed as the ablest professor of English literature in India of his time.^[4] He was Head of the Department of English at the University of Allahabad for a long time, being appointed to the post at the young age of thirty-two. He succeeded his father as Vice-Chancellor of the Allahabad University and then became vice chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University in succession to Dr. Radhakrishnan.^[4] He worked as Vice Chairman of the committee for the project leading to the establishment of the National Defence Academy.^[5] He was one amongst eminent dignitaries associated with the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sanstahan, Allahabad.^[6] At the end of his academic career, he was made the Chairman of the Bihar Public Service Commission (1 April 1953 – 1 September 1955).^[7][4]

Amarnath Jha
5th Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University
In office 27 February 1948 – 5 December 1948
Appointed by	Lord Mountbatten
Preceded by	Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Succeeded by	Pandit Govind Malaviya
Personal details
Awards	Padma Bhushan

Honours

In 1910-11 the Muir Hostel was constructed. Allahabad University renamed it as "Amarnath Jha Hostel" to pay him regards.^[8][9] hostels' history say that Dr. Amarnath Jha as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Allahabad was himself also the warden of the Muir Hostel. He was among the first recipients of the civilian honour of Padma Bhushan (1954).^[10]

Personal life

Dr. Amarnath Jha was born in a Maithil Shrotriya Brahmin family of Mithila ( Sarisab-Pahi ) in Bihar. He died at an early age of fifty nine on 2 September 1955 at Patna.^[4] Dr. Amarnath Jha was a great scholar, a consummate speaker and an administrator par excellence. In 1920, he edited the 15th century's famous Sanskrit literature text "Rasarnava" written by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sankara Mishra.^[11]