Unknown Soldier of Fortune for the Professional Development of Students: Sri Dantuluri Narayana Raju

Abstract

Dantuluri Narayana Raju College (DNR) was founded in 1945, before Indian independence, and was an offshoot of the national movement and Renaissance thought. Being agrarian, the Godavari region had been kept away from higher academic activities during the pre-independence period. Sri Dantuluri Narayana Raju, a freedom fighter, activist and visionary wanted to provide the uneducated rural masses with the hitherto unthinkable and inaccessible source for their general development and welfare, namely higher education. This visionary, with the help of a limited number of lieutenants and committed philanthropists, worked hard with missionary zeal and brought about the establishment of a boarding school in Bhimavaram, known as West Godavari Bhimavaram (W.G.B) College in 1945.In 1964 it was renamed as Dantuluri Narayana Raju (D.N.R) College in memory of its founder. The introduction of post graduate courses in 1971 is a milestone in the history of the college. The infrastructure available in the college became an impetus for starting an Engineering College in 1980. In view of the outstanding academic excellence maintained by the college since its inception, the college was conferred autonomy in the year 1987, by the University grants commission, India. Consequently, the college has academic freedom to introduce new courses.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

Dantuluri Narayana Raju College (DNR) was founded in 1945, before Indian independence, and was an offshoot of the national movement and Renaissance thought. Being agrarian, the Godavari region had been kept away from higher academic activities during the pre-independence period. Sri Dantuluri Narayana Raju, a freedom fighter, activist and visionary wanted to provide the uneducated rural masses with the hitherto unthinkable and inaccessible source for their general development and welfare, namely higher education. This visionary, with the help of a limited number of lieutenants and committed philanthropists, worked hard with missionary zeal and brought about the establishment of a boarding school in Bhimavaram[1], known as West Godavari Bhimavaram (W.G.B) College in 1945.

Sri Dantuluri Narayana Raju was born on May 6, 1898 in the village of Kopalle, Bhimavaram Taluk, to the family of a noble couple named Sri Dantuluri Bapi Raju and Smt Subbayamma. He spent his childhood at the home of his maternal uncle Sri Sagi Bapi Raju in Chinaamiram. At the initiative of his uncle, he was lucky enough to master the Sanskrit "Pancha Kavyas" under the excellent guidance of Sri Dintyala Sarveswara Shastri of Pedaamiram, and tried to learn English under the guidance of Sri Madduri Sarveswara Shastri of Bhimavaram.

II. FREEDOM MOVEMENT PARTICIPATION

A patriotism cultivated deep in his heart led him to the calling of Mahatma Gandhi,  and even from the first days of his life he joined the struggle for freedom. His uncompromising love for freedom made him a member of the National Congress of India in 1919, the same year he was privileged to represent the western Godavari of Andhra Pradesh at the meeting of the All India Congress in Ahmedabad. Early in his political career, he took an active part in the non-cooperative movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920. Because of his active participation in civil disobedience movements as part of the fight for freedom in 1930, he was arrested and sent to Cannanor[2]. 1 year in prison as a Class A prisoner.

There he met Dr. C. Rajagopalachari, Dr. Enjoyed socializing with prominent personalities like Pattabhi Sitaramaya. When he was arrested again in 1932 and sent to Rajawellora Jail, he was associated with the likes of Sri Raghava Menon. During his imprisonment, he took advantage of this opportunity to learn many other languages, including Tamil, Bengali, and Hindi, along with improving his English. In 1942 he took an active part in the movement to get out of India, which inspired many young people in the region to join him in the name of freedom, and as a token of his gratitude he did his best to help supporters during the struggle for freedom[3,4].

III. PUBLIC LIFE AS A POLITICIAN

Public Life as Politics From 1922 to 1934 he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bhimavaram Taluk. This period was considered the most decisive of his political career. During this time, he devoted all his time as Council Chairman, carrying out basic infrastructure projects in  many of the villages under his jurisdiction. The objects created are mainly: 1) Construction of the village entrance 2) Creation of a drinking water source for the village[5,6]. 3) Establishing a hospital to provide free medical care and 4) Opened boarding schools in almost all villages. As part of an irrigation plan carried out during his tenure, 12 villages, including Kalipatnam, used drinking water supplies on approximately 6,000 acres of farmland in addition to irrigation. Likewise, in another proposed irrigation plan, he could provide drinking water equipment to about 10 villages, including

Vemuladev, as well as bring about 8,000 acres of vacant banjar land for productive agricultural use. Celebrating the social zeal of Sri D.N.R. has truly changed the way i.e the life style of agriculturists of these parts bringing glory to the public spiritedness exhibited by Sri D.N.R.

IV. PIONEERS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Shri D.N.R. Throughout his life, emphasized the promotion of higher education opportunities. The reason for this was that the conditions for obtaining a higher education in these areas were clearly insufficient, and thus it was impossible to obtain a higher education[7]. As a  result, he is tasked with bridging this gap to help children in the region achieve higher education. His efforts were realized on July 4, 1945 when he founded West Godavari Bhimavaram College in Bhimavaram with the kind cooperation of all who understand the purpose of mission. Sri CHR Reddy, then Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, W.G.B. University. Thanks to the altruistic commitment of the university's founder, Shri DNR, and the unconditional support of like-minded people in the region, this outstanding educational institution has been lauded throughout India as an outstanding educational institution complex offering quality opportunities. Education from K. to PhD level ... The horizontal and vertical growth of these institutions today convincingly testifies to the noble ideals cherished by Sri D.N.R. After realizing his aspiration to open a university in the area, Shri D.N.R. went to high school and eventually went to S.Ch.B.R.M. Middle school started thanks to a generous charitable donation from Sri Chintalapati Vara Prasada Murti Raju in honor of his father Sri Bapi Raju. Also, his desire to provide more educational opportunities allowed him to start high school in Yandagandi, Uppuluru and Kopala. Dantuluri Narayana Raju College (D.N.R) was founded in 1945, before India's independence, and was a branch of a national movement and revival,as an agricultural area, the Godabari area did not participate in.

Freedom fighter, activist and visionary Shri Dantuluri Narayana Raju wanted to provide the uneducated rural masses with an unthinkable and inaccessible source for their overall development and well-being: higher education. With the help of a limited number of dedicated lieutenants and philanthropists, this visionary fought hard against missionary zeal and in 1945 brought to life the founding of the university known as West Godavari Bhimavaram College (WGB) in Bhimavaram. In 1964, it was renamed Dantuluri Narayan Raju College (DNR) in honor of its founder. The opening of the graduate school in 1971 marked an important milestone in the university's history. The university's infrastructure was the driving force behind the establishment of the College of Engineering in 1980. In view of the outstanding academic excellence supported by the university since its establishment, in 1987 the Indian University Grants Commission granted the university autonomy. As a result, universities have the academic freedom to introduce new courses in D. N. R. The College’s most effective and compassionate ,under the guidance of College Management .It is a matter of tremendous pride that the College has grown so strong, has made tremendous progress, and has been awarded the laurels of each and every one of them. Under the warm guidance of the various stakeholders and members of D.N.R., the university has reached its peak of fame. Former President  Sri R. Venkataramaya,  Sri G. Venkaya Naidu, Sri G. Mohan Das, Sri T.  Krishna  Murti, Sri G. Jagannadha Raju, Sri G. Ranga Raju, Sri B. Vijaya Kumar Raju, Sri J. Ranga Raju (Murali) Sri C. Sriranganadha Raju ? Sri Dantuluri Narayana Raju, Sri J. Jagannadha Raju, Sri JS Ramabhadra  Raju,  Sri  M.  Rama Raju,  Sri  D.  Bapi  Raju  and  Sri  GV  Narasimha  Raju  have contributed greatly to the university's huge development.

Newly elected College Association Board of Directors under the young  and dynamic  leadership of Shri G.V. President  Narasimha  Raju  and Secretary and Correspondent Sri G. Satyanarayana Raju (Babu) have been very active in the further development of the University and plan to launch new courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Furnished classrooms, well-equipped independent laboratories, one of the largest and most meticulously maintained libraries with around 120,000 books, huge auditorium, large playground with 8-row treadmills, 2 tennis courts, modern Gyms, basketball courts with international standards and more are provided by the university's management. Additional facilities such as student information desks, bookstores, kiosks, post offices, commercial banks, and health care centers are etc., have been provided for the benefit of the student community.

Two large dormitories for 1000 boys and 500 girls, following guidelines for students[8] from remote rural areas. In addition to this, student-run residences cater to the needs of several more students. They also built a new building, Subbaraju Bhavan, named after Datla Subba Raju Garu,  the father of philanthropist Datl Achut Ram Raju Garu from the town of Penumantra, which provided free accommodation and boarding facilities to around 250 non-scholar students. For students who cannot afford a formal higher education, the university includes the Andhra University Distance Learning Center and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University. From February 21 to 23, 2005, a panel of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) visited the university. After a thorough review, the colleagues were very pleased with the academic success, the building, the laboratory, the library, the infrastructure such as sports and games, the excellent alumni. On the recommendation of a fellow colleague, the NAAC Executive Committee was accredited for DNR College (Autonomous) level “A”. This is one of the most important achievements of the D. N. R. College Association leadership, faculty, non-faculty, and student communities. The University has completed 60 years as a leading institution in higher education and celebrated the Diamond Jubilee in 2006-07. DNR College has developed to such a high standard that it is not only one of the largest universities at the national level, but also one of the most prestigious educational institutions with dedicated leadership, dedicated staff, and a clear return to students with the highest degrees of discipline and backed by the grace of Almighty.

For Social Welfare Shri D.N.R, always did his best to help people in need, and his social concern for his neighbors earned him the respect of many in this regard. As a humanist, he has helped worthy poor people to marry their children, as well as making charitable donations to many for educational needs. He never forgot the altruistic sacrifices of his followers, and as a token of his gratitude he did his best to bring economic recovery to those who deserved his help. His important contribution to gaining the status of a municipality by obtaining the status of Bhimavaram Panchayata in 1948 will never be forgotten by the residents of Bhimavaram.

Also, his efforts to build a bridge over the Yanamadurru ditch contributed to the city's splendid development, as anyone today can attest, and was later named after D.N.R. At the same time, he plays an important role in the construction of a pedestrian bridge across the Yanamadurru watershed near the government. A hospital that facilitates the movement of children attending school/university. legislative member He ran and won the 1952 Undi section for legislative assembly. From 1952 to 1955 he was a member of the Madras State Council. He has also held several coveted positions, including: 1. Senator Andra University (1948-1955) 2. Member of the National Irrigation Advisory Board (1948-1952) 3. Member of Road Traffic Bureau (1949-1951). 4. Honorary Correspondent for Madras Museum (1950-1952).

He stubbornly sought to preserve the rich values in all the duties entrusted to him to elevate his status, and ultimately he became a sane man who lived his life to realize his loftiest ideals. He left his body on May 7, 1964, and reached a heavenly dwelling place, where he left his followers in sorrow. However, the ideals he established have inspired those committed to advancing higher education. Dantuluri Narayana Raju College (D.N.R.) was founded in 1945, prior to India's independence, and was a branch of a national movement and revival. As an agricultural area, the Godabari area did not participate in higher academic activities before liberation. Freedom fighter, activist and pioneer Shri Dantuluri Narayana Raju  wanted to provide the uneducated rural masses with an unthinkable and inaccessible source for their overall development and well-being: higher education. With the help of a limited number of dedicated lieutenants and philanthropists, this visionary fought hard against missionary zeal and in 1945 brought to life the founding of the university known as West Godavari

In 1964 it was renamed as Dantuluri Narayana Raju (D.N.R) College in memory of its founder.The introduction of post graduate courses in 1971 is a milestone in the history of the college. The infrastructure available in the college became an impetus for starting an Engineering College in 1980. In view of the outstanding academic excellence maintained by the college since its inception, the college was conferred autonomy in the year 1987, by the University grants commission, India. Consequently, the college has academic freedom to introduce new courses[9,10].

A. Sister Institutions

1. D.N.R. College of Education
   • B.Ed.,
   • M.Ed.,
   • D.Ed.,
2. D.N.R. College of Law
   • L.L.B (3 Years)
   • L.L.B (5 Years)
3. D.N.R. College of Engineering & Technology
   • Civil Engineering (B.E., & M.Tech)
   • Computer Science Engineering (B.E., & M.Tech)
   • Electronics & Communications Engineering (B.E., & Diploma in Engg.)
   • Electrical & Electronics Engineeging (B.E.)
   • Mechanical Engineering (B.E.)
   • Master in Business Administration (M.B.A), JNTU
4. D.N.R. School of Business Management
   • Master in Business Administration (M.B.A), ANU
5. D.N.R. Junior College
6. D.N.R. College of Physical Education
7. D.N.R. Schools
   • Sri Chintalapati Bapiraju Memorial High School
   • D.N.R. English Medium High School
   • D.N.R. English Medium Primary School
   • D.N.R. Kindergarten Public School
   • Sri Venkateswara School for the Deaf & Dumb

Conclusion

The chief purpose is to reform the education system and bridge the gap between current learning outcomes and those desired. Recognizing the need to keep up with a rapidly changing world and knowledge landscape he purpose the education system is to develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values. Sri Dantuluri Narayana Raju aims at producing engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive and plural society as envisaged by our constitution. Furthermore, serious political commitment must be demonstrated, including adequate budgetary allocation, personnel training, and improved curriculum development and infrastructure. Finally we would like to conclude that as Education is a public good,everyone is a stakeholder and should therefore be invited to contribute to actualize the vision of Sri Dantuluri Narayana Raju to make India’s education system strong, inclusive, and equitable.

References

[1] \"Andhra Pradesh (India): State, Major Agglomerations & Cities – Population Statistics in Maps and Charts\". citypopulation.de. [2] \"West Godavari District Mandals\" (PDF). Census of India. p. 457. Retrieved 19 January 2015. [3] \"District Census Handbook – West Godavari\" (PDF). Census of India. p. 22,23–54. Retrieved 22 September 2015. [4] \"Toursim [sic]\". Bhimavaram Municipality. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015. [5] \"About Bhimavaram Municipality\". Bhimavaram Municipality. 2011. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2013. [6] \"Welcome to Bhimavaram Info\". bhimavaraminfo.com. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 12 July 2014. [7] \"Literacy of AP (Census 2011)\" (PDF). AP govt. portal. p. 43. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014. [8] \"School Education Department\" (PDF). School Education Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2016. [9] \"The Department of School Education – Official AP State Government Portal | AP State Portal\". www.ap.gov.in. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016. [10] \"Bhimavaram Schools, Colleges, Engineering Colleges, Degree Colleges List – BhimavaramTV.com\". bhimavaramtv.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014.

Copyright

Copyright © 2022 Dr S. Koteswari, B. Nandan Kumar . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.