Punjab: The 127-year-old Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) Senior Secondary School, Hoshiarpur, has been the alma mater of many successful individuals in various fields. From industry and politics to the medical profession and civil services, the students of the school have made their mark in every walk of life. As per available records, the school started functioning on February 8, 1898 with Principal Ram Chander. Located in the heart of the city, the school is spread over more than 6 acres of land. It was the second in the chain of DAV schools established by Mahatma Hansraj ji, who set up the first school in Lahore in 1886. The school has been permanently recognised and aided by the Punjab government since 1967. At that time, Hoshiarpur was part of a district under British rule, which included areas of Himachal Pradesh, present-day Jalandhar, Nawanshahr and Ropar. The school introduced a unique blend of Anglo-Sanskrit education, combining traditional Indian learning, especially Sanskrit, with modern English education.
Students from the united Punjab and even from the neighbouring states studied in this school. For decades it remained the centre of education in Punjab, especially in the Doaba region. A turning point in the history of the school came in 1905 when Mahatma Devi Chand, a missionary of the Arya Samaj, took over as the principal. He contributed significantly to the development of the school and made it a centre for the spread of education throughout the region. Mahatma Devi Chand not only improved the school but also established 39 other schools, all of which were managed from this institution. The school’s role as the centre of DAV education was strengthened and the affairs of these 39 schools were overseen. The school also ran a hostel in Islamabad, on the outskirts of Hoshiarpur, where many students from all over the country stayed. In 1926, this hostel was converted into DAV College, Hoshiarpur, with Principal Ram Das serving as the first head of the college.
In 1930, DAV College Hoshiarpur Society was formed and registered with the Registrar of Firms and Societies, Punjab. Since then, the school has been operating under the aegis of this society, which is currently headed by Dr. Anoop Kumar, a renowned urologist, an alumnus of the 1975 batch. The school has a long list of distinguished alumni who have achieved great success in various fields. Among them is former MLA of Hoshiarpur (1978-1980) and school principal Om Prakash Bagga, who was tragically assassinated by Khalistani terrorists in 1984. Notable alumni from other fields include former Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, former Chief Secretary of Haryana Sanjeev Kaushal and former Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana Rajiv Arora, who have made the school proud through their achievements. As Dr. Anoop Kumar, the current President of DAV College Hoshiarpur Society says, “Our school has not only shaped careers but has also contributed to the development of our nation and remains a guiding light for future generations.”
