Gandhian Educator and Avowed Skeptic: Remembering Dr HN on National Education Day

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Today marks the 137th birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the renowned Gandhian leader and India's first education minister. However, it's also a day to celebrate the life of another influential educator, Dr HN, who embodied the transformative power of education. Born on June 6, 1916, in Hosur, Karnataka, Dr HN was a brilliant student who grew up to become a stalwart academic and Gandhian. Like Maulana Azad, Dr HN believed in the importance of universal, holistic, and secular education. He was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's ideas and even met the leader at the National High School in Bengaluru, where he was a student. Dr HN's journey to becoming a Gandhian began when he walked 85 km from his village to Bengaluru to join the National High School, which was founded by Annie Besant. It was there that he translated Gandhiji's speech from Hindi to Kannada in real time and was deeply moved by the experience. He went on to complete his BSc and MSc in Physics and later earned his PhD in nuclear physics from Ohio State University. Dr HN's contributions to education in India are numerous. He served as a lecturer, principal, and vice-chancellor, introducing new subjects like psychology and social work into the curriculum. He was also a committed rationalist who challenged miracles and superstitions, even taking on revered figures like Sathya Sai Baba. As we celebrate National Education Day, we remember the lives of Maulana Azad and Dr HN, two individuals who dedicated their lives to the transformative power of education. Their legacies continue to inspire us to strive for a more inclusive and rational society.