Danmal Mathur

Shri Danmal Mathur is remembered as a well known and highly respected luminary  of  Rajasthan. Multifaceted and diligent, he was born on 14th March 1904 in Ajmer and made a mark for himself as an educationist. His father, Munshi Kanmal Mathur, had been Housemaster of Kotah House  in Mayo College earlier, and was known for being a man of principle and a disciplinarian. A young Danmal imbibed his father’s qualities.

With a Bachelor’s degree from Government College, Ajmer, he went on to work as Demonstrator in Physics and later taught in Sardar High School, Bharatpur, for three years. The Principal of Mayo College in 1932, Mr. V.A.S. Shaw, recognizing his potential, appointed him to teach Geography in Mayo College. He rose to become Head of the Geography Department. Later, he went on to become Housemaster, then Vice Principal and also acting Principal before retirement in 1969.

He was the founder Principal of Vidya Niketan School in Bhilwara and the Mayoor School in Ajmer. For his signal contribution to education the Rajasthan State Govt. conferred the State Teacher’s Award in 1970, and the Mewar Foundation awarded him the Maharana Mewar Award in 1981.

His appointment on the board of government of a number of educational institutions is testimony of the high esteem he was held in as an educationist. His special contribution besides academics to Mayo is the Museum established by him, now called ‘The Danmal Mathur Museum’. Overseas visitors to the museum have rated it as among the best school museums in the world. The Open Air Map of India is another unique contribution of his to Mayo College.

He was a pioneer of the Scouting Movement in Rajasthan  having  been  initiated  by  Madan  Mohan Malviya. In recognition of his services, he was awarded the ‘Silver Star’ and subsequently the ‘Silver Elephant’ the highest award in Scouting in India.

Shri Mathur excelled in games also and achieved the rare distinction of captaining all the three major games; cricket, football and hockey in the same year in Govt. College, Ajmer. He was awarded the ‘Colvin Gold Medal’ in recognition of his sporting achievements in Govt. College. He was a member of the Rajputana cricket team, which played against the M.C.C. when it toured India and Australia in the Thirties.

In 1952 as a Fulbright scholar in the U.S.A. he won accolades for his expository lectures on Indian culture and religion.

Shri Mathur was on various boards, committees and associations in Ajmer, contributing his mite towards its growth. He was at different times, a member of the Urban Improvement Trust, a Councillor in the Ajmer Municipal Council, Vice-President of the Indian Red Cross Society and on the Board of Savitri College.

“Maa’t  Saab”,  as  he  was  affectionately  called, endeared   himself   to   his   students   and   inspired confidence   in   them.   Pursuit   of   excellence   and commitment  to  the  task  in  hand were  the  guiding principals of his life. Any history of Mayo College, Ajmer,. the Scout movement in India and education in Rajasthan would be incomplete without mention of Danmal Mathur.