On this day, we remember and celebrate the life and legacy of Prof. Gurbakhsh Singh (b. March 27, 1920, Multan, Punjab – undivided India), the Founding Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hyderabad (UoH). As the university continues to grow in stature as one of India’s leading centres of higher learning and research, we pause to reflect on the foundational vision of the man who set it all in motion.

 

 

Prof. Singh’s academic journey was marked by distinction and clarity of purpose. When entrusted with the responsibility of establishing a new central university in the late 1970s, he approached the task not just as an administrator, but as a nation builder. His leadership style combined intellectual rigour with a profound sense of responsibility toward building an institution that would serve future generations of scholars and researchers.

One of Prof. Singh’s most significant contributions was his insistence on academic excellence from the very beginning. He carefully selected outstanding faculty across diverse disciplines, many of whom would go on to become pillars of Indian academia. His approach was holistic—placing equal emphasis on the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and emerging fields of study. He envisioned the University of Hyderabad not just as a place of learning, but as a laboratory for thought, where ideas could flourish freely and fearlessly.

His tenure laid the groundwork for what the University of Hyderabad has become today: a vibrant intellectual ecosystem that values innovation, diversity, and critical inquiry. The culture of academic rigour and interdisciplinary collaboration that he championed continues to define the university’s ethos.

As we honour his memory on his birthday, we also acknowledge the enduring impact of his leadership. Prof. Singh’s legacy lives on in the achievements of our students, the work of our faculty, and the university’s contribution to national and global scholarship.

Let us remember him not only as a founding administrator but as a visionary educator whose ideas continue to guide and inspire the UoH community.

Thank you, Prof. Gurbakhsh Singh—for your wisdom, your courage, and your unwavering commitment to the power of education.