A Tribute to Sh. Gian Chand Rampal

Shri Gian Chand Rampal was born on 23rd May 1923 in District Hoshiarpur, Punjab. He was the youngest in the family. He nearly lost his eyesight as a young child but a regular medical treatment due to the persistent efforts of his father, accompanied by divine intervention from Ma Chintapoorni Devi, he regained his eyesight. From that age of roughly eight years, he never looked back. He always stood first and won scholarships from class VIII. He went on to study in the prestigious Foreman Christian College, Lahore. The day he completed his post-graduation (in Hons), the Principal, an American pastor appointed him as a Lecturer in the same college. Professor F. W. Rice, an American strongly recommended his case for studying abroad. However, those were turbulent times and the country was divided into two.

He boarded a train to Delhi and travelled on the roof top paying a premium to enter Delhi. He had started with four shirts, two trousers, one blanket and a shaving set. He had no house and even volunteered to sleep outside the house of a family from his hometown during the winter of 1947 as the house was full of refugees. From 19th November to 8th December 1947, he moved from one office to another in search of a job. Finally he got a job at Hindu College, DU, Kashmere Gate, where he was appointed for an initial period of eighty days. He continued to teach in Hindu College till 1988. He taught Botany and Zoology. Later he only taught Botany to Premedical, Botany (H) and Zoology (H).

He got married on Basant Panchmi day to Bimla Rampal, whose elder sister was already married to his first cousin, a Doctor of Medicine.

Apart from teaching, he was a keen sportsman and was President of the Boat Club. The Boat club was set up under the auspices of Vice Admiral Kataria of the Indian Navy. When the Hindu College moved from Kashmere Gate to DU campus, he left the Boat Club. The Boat Club was dissolved soon after his departure.

After the 1962 debacle, he also signed up for military training and earned his commission from the prestigious Rajputana Rifles Regiment Centre in Delhi. He later rose to the rank of Major in NCC and attended several NCC camps and even did short stints at the border. He passed a

rock climbing course from the Indian Army Rock Climbing Training Centre in Porander, 40 Kms from Pune.

He was instrumental in setting up a Rifle Range in Hindu College. His score in Rifle shooting was amongst the best. He was very popular even with the students he did not teach due to his various extra-curricular activities.

He was an ardent lover of plants and set up the Botanic Gardens in Hindu College. The college used to win nearly all the trophies in the DU flower show when he was the garden in-charge. Several pine trees are testimonials of his presence forever in the DU. He imported several acorns from the USA and planted the White Oak Tree, a tree native to the Americas in Vaishali. As per a Red Indian custom this tree spreads happiness and joy around it. White oak is the official state Tree of Illinois after

selection by a vote of school children. The white oak is also the state tree of

Connecticut and Maryland.

His student Prof B.P. Saxena, an ardent cactophile with the largest cacti collection in the world is a living example of his love for plants that he imparted to all his students. He never allowed even his children to pluck flowers as he said flowers are meant only for prayers to God. Araucarias and Junipers thrived under his hand as he cared for them.

He also did research on the plant Amanita muscaria with Professor G. S. Paliwal as his guide. It was used as an

intoxicant and entheogen by the peoples of Siberia and has a religious significance in these cultures. The Soma of the ancient Rig Veda texts of India is considered to be the same plant.

His students are prominent doctors, engineers, army officers, teachers and lecturers. Some of his students attained the highest echelons in the medical profession and they had no hesitation in making him sit in their chair whenever he visited them. His son saw it with his own eyes. Some of the prominent doctors are

Dr. J.S. Bajaj, Former member, Planning Commission, President Emeritus, Diabetic Council of the World.

Dr. N. N. Sood, prominent eye surgeon of AIIMS

Late Dr. L. K. Bhutani, a dermatologist.

Both Dr. Bajaj and Dr. Bhutani were made members of the Royal Society of Medicine in return for their exceptional contribution to the Medical Science.

He was a great fan of Mirza Ghalib and used to enjoy reading and reciting the poet’s verses.

He had visited the Meenakshi temple in Madurai and was so impressed by its magnificence that he named his eldest daughter, Meenakshi.

He was an admirer of Abraham Lincoln and when he had the opportunity to visit his younger daughter in the US, he visited Gettysburg. He got himself photographed under Lincoln’s statue and bought Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg speech printed on parchment paper.

His knowledge on the miracles of Indian herbs was immense and he would always advise people on their medicinal values.

He served the Vaishali Resident Welfare Association as Secretary for some years. He used to be extremely busy at that time working for the society.

He was always a loving father, an extremely loving grandfather and hardly ever scolded any of us. Yet in his own way, he remained a strict disciplinarian and all of us grew up with a sense of responsibility.

He has left a vacuum in our lives now and we will miss him a lot. Home will never be the same again. Missing in the picture below are Maneesh and Nidhi and Keya and Kimaya. The two K’s were not even born at that time.