RBU Journal of Library & Information Science, Vol 25, 2023

Satija & Krishnamurthy: Professor P N Kaula and S R R…
Ranganathan came to know about it somehow. He
called Kaula and asked him to abandon the
programme immediately. However, the inner urge to
do it was simmering in Kaula's mind for such a
genuine and well deserved cause. In order that
Ranganathan may not disapprove of the move, it was
decided to establish Ranganathan Endowment for
Library Science in 1952, with Kaula as its Secretary
and S.Dasgupta, the D U Librarian, as Chairman.
The idea was to institute 'Gold Medal' in Library
Science in the name of Ranganathan. So the money
was collected, but Ranganathan did not want the
utilization of amount in that way. Thus after 1961 the
amount was handed over to him which he made the
nucleus of the Endowment fund named after his
wife as "Sarada Ranganathan Endowment for
Library Science(SRELS)". The proposal for
preparing a Festschrift for Ranganathan was revived
in March 1961. A high-profile international
committee was formed with Kaula as the Secretary
and editor. The Festschrift was released in two
volumes. Volume 1, aptly titled Library Science
Today, contained tributes and contributions from all
over the world; and volume 2 was an "Essay in
Personal Bibliography" by A K Dasgupta which is a
comprehensive classified bibliography with many
indexes of writings on and by Ranganathan from
1910s to mid-1960s.And Professor Kaula was later
presented three festschrifts in return,so to say 3 . The
fourth has been planned for2024 4 .
Instrumental in Getting National
Professorship in Library Science for
Ranganathan.
In 1964 an Indian scientist Dr.Jayant V. Narlikar was
working with Sir Fred Hoyel in England and they
enunciated a new theory on Gravitation originally
formulated by Sir Isaac Newton. Narlikar shot up
into prominence. The then famous jurist and the
Union Education Minister M.C.Chagla (1900-1981)
offered to provide all facilities to Narlikar as a great
scientist under the National Research Professorship
Scheme instituted in 1949. Taking advantage of this
plan of the government Kaula wrote to Chagla that
there were other scientists in our country who have
brought name and fame to India by their
contributions, but they have no facilities to continue
their research and that the government has not
suitably recognised them. With this letter, Kaula
enclosed a long list of papers that had been received
from India and abroad for the "Ranganathan
Festschrift" being compiled and edited by him. The
reply came that Kaula should furnish the full bio-data
of Ranganathan which was urgently supplied through
the President of the UP Library Association.
Thereafter, Kaula went to Guwahati for the 8th All
Assam Library Conference in October 1964 which
was also attended by Ranganathan. Kaula mentioned
the above correspondence to Ranganathan and in
reaction Ranganathan got annoyed and asked
Kaula as to who had permitted him to do that for
him. He also felt that this would belittle his
contribution particularly by writing to the Education
Minister as the then honorary library advisor, who
was not friendly with Ranganathan, would view it
with scorn. Luckily, later it came out that
Government of India appointed Ranganathan
'National Research Professor in Library Science' in
1965, a unique distinction for any academician in the
country because till then there were only five
National Research Professors and Ranganathan
remains the only one so far in library science. Others
were in established disciplines like Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry, Linguistics, etc. Thus
Ranganathan got due recognition for his work and
contributions bythe Government of India. The
National Professorship was for life. He also got the
secretariat facilities and other perks to continue the
research work in his chosen field. Ranganathan took
it as recognition of the Indian library profession
(Ranganathan,1992,Secs.CJ8-91-92,pp.421-423).
Some personal observations made by
Kaula
Teaching Method in Gurukul
Environment
Kaula recalls, in Delhi, Ranganathan would often
take the formal class at his residence. A blackboard
was provided at C6 Maurice Nagar. Diploma and the
Degree Students would come and sit on the floor like
in ancient "gurukuls" and listen, think, speak, argue
and write. Throughout the period, the class was like a
seminar where each one had to contribute.
Ranganathan would sometimes single out a person
who seemed inattentive and ask him rehash what
had been discussed in the class. Thus everybody had
to be ever alert, on his toes, so to speak.
Even though he taught both the theory and practice
of a subject, his methodology was not to separate the
two into watertight compartments. For him, there is a
mutual interplay of theory and practice. He would
deduce theory out of practical detail and practical
detail out of the theory. Comparative study and
presenting ideas with certain familiar analogies and
anecdotes made his teaching engaging and
stimulating. Students learnt every aspect of the
universe of knowledge by actively participating in
his class. Ranganathan himself would also learn from
the students—which he has admitted many times. To
acknowledge it, he has dedicated one of his book to
all students, past and present ‘from whom he learned
the most’ he wrote in all humility. He has made
known many a time that some problems with which
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