From Presidents to Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers to Chief Justices, one university in India has produced more national leaders than most. The University of Allahabad, often called the Oxford of the East, has a legacy of shaping the country's top minds and powerful voices.
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Established in 1887, the University of Allahabad is India's fourth-oldest university-after Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. Over the years, it has become a breeding ground for scholars, poets, politicians, scientists, and public servants who have shaped India's destiny.
Here are some of its notable alumni:
Former Presidents of India
- Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
- Zakir Husain
- Gopal Swarup Pathak (also Vice President)
Former Prime Ministers
- Gulzari Lal Nanda
- Chandrashekhar
- V. P. Singh
Interestingly, a five-time Prime Minister of Nepal, Surya Bahadur Thapa, also studied here.
Former Chief Justices of India
- Ranganath Mishra
- K. N. Singh
- V. N. Khare
- R. S. Pathak
- M. H. Beg
- J. S. Verma
- Mohammad Hidayatullah
Former Chief Ministers
- Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant (Uttar Pradesh)
- H. N. Bahuguna (Uttar Pradesh)
- N. D. Tiwari (Uttarakhand)
- Madan Lal Khurana (Delhi)
- Satyendra Narayan Sinha (Bihar)
- Vijay Bahuguna (Uttarakhand)
Renowned Thinkers and Creators
- Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Poet
- Mahadevi Verma, Writer
- Firaq Gorakhpuri, Poet
- Dharamvir Bharati, Novelist
- Mrinal Pande, Journalist
- Kamleshwar, Screenwriter
- Shanti Bhushan, Former Law Minister
- Prashant Bhushan, Lawyer
- Sudhir Dar, Cartoonist
- Aditya Srivastava, Actor
Eminent Scientists and Academics
- Daulat Singh Kothari, Physicist
- Harish Chandra, Mathematician
- Meghnad Saha, Physicist
- Govind Swarup, Physicist
- Deepak Dhar, Physicist
- Prem Chand Pandey, Climate Scientist
Freedom Fighters and Leaders
Other notable personalities include Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Founder of BHU, Purushottam Das Tandon, Motilal Nehru, and Feroze Gandhi.
Photo Credit: allduniv.ac.in
From politics and law to science and literature, the University of Allahabad has nurtured visionaries across generations. It continues to uphold its legacy of education, excellence, and nation-building from the historic city of Prayagraj.
