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| Saturday, May 17, 2003 |
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In 1948, R.K. settled
down in Delhi, near Kashmiri gate, close to Nirad C Chaudhuri's
residence. Both often met, but they were poles apart. On several
occasions, they argued with each other heatedly on literary and
political issues. R.K. found Nirad's admiration for Churchill
repellent, and Nirad thought R.K.'s criticism of Kipling totally
unjustified. As a Rhodes' scholar, R.K. went to Oxford where he was
supervised by C.S. Lewis for his B.A. (Hons), in English literature.
He returned to India, and joined the Department of English in Panjab
University College, Hoshiarpur. Later, he went to London, where he
obtained Ph.D under the supervision of Tillotson. He joined Rajasthan
University, Jaipur, as Professor and Head, and settled down there. He
married Sir Tej Bhadur Sapru's granddaughter. Her father, an ICS, had
retired as Home Secretary in U.P. |
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R.K. maintained high standards of scholarship in his literary works. Endowed with a critical acumen, highly refined sensibility and incisive use of English and Urdu languages, he produced several literary works that won admiration in academic circles. He did not write much because he set before himself very high standards of excellence. Nor would he praise any work by a colleague, friend or relation unless it deserved such merit. Whatever he achieved, he won it through his intellectual and moral resources. In literary matters, he was strictly a moralist in the tradition of F.R. Leavis. A bold and daring intellectual, R.K. would not bow to anyone. He knew not how to flatter or cajole anyone. At Oxford, he was advised not to take up specialisation in the early Anglo-Saxon literature, but he did so. Among the options offered, he took up Latin literature, which required an intensive study of Latin language. This adversely affected his performance in honours degree. Ignoring his scholarship and intellectual eminence, his detractors continued to wage a tirade against him because of his B.A. (Hons) Oxford performance. It is sad indeed to say in retrospect that even Panjab University did not own R.K. — he was not offered a Department Chair or Honorary Doctorate. A gentleman of affable manners, winsome smile and nimble wit, R.K. was free of malice and idle gossip. An avid bird watcher, he led a scholarly, creative life. And, of course, he took life rather too seriously. When I sent a cheque to him on his son's marriage, he wrote succinctly, "Thanks but you don't know my son well enough. Hence, he doesn't deserve this generosity." Personally, Ilearnt much from R.K. and I salute him with affection and a bow. We would regularly write to each other, discussing and sharing our work and concerns. My last letter to him lies on my table, unposted. I doubt whether in his own
special field of study and in the study of European, English and
American literature, he had any equal in the country.
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I
CAME to know R.K. Kaul when we were contemporaries in Government
College, Lahore. In 1945, he passed his B.A. (Hons) in English with
flying colours, standing first in the Punjab. He was assistant editor
of Ravi (the college magazine), while Abdul Islam, later the Nobel
Laureate, was its editor. As the vice-president of the students'
union, he expressed his views on political issues fearlessly. This was
a risky and difficult thing to do within the college environment. In
the college literary forum, he participated enthusiastically. His
teachers Eric Dickenson, A.S. Bukhari and Siraj-ud-Din set high hopes
on him for his future. Due to the Partition, R.K. could not complete
his M.A. in English in Lahore. Later, he secured first class in it.