BJP president JP Nadda takes a walk down memory lane during HPU alumni meet

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, August 21

Taking a walk down memory lane, BJP’s national president Jagat Prakash Nadda today reminisced his student days in the Himachal Pradesh University from where his political innings began four decades back.

Nadda, who did his law from HPU in 1982, was the chief guest at the HPU Alumni Meet here today. Nadda’s political journey began from HPU where he remained the president of the student council when he won as the first ever ABVP candidate.

An emotional Nadda said it was in HPU campus that he started his political journey. “I joined MA Political Science in 1980 when there were just two buildings and 11 departments. Today, I found it exceedingly difficult to find the department where I studied as the campus has changed so much,” he said.

Nadda said students from HPU have excelled in every field, be it politics, administration, judiciary, medicine, media, sports, arts and culture and various other fields.

Nadda remembered his teachers PN Bhatnagar, RP Singh, Prof Mehrotra and others. He also remembered his batchmates who were judges or occupied other high positions.

“It is a homecoming for me. It is in this very auditorium that after stiff competition one could get a chance to perform after proving his/her mettle,” remembered Nadda, an excellent orator since his university days.

I wanted all my colleagues from Congress, CPM to be here as we are all products of HPU. “Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai was my junior as he joined in 1981 and was very fond of imartees (Indian sweet),” he said talking about his university days.

On a lighter note, he said an invitation for lunch to the girls hostel was the most desired for. “I cannot forget the ‘Thakur Chai Dhaba’ and ‘Jagmohan Chai Shop’ where we would have tea at 2 am in the night,” he said.

“Self-existence is possible only with co-existence,” he said, adding that political awareness, tolerance and democratic traditions of HPU have been very high.

He said the mess incharge in the hostel, Dilbar used to address senior students as ‘doctor’ despite not having a PhD, anybody who spends more than five years at university becomes a doctor.

“I had ideological differences with people from other student political outfits but we had great camaraderie,” he said.

He exhorted students to make the best use of their time here on the campus. He urged students to work with integrity, dedication and perseverance, which are the key to success as this student life will not come back.

Nadda said higher education was a privilege and students must pay back to society for this honour. “Students should not be a rudderless boat; they should have focus and direction. Identify your potential and strengths and look inwards for this,” he said, giving tips to students.

Actor Anupam Kher and AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria were honoured as alumni of the year. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was also present at the event.