A TRIBUTE TO PROF.

B V NARAYANA RAO

Prof. B V Narayana Rao, popularly known as BVN, was an eminent academician

always focussed on academic excellence and paying due
recognition to each and everyindividualengaged in the
growth and development of theinstitution. My
introduction to Prof. BVN,before meeting him in
person,was through his eminently student friendly
textbooksfor PU Physics. As students, we had loved to
solve problems and conceptual questions from his book.
My first opportunity to meet him in person happened in
an interesting way on an afternoon around 12:30 pm in
the month of August 1985, when I was conducting an
experiment on determination of frequency of AC using Sonometer in the physics
laboratory.Without any formal introduction, Prof. BVN with an air of authority
asked me what I wastrying to find, and I explained to him the task I was engaged
in. After a few more interactionspertaining to the subject, Dr. KRajagopalachar,
the then Principal of the college who had accompanied him to my department
then introduced Prof. BVN Rao to me as the Treasurer of BHS Higher Education
Society. I,indeed, felt honouredon meeting Prof. BVN and took the opportunity to
acknowledge my gratitude for his inspirational textbooks.

As days and years passed by, I came in closer contact with Prof. BVN.Prof. BVN
hailedfrom the prestigious family of Rao Bahadur Prof. B Venkateshachar, one of
the founding fathers of BHS HES institutions. Having been the son of such an
eminent visionary and anacademician, it was our fortune that he served the
institution with unflinching dedication and devotion for his life time, first as
executive member of BHS HES in the year 1976, then as the Vice – President in
the year 1986 along with the post of Treasurerand later elevated to the post of
Secretary in the year 1988. None other than Dr. N S SundaraRajan, the former
President of BHS HES,had a great admiration to Prof. BVN which he had heartily
expressed on many occasions, and on several platforms.

The unflagging love and enthusiasm Prof. BVNevincedtowards academics was so

intense that he continued to author books for degree classes into his ripe old age.
He authored more than 70 books on Physics and Electronics. He kept himself
abreast of newer topics by collecting manuscripts and reference books from the
library, understanding the topics and then developing the material for the book.
It was my fortune as well as an educative experience to review the text
developed and then suggest few modifications which he accepted as well as
incorporated with an open mind. Indeed, we have a lot to learn from the
examples of such modest persons. Even after several years of his retirement, he
was active in the academics through his books. Thus, he richly deserves to be
called the teacher of teachers.

He was truly democratic in many instances in spirit, although certain firm

decisions he took might have seemed autocratic as a Secretary. He used to
express the desire to transform Vijaya College to an institution of national
importance and owed to leave no stone unturned to move in that direction.It may
be remembered, in this context, that it was during his tenure that the institution
earned the recognition as “College with Potential for Excellence” from the UGC.
Prof. BVN eschewed engaging himself in lengthy discourses and speeches as well
would always conclude his short speecheswith this profoundly meaningful
slogan like words : “ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ, ಸಸಸಸಸಸ
ಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸ”,akin to Dr. Rajkumar’s popular song
“ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ …” .

Here is a brief profile of Prof. BVN as an academician and a sports enthusiast.

 Prof. BVN served the Central College (now Bangalore University) between
1943 and 1945. Respecting the words of his father, Late Rao Bahadur Prof.
B Venkateshachar, Prof. BVN Rao quit his job in the Central College and
joined Vijaya College as a Lecturer and HOD of Physics in the year 1945.
During his service in Vijaya College, he served as a Senate Member,
Member of Academic Council and Chairman, Board of Studies in Physics of
Bangalore University. He retired as Principal of the College in the year
1975.
 Prof. BVN was an acclaimed Basketball player having represented the
Mysore State in somewhere around late 1930s and early 1940s. He also
served as Secretary and Class I referee of Mysore State Basketball
Association.

Some of the landmark contributions of Prof. BVN Rao are as follows.

 Pivotal role in regularizing the services of stop gap teachers in 1998.

 Construction of Vijaya Bifr PU College and rear block of Vijaya College
sequel to the bifurcation of the college.
 Personal interest in developing the Indoor Auditorium of Vijaya College
 Initiation of the Girls’ Hostel in the Vijaya College Campus as a common
facility for all BHS HES institutions
 Initiation of a canteen facility in the Vijaya College Campus.
 Commencement of several unaided courses in Vijaya College in the year
2007. Introduction of PG courses in the college between 2011 and 2013.
 Networking of the entire campus and extension of internet facility to all
departments in the year 2008.
 Development of 6 classrooms and the BCA lab in the third floor in the year
2007.
 Development of PG Maths Laboratory with about 20 computers in the year
2012.

Bold decision in safeguarding the jobs of several teaching and non – teaching
staff of BHS HES institutions with an adage “ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸ
ಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ,
ಸಸಸಸಸಸಸಸ ಸಸಸಸ”. This decision of BVN has safeguarded the jobs of
many in the BHS HES institutions inspite of deficiency in workload. Concept of
permanency in jobs for the unaided staff was,thus,his brainchild.

Prof. BVN was born in the year 1920,had a long, fruitful and purposeful life
and left this mortal world in the year 2019. The loss of this centenarian,
academician and visionarywho served his lifetimefor the welfare of the
institution has indeed left a vacuum that can never ever be filled.

May his soul rest in peace.