Amarnath Jha

Amarnath Jha (c. 1888 – 2 September 1947) was the Vice Chancellor (VC) of University of Allahabad and Banaras Hindu University who was the son of Sir Ganganath Jha, a great scholar of Sanskrit but was equally proficient in his mother tongue Maithili apart from Hindi, English, Persian, Urdu, and Bangla. Amarnath Jha was reputed as the ablest professor in India of his time. He was the Head of the Department of English at the University of Allahabad for a long time; on this post he was appointed at the Age of thirty-two only. He became Vice-Chancellor of the Allahabad University succeeding his father and of the Banaras Hindu University in succession to Dr. Radhakrishnan. He worked as the Vice Chairman of the committee of a project in National Defence Academy, India. He was one amongst eminent dignitories associated with the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sanstahan, Allahabad. Dr. Jha’s official career includs the first Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission. Next at the end of his academic career, he was made the Chairman of the Bihar Public Service Commission (1 April 1953 – 1 September 1955).

In 1910-11 the Muir Hostel was constructed. Allahabad University renamed it as "Amarnath Jha Hostel" to pay him regards. hostels' history say that Dr. Amarnath Jha as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Allahabad was himself also the warden of the Muir Hostel.

He was among the first recipients of the civilian honour of Padma Bhushan (1954).

Dr. Amarnath Jha was born in a Maithil Brahmin family of Mithila in Bihar. He died at an early age of fifty nine on 2 September 1947 at Patna.

Dr. Amarnath Jha was a great scholar, a consummate speaker and an administrator par excellence.