Prof Jagdish Chandra Jha has done yeoman’s service to the scholar community of English literature by bringing into print his thesis on Evelyn Waugh, the great novelist, one of the most famous Engli...ver maisProf Jagdish Chandra Jha has done yeoman’s service to the scholar community of English literature by bringing into print his thesis on Evelyn Waugh, the great novelist, one of the most famous English literature authors. I am Prof. Jha’s younger brother, couldn’t restrain myself from sketching his life as briefly as possible.
Prof J. C. Jha was born in 1932 in a small village, Amrita, in a remote district of Saharsa in Bihar (India). The village had no school, not even a primary one. It was mainly inhabited by agricultural laborers, obviously non-literate and poor.
Our father was, of course, a lettered man of modern times. He took Jagdish to a village nearby that had a primary school. His brilliance showed up in various fields, both academics, and sports. Eventually, he was selected to study in a renowned school in Bihar. There he passed the matriculation examination with flying colours.
With an admirable career in the school, he entered Patna Science College as an undergraduate student. This college was considered, at that time, one of the best in the country for Science teaching. Later he shifted to Patna College, which was famous for Arts teaching. There he pursued English literature.
Prof Jha, after completing MA, got appointed in Magadh University of Gaya, the place renowned all over the world for Buddha’s enlightenment. There he taught modern English literature. He became well known as an erudite English scholar and eventually occupied the post of the Head of the English Department.
While teaching in the University, Prof Jha completed his research work on Evelyn Waugh, under the guidance of Prof R. K. Sinha, the Head of the English Department of Patna University. Prof Sinha was a scholar of English literature, known far and wide. Having retired from service, Prof Jha still devotes most of his time to study despite being a grand older man of ninety!
- Nitiranjan Jhaver menos