Ganesh Dutt

Ganesh Dutt

Sir Ganesh Dutt Singh (1868–1943) was an Indian administrator and educationist. He did much to improve education and health services in the state of Bihar and Orissa in the pre-independence era. Dutt made generous donations from his earnings and personal property for the development of educational institutions, such as the radium institute in Patna Medical College, Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital, Ayurvedic College and schools for the blind and deaf. A short film based on the life and works of Dutt has been made by Prakash Jha.

Dutt was Minister for Local Self Government in the British Government of Bihar and Orissa and one of the major public figures of the province of Bihar. Sir Ganesh Dutt had donated his house Krishna Kunj to Patna University to start the Patna University Institute of Psychological Research and Service, one of the oldest psychological service centres in Eastern India in 1945 at the initiative of Sir Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh Sinha, who was the then Vice Chancellor of Patna University. Dutt saved nearly three-quarters of his salary each month for 14 years to give it to various charities to benefit orphans, widows, and schools in the state.

He a took keen interest in Patna University's development. He donated some of his assets to the University and worked hard to terminate the practice of appointing former judges as vice-chancellors; Dr Sachchidanand Sinha became the first VC of Patna University who was not a judge.