Hindu College lecturer renovates heritage cottage
Hindu College lecturer renovates heritage cottage
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Makeover: Renovated heritage cottage of Hindu College. Ratan Lal (inset) |
He teaches history and preserves it too. A history lecturer of Delhi University's prestigious Hindu College took it upon himself to raise from virtual debris a cottage built in 1911 on the campus, after requests to the college administration for the same failed.
Ratan Lal, who is associated with the college since 2000, withdrew money from his provident fund and borrowed from friends to manage Rs 7 lakh for spending on the renovation of the cottage.
A structure which had nothing left but cracked walls, windowless kitchen and damp floors is a sprawling bungalow now, thanks to the untiring efforts of Lal.
Professors at the college said that the government sanctioned about Rs 1 crore as heritage grant to different Delhi University colleges to renovate their buildings. Hindu college was one of them, which was built in 1953. The college has 30 cottages around the main building and most of them were twice as old as the college but were left untouched.
"I am a student as well as teacher of history. I know the importance of heritage buildings. Commonwealth Games are also not very far. Just besides the cottage, a field is under construction. It would have created a very bad impression to the guests coming for the games, if the building would not have been renovated. All of the cottages were used by people during the pre-Independence era," Lal told
MiD DAY.
"Overlooking the heritage cottages in the college premises, most of the money was spent on renovating the new building which was constructed only 30 years back. No proper survey was done before drawing the expenditure plan," Lal added.
"I personally designed the renovation. The basic structure of the cottage remains untouched. I have only restored the cottage to make it fit for human habitation," he added.
Among other colleges for which grant given include Indraprastha, St Stephen's, Miranda House, Lady Irwin, Hindu and Lady Shri Ram.
