DAV College in Civil Lines #Lahore now known as Government Islamia College

The DAV movement was nurtured by puissant souls like Rai Bahadur Lala Lal Chand (1852-1912), Mahatma Hans Raj (1864-1938), Pt. Guru Dutt Vidyarthi (1864-1890), Lala Lajpat Rai ( 1865-1928), Bhai Parmanand (1874-1947), Lala Durga Das, Principal Sain Das (1840-1890), Bakshi Ram Rattan, Dr Mukund Lal Puri, Bakshi Tek Chand and Mehar Chand among others. The partition of India gave DAV movement a temporary setback as majority of institutions were in Pakistan. But it resurrected itself with the dynamic work of stalwarts like Principal Mehar Chand, Lala Balraj, Dr Justice Mehar Chand Mahajan, Dr G.L.Datta, Lala Suraj Bhan, Prof. Ved Vyasa,Darbari Lal, Tirth Ram Tuli and G.P.Chopra (b. 1920), the current President of DAV family.DAV College in Lahore is now known as Government Islamia College.



The first DAV High School was established at Lahore on June 1 1886 with Lala Hans Raj (1864-1938) as its headmaster. Hans Raj, called the father of DAV movement, became known as Mahatma, due to his honesty, integrity and selflessness as also his futuristic vision and wisdom. He served with missionary zeal without drawing any salary. The School grew into a College as per resolution no 3 dated April 28 1888 of the DAV management and Hans Raj became its first Principal.

What started as a small educational venture with a group of only 505 students in the first session has now assumed vast dimensions. In its 125 years history DAV has proliferated into rural, urban, semi-urban, slum and tribal areas in almost all parts of the country except Kerala. Its network of 715 institutions include schools (government-aided, public, model, international and non-formal), colleges of arts, science, law, education, agriculture, engineering and technology, commerce and management, medical and paramedical institutions relating to Ayurveda, dentistry, nursing and health-care; a Vedic research institute (Hoshiarpur), and a recently established University in Jalandhar (Punjab). DAV has also associated with government and private sector to expand its activities.

DAV lahore was shifted to Ambala, presently Haryana post partition. Present PadamShri Poonam Suri ji head of Managing committee of DAV institutions. 

Dr. Vivek Arya