Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 2

Author(s): G C Chaudhary
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 12

IN MEMORIAM DR. H. L. JAIN
R. P. PODDAR I had my first meeting with Dr. H. L. Jain on 21st of March 1960. I had come to the Prakrit Institute to join as Lecturer in English and he was at that time the Director of the Institute. As soon as I entered his office chamber I saw before me an august figure with a broad smile on the face radiating a contagious joy. He told me that I had brought a great relief to him personally since he himself had been teaching English too, and that was an additional burden upon him. He introduced Shri Vimal Prakash Jain to me as his student and only colleague. After a few minutes' formal talk he looked at the clock on the wall and then at once called Shri Satyadeo Jha, his headclerk and told him that it was already more than 11.30 and the formaJity of joining had to be finished before 12.00. Shri Jha accordingly got the paper ready and I signed them. Dr. Jain told me that as a Lecturer of English I did not have much to do for I had to engage utmost two classes a day and that also of very elementary standard. But the great task before me, he continued, was to acquaint myself with Prakrit and Jainology without which I could not be fully useful to the Institute. He advised me to spend most of my time in the library. Accordingly I sat in the Library for three to four hours everyday but did not pursue any serious study, for I found no interest in the field-even the Prakrit names of books produced a jarring sound upon my ears.
At times I went to see Dr. H. L. Jain in his office chamber and spent a few minutes with him. During these meetings he never forgot to inquire about my personal studies. I minced matters and somehow managed to escape. But as a teacher cf over forty years' standing he very well knew how to deal with truant pupils. One day he asked me to read Paranjape's translation of the Mrcchakatikam. I borrowed the book and read it. The book proved very interesting and soon I wanted to read the original.
Gradually my interest in Prakrit Language and Literature increased and I began to attend Dr. Jain's classes and in due course also appeared at the M. A. examination.
. Dr. Jain was a man of very regular habits. He came to the Institute everyday at 8.00 A.M. and left at 12.30. P.M. He engaged two post-graduate and one research classes every day and besides also attended to his official duties for which he had fixed hours. In the afternoon and evening he carried on his personal studies.