Virendra Verma (academic)
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Virendra Verma | |
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| Born | October 12, 1912 |
| Died | March 20, 2001 (aged 88) |
Virendra Verma (October 12, 1912 – March 20, 2001) was an Indian academic, writer, and theater director. He is best known for his long tenure at the National Defence Academy (NDA), where he was Head of the Social Studies Department and later the Principal.
Early life and education
[edit]Verma was born on October 12, 1912, in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in arts and social sciences. In 1954, he was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for his research thesis titled "Najibudaullah, His Life and Times".[1]
Professional career
[edit]Verma began his career as a teacher at a government secondary school in Aligarh. His initial experience in military education was at Lansdowne, Himachal Pradesh, India. He then joined the Joint Services Wing (JSW) in Dehradun as a lecturer in Social Studies. When the National Defence Academy (NDA) was established in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra, Verma was selected as part of the core teaching staff. The NDA is the world's first tri-service academy, where Army, Navy, and Air Force cadets train together. Verma became the Head of the Social Studies Department and later the principal, the highest civilian position at the NDA.[2]
Literary contributions
[edit]Upon his retirement in 1971, Verma dedicated himself to writing, producing nearly twenty books primarily focused on the biographies of national leaders and the valor of Indian soldiers. His first book “Resurgent India Speaks”, a history of Indian freedom struggle and road map of post-independence India’s development was published in 1975.[3] His second book published in 1976 narrates the war strategies of the Maratha king Chchatrapati Shivaji.[4] Some of his other notable works include "Fall of Dera Baba Nanak Bridge: A Silent Night Attack", "Hunting Hunters: Battle of Longewala, December 1971", "Valour Triumphs: The Saga of Rezang La, November 18, 1962," and "A Legend in His Own Time: The Memoirs of Col. Chewang Rinchen, the Lion of Nubra [5-11]. His writings aimed to inspire the youth of India to develop a passion for military life. In addition, he authored a series of books on general knowledge, work activity, and simplified versions of epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata for children [12, 13]. Before his death, he finalized four unpublished manuscripts on Subhash Chandra Bose, General Patton, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, and Soldiers and Society.
Play directing
[edit]Verma directed several notable plays, including "Shakuntalam," "Discovery of India," "Chandra Gupta Maurya," and "Asia Awakes”.
Honors and awards
[edit]In recognition of his contributions in teaching military history to the army officers, and to the development of an academic syllabus that conferred a bachelor's degree to graduating NDA cadets, Dr. Verma was awarded the Padma Shri by the President of India in 1972.[2] He also served as the youngest Director at the inception of the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad.
Death
[edit]Verma died in his sleep on March 20, 2001, at the age of 88.
References
[edit]- ^ Verma, Virendra (1954). "Najibudaullah his life and times". University.
- ^ a b "Padma Awards | Interactive Dashboard". dashboard-padmaawards.gov.in. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Resurgent India speaks
- ^ OpenLibrary.org. "Virendra Verma". Open Library. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
External links
[edit]3. Verma, Virendra. (1975). Resurgent India Speaks. India: Youth Education Publications RIEBPL Library catalog India - History - 147 DDC classification: 954.3 V59R
5. Verma, Virendra. (1991). Valour Triumphs: The Saga of Rezang La, November 18, 1962. India: Youth Education Publications, India.
6. Verma, Virendra. (1989). Fall of Dera Baba Nanak Bridge: A Silent Night Attack. Youth Education Publications, India.
7. Verma, Virendra. (1992). Hunting Hunters: Battle of Longewala, December 1971: a Study in Joint Army-air Operations. Youth Education Publications, India.
8. Verma, Virendra. (1992). Our Vintage Transport Aircraft: Their Hours of Glory & Triumph. Youth Education Publications, India.
9. Verma, Virendra. (1974). Wingate and His Chindits. Myanmar (Burma): Youth Education Publications, India.
10. Verma, Virendra. (1991). Signal Service of the Signals: And Its White-Water Expeditions, Youth Education Publications, India
11. Verma, Virendra., Kulshrestha, Saroj. (1998). A Legend in His Own Time, Chewang Rinchen, Youth Education Publications, India.
12. Verma, Virendra., Mohindroo, K. K. (1997). The Mahabharata. India: Pitambar Publishing, New Delhi, India.
13. Verma, Virendra., Verma, Shanti. (1997). Understanding General Knowledge. Pitambar Publications, India.