Lest We Forget April 1948

Himachal Pradesh was formed out of the Shimla Hill states and most of the Punjab Hill States which included the state of Mandi ruled by H.H Raja Joginder Sen Ji. His elder son Yuvraj Yashodhan Singh was appointed the first Deputy Commissioner of Mandi district. The need for establishing a college in Mandi had been considered for some time as those who desired to get higher education had to go to Lahore before independence. This had become impossible now. Taking the initiative, Yuvraj Yashodhan Singh invited Sh. Girdhari Lal Sharma who had been a tutor to the children of Maharaja Lakshman Sen of Suket, to advise him to take steps in this direction. With the joint efforts of his team he was successful in giving this gift to the people of Mandi and Vallabh Mahavidyalaya was established taking its name after the first Home Minister of the Union of India, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. Shri G.L. Sharma was also associated with different colleges, first as a lecturer, later to become principal and retiring as Director of Education, Himachal Pradesh.

While removing the dust from the pages of the early history of this college, it is to be noted that soon after its inception it was found financially unviable and was about to be closed by government orders. It was then that a deputation of respectable citizens of Mandi met Shri N.C. Mehta, Chief Commissioner Himachal Pradesh, to request him to take steps to let the college continue. Shri. N.C. Mehta who was from Gujrat himself listened to them sympathetically and met Sardar Patel to request him to intervene as the college had been named after him and it would be embarrassing to close it down. Sardar Patel gave his assent and this college started functioning without hindrance after this and is one of the premier institutions of the state today.

Harsh Kumar Retd. Principal

Life member,Vallabh Govt. College Mandi