Apeejay College of Fine Arts extends glorious tribute to Dr Stya Paul on his 103rd birth anniversary 

Dr Stya Paul was a karmayogi. A man with many talents, he lived his life solely for the benefit of society. His legacy in the field of education stands tall with 26 institutions- schools, colleges and higher institutes under the ambit of Apeejay Education Society spread all across the nation.

It is only fitting that the pioneer behind this extraordinary vision be paid homage on his birth anniversary. In sync with this emotion, Apeejay College of Fine Arts (ACFA), Jalandhar, celebrated the 103rd birth anniversary of Founder-Chairman Dr. Stya Paul in the college campus.

On this special occasion, Dr. Neerja Dhingra, Principal at ACFA read the message given by Ms. Sushma Paul Berlia, Chairman, Apeejay Education for all staff members and students. 

Students listened with excited eyes as Dr Dhingra read aloud: “Today is the 103^rd birth anniversary of Dr. Stya Paul, Founder Chairman of Apeejay Stya Group & Apeejay Education Society – a day that we celebrate each year as Founder’s Day. Commemorating his birthday is our way of paying tribute to his determination, hard work and spirit of excellence that helped him rise from humble beginnings and overcome physical disabilities to become one of the most successful and respected men of this nation.

Dr. Stya Paul was always a positive thinker, who faced all of life’s vicissitudes with a smiling countenance, never-say-die attitude and an unflinching faith in the Almighty. Though he was a hard task-master, his punctuality, sense of discipline, dedication and focus made him an ideal role model of excellence for all those who worked with him. For him, work was passion, and he hated to miss office even when he was ill. On his 103^rd Birth Anniversary, let us celebrate both what our Founder Chairman Dr. Stya Paul was, and what he stood for. Let us take a pledge to uphold the legacy of the excellence he leaves behind, and strive to achieve the goals to which he devoted his life. 

He was a lover of Urdu poetry and had a deep interest in spiritualism, philosophy, culture and Arts. He had a keen insight into events and people, and loved the company of children.  He always remembered those who helped him, and was a friend of friends.  He had kind words for even those who opposed him.” 

Marking this auspicious occasion, students of Music (Vocal) Department presented a melodious rendition of some of Dr Paul’s favourite hymns such as  ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’ and ‘Vishwapati ke Dhyan me’. A documentary depicting the life journey of the visionary soul was also shown to the students and staff.

Dr Stya Paul was affectionately called as ‘Seth ji’ by his staff. In an ode to him,  the Seth Stya Paul Award for Human Values is given annually to students on the basis of their academic excellence, ethical values and contribution to society. This year, Punyaa Dewan of M.A. (English) and Danish Jain of B.D won the prestigious award. 

Elated upon receiving the award, Punnya Dewan exclaimed, “Visionaries are everywhere but visionaries like Dr. Stya Paul are very rare. Our Founder-Chairman defied all odds to set an example in the field of education, business and so many other arenas! He was a great personality and shall always remain an educationist par excellence.  He shall always be remembered for his humanity, perseverance and virtues. I am very grateful to receive this prestigious award.”

Further, Dr Dhingra congratulated both the students while encouraging them to keep practicing these moral and ethical values in their lives so that they always strive to become better than they are today. She added, “On this auspicious day, we commemorate the life of a person who founded our institution and endowed upon us his immense knowledge, experience and resources for its development. It was his farsightedness which today has taken the shape of ACFA, one of the best colleges in North India. Dr Paul was a man with a strong will power, calibre, resilience, dedication and leadership qualities. May his exemplary life story inspire us to persistent hard work, determination and commitment towards our goal.”