Pandit Dr. Hriday Nath Kunzru (also spelled as Hridya Nath Kunzru) (1 October, 1887–3 April, 1978), a Kashmiri Brahmin, was one of the founders of Indian Scouting, and served as the first National Commissioner of the Bharat Scouts and Guides from 1952 to November 1957, and again from November 1960 to November 1964. He joined the Servants of India Society, founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1909 and became its President in 1935. In January, 1936 he was elected its life President and remained in office till his death.[1]
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Kunzru was the second son of Pandit Ayodhya Nath Kunzru and his second wife Jankeshwari. He was born at Allahabad on 1 October, 1887. He did his matriculation in 1903 and F.A. in 1905 from Agra College. He passed his B.A. examination in 1907 from Allahabad University. He married Senapati in 1908.[1]
Scouting for native Indians was started by Justice Vivian Bose, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Dr. Kunzru, Annie Besant and George Arundale in 1913. As a way of getting around the Government Order, the Boy Scouts of Bengal was founded, with identical aims and methods. Many separate Scout organizations began to spring up, the Indian Boy Scouts Association, founded in 1916, based in Madras and headed by Annie Besant and George Arundale; Boy Scouts of Mysore; Boy Scouts of Baroda; Nizam's Scouts; Seva Samiti Scout Association (Humanity Uplift Service Society), founded in 1917 by Madan Mohan Malaviya and Kunzru and based in Allahabad; the aforementioned Boy Scouts of Bengal and likely others.
He served as a professor at Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar University.
During World War II, a committee headed by Dr. Kunzru recommended a cadet organisation to be established in schools and colleges at a national level, which became the National Cadet Corps. After the World War II, Kunzru became a member of the Central Legislative Assembly in 1946. After independence, when the Central Legislative Assembly was converted to the Constituent assembly, he became a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1947 and remained in office till 1949, when the Constituent Assembly was converted to the Provisional Parliament. From 1949-52, he was a member of the Provisional Parliament. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 3 April,1952 to 2 April, 1962.[1] He served as a member of the States Reorganisation Commission from 1953 to 1955.
He was honored on a postage stamp of India in 1987.
| Preceded by first incumbent |
National Commissioners of the Bharat Scouts and Guides 1952–1957 |
Succeeded by Justice Vivian Bose |
| Preceded by Professor Madan Mohan |
National Commissioners of the Bharat Scouts and Guides 1960–1964 |
Succeeded by Mrs. Lakhshmi Mazumdar |