Rai Saheb Ch. Pratap Singh

(1905 - 1985)

Our founder Rai Saheb Ch. Pratap Singh Bhatia was a great philanthropist, who spent his entire life in the service of humanity. Born in one of the wealthiest families of erstwhile Punjab, he understood his social responsibilities towards the economically & socially weaker sections of the society very early in his life. Consequently, he took it upon himself to alleviate the sufferings of the downtrodden. An ardent Arya Samajist, he represented India at several international Arya Samaj forums. For ten years he served the community as a member of the Municipal Committee of Shujabad and was at the helm for another six years as its President.

Thereafter he took up the mantle as a Member of Multan District Board. All his life he relentlessly strived to bring about a difference in the lives of people around him. Realizing that education was the most powerful tool to bring about social change, he avidly promoted education. After partition, when the family migrated and settled in Karnal, Rai Saheb, in 1964 donated a huge chunk of land to setup Pratap Public Library, under the aegis of Rai Saheb Pratap Singh Charitable Trust. Continuing with his mission of making education accessible to all, he opened Pratap Public School to cater to the educational needs of the people of Karnal in 1975. Today his legacy lives on, the seed that he sowed in 1975, has proliferated into an imposing institution with five branches and 8000 students.)

Dr. R.S Bhatia

(1924 - 2011)

Dr. R.S. Bhatia was a brilliant scholar, an eminent educationist and a great philanthropist. A scion of Shujabad aristocracy of erstwhile undivided India, Dr. Bhatia lived a fulfilling life devoted to acquiring, enhancing and disseminating knowledge. An alumnus of St. Anthony's Convent School and Aitchision College, Lahore, he took his post-graduate in Economics from Indiana University. Bloomington and his doctorate from Columbia University. New York. His teaching stint at B.R. College Agra, BITS Pilani and Kurukshetra as a Professor in Economics and his association with young minds made him conscious of his larger responsibilities towards society. In his pursuits to serve the academic and intellectual needs of the society he started Pratap Public Library and Pratap Public School Karnal. A rationalist by choice, he opposed religious bigotry, casteism and meaningless rituals and godmen. He was an ardent social activist, a reformer and an environmentalist. He patronized many social institutions and was always at the forefront in reaching out to people in times of peril. The Charitable Trust founded by him is involved in countless altruistic activities in and around Karnal. This great humanitarian and compassionate soul died a peaceful death on March 7, 2011. When the history of Karnal is chronicled for future generations, his name will certainly be etched in golden letters.