Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/225

182 Tarkalankar, he secured me the situation, instead of accepting it himself?

'The true story of my appointment as Principal of the Sanskrit College is this. When Madan Mohan Tarkalankar went away as Judge-Pandit of Murshidabad, his place in the Sanskrit College as professor of Belles-lettres, fell vacant. Dr. Mouat, the then secretary to the Education Council, offered the post to me. For several reasons, I at first declined his offer. But still he persisted in urging me. I told him at last, that I was prepared to accept the situation, if the Education Council would give me the executive powers of a Principal. Dr. Mouat consented, and made me enter into an agreement to that effect. I was then installed as professor of Belles-lettres. Shortly after this, Babu Rassomoy Dutt resigned his office as Secretary of the Sanskrit College, and I was directed to submit a report on the state of the College at that time and the measures that should be adopted for its improvement. My report met with the approbation of the Education Council, and I was made Principal of the Sanskrit College. Hitherto the functions of the Principal had been performed by the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary. The two offices were now combined into one. The post of Principal was newly created, and, by the end of January, 1851, I was appointed Principal of the Sanskrit College.

That Madan Mohan Tarkalankar had no hand