Daily Times

Former Indian civil servant, Old Ravian and historian Pran Nevile has passed away in New Delhi, India at the age of 95 on Thursday. He has written several significant books on the British Raj and is best known for his tribute to his native city, ”Lahore: A Sentimental Journey”.

Mr. Nevile was born Fin Lahore in 1922 and studied for six years at the Government College Lahore before partition. He was the oldest of living Old Ravians in India and had great love for Lahore and his alma mater. Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah, the Vice Chancellor, and other faculty members of GC University Lahore, expressed deep condolences on the sad demise of the distinguished Old Ravian, saying that Mr. Nevile was a quintessential Lahori who had been immersed in the finest traditions of old Lahore.

“Being one of the brightest alumni of Government College Lahore, he always emphasized on the Ravian ethos like nobody else. His endless curiosity for knowledge and his love for culture, peace and humanity made him loveable across India and Pakistan,” the Vice Chancellor said.

Sharing his interactions with the Indian writer, Prof Shah said that Mr. Nevile had never engaged himself with themes which might evoke enmity among the two nations, instead he always celebrated their common heritage of music, poetry and architecture.

“His books on history, culture, music and dance were highly celebrated by the connoisseurs of intellectual and literary works. GCU Lahore shall always place Pran Nevile at the highest pedestal among its luminaries,” the Vice Chancellor concluded.

In a separate statement, the Old Ravians Union (ORU) has also expressed heartfelt sympathies with the family members of Pran Nevile, stating that his death was a great loss for both India and Pakistan. ORU Honorary Secretary Prof Khalid Manzoor Butt said that the writings of Mr Nevile were greatly influenced by his stay at the Government College Lahore where he experienced cosmopolitan society where students coexisted harmoniously, unfettered by considerations of religion, region and caste.

Published in Daily Times, September 12^th 2018.