Lala Diwan Chand was a successful entrepreneur, patriot, social reformer, and worker and an ardent philanthropist during pre-independence India. During the span of 45 years of his life (1885 to 1930), he became a well-known individual in political, business, and social circles.
During his lifetime, Lala Diwan Chand contributed to several social projects primarily aimed at the education and skill development of youth. He created infrastructure and offered scholarships to poor children for technical, industrial, and vocational training.
Lala Diwan Chand, in his will, donated all his assets, properties, and money to the Lala Diwan Chand Trust with the objective that it could be used for the benefit of society. The Lala Diwan Chand Trust has over the years been managed by eminent trustees belonging to civil services, judiciary, Arya Samaj leaders, and educationists.
Lala Diwan Chand was gracious enough to give a blank cheque to Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya when he approached Lala Ji for setting up Banas Hindu University (BHU) in Banaras. Diwan Hall in Chandni Chawk, Delhi, was also built by Lala Diwan Chand.
Lala Diwan Chand Trust currently runs charitable hospitals, gurukuls, and senior secondary schools and donates funds to various social institutions for charitable medical services, education, and skill development. The funding is done from the interest earned from deposits of Lala Diwan Chand’s assets in banks.
From September 24 to September 29, 2024, the 140th birthday of Lala Diwan Chand was celebrated by the trust with events in different parts of the country. The concluding function was held in Brij Mohan Munjal Auditorium, Arya Samaj, Greater Kailash-1. The event began with havan, followed by bhajans by Ankit Upadhayay, a renowned singer, songs by children of Gurukul, speeches on life and the contribution of Lala Diwan Chand by Trustees and eminent personalities including P.S.Puri, chief trustee, Lala Diwan Chand Trust, Yogesh Munjal, vice president and trustee, and Vinay Arya, secretary general, Arya Pratinidhi Sabha. The function closed with prasad for participants.
