An Apostle of Sociological Theory

A student and fellow sociologist reminisces about Yogendra Singh, a distinguished scholar and theorist, and a founding member of sociology centres at the University of Rajasthan and Jawaharlal Nehru University.

It is not easy to believe that Yogendra Singh is no more. He passed away peacefully while having breakfast around 10.15 am on 10 May 2020. His daughter Neerja Singh, her husband Hulas Singh and two grandchildren were with him when he breathed his last after a massive cardiac arrest.

I was his student when I enrolled in the MA (Master of Arts) programme of Department of Sociology of the University of Rajasthan in 1961. Yogendra Singh taught there from 1961−70. In 1970, Singh moved to University of Jodhpur as its first professor of sociology, and in 1971, he was invited by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi to establish the department of sociology, named as Centre for the Study of Social Systems (CSSS). He superannuated from JNU in 1997, and thereafter he was designated as Professor Emeritus. In JNU he also served for several years as dean of the School of Social Sciences as well as rector of the university.