Hetukar Jha

Hetukar Jha was born on 1 February 1944 in the village Sarisab-Pahi, Madhubani district, Bihar. Father Baldeo Jha was a landlord having annual revenue of Rs.37,000/- till the zamindari vested in the government of Bihar. Mother, Smt. Mohini Devi died in 1946 when Hetukar Jha was just 2 years old and father Baldeo Jha died on 12th July, 1950. The family belonged to Shrotriya Brahmin caste of Mithila. A bitter battle started in the Darbhanga Court for his guardianship which was ultimately decided in favour of his distant paternal uncle after Maharajadhiraja Sir Kameshwar Singh refused to be the guardian (he was the closest relation - but feared that the young boy would get distracted from studies as his own nephews). Young Hetukar Jha started his education in the village school at Sarisab-Pahi and did his matriculation from there, securing 1st division. Thereafter he got admission in Patna Science College and passed pre-University from there. He took up engineering but did not find it suitable to his liking and switched to arts by getting admission in Sociology (Hons) in Patna College.

He gained his B.A. Hons. in Sociology at Patna College, Patna University, (Stood First in First Class), 1965, his M.A. in Sociology, Patna University, (Stood First in First Class), 1967 and Ph.D. in Sociology, Patna University, 1980.

He joined Patna University as a Lecturer on Sociology in 1968 and retired as Professor and Head of the Department of Sociology in January, 2004. Hetukar Jha got married to Smt.Indira Jha in 1960 and has three sons Tejakar Jha, born in 1968, Shrutikar Jha, born in 1972, Madhukar Jha, born in 1975. He donated all his family heirlooms to the Chandradhari Mithila State Museum, Darbhanga, to create a gallary on the name of his father late Baldeo Jha. In 1984-85 he was on the interview-board of Fulbright Scholarship offered by USEFI. He also had a two year stint as Director of Shulabh Institute of Social Sciences.

He did research on the societies and cultures of Bihar since 1968. The list of research publications is enclosed.

He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1972 by the U.S. Educational Foundation in India. At present he is Honorary Managing Trustee of the Maharajadhiraja Kameshwar Singh Kalyani Foundation, Kalyani Niwas, Darbhanga.

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Research Papers

• ‘Tradition, violence and modernization:Understanding legitimation crisis of Indian Political Order’, The Eastern Anthropologist, Vol.47, No.4, Oct.-Dec.1994, PP.327–340.
• “Decline of village and the rise of Negative ethnicity in inter-caste relations”, in K.S.Singh ed.Ethnicity, Caste and People, India and the Soviet Union, Anthropological Survey of India, Institute of Ethnography, Moscow, Manohar, Delhi, 1992, (PP.84–94).
• ‘Man in a decadent cultural milieu: A human structurological view’ presented at the 9th world congress of the World Association for Dynamic Psychiatry, University of Regensburg, Germany, April, 1992.
• ‘Understanding Peasant and Its low Classness’, Peasants in Indian History, V.K. Thakur and A. Aounshuman (eds), Society for Peasnt Studies and Janki Prakashan, Patna,1995, PP 4–18
• Culture, Modernization and Peasant Society : The case of Bihar’, Sociology in the Rubric of Social Science, Prof. Ramkrishna Mukherjee Felicitation Volume, R.Bhattacharya and Ashok K.Ghosh (eds), Anthropological Survey of India, Culcutta, 1995, PP.455–464.
• ‘Caste Conflicts in Historical Perspective: Understanding the Dynamics of Caste Leadership in Bihar’ Dr.Sachchidananda Felicitation Volume, Department of Anthropology, Ranchi University, Ranchi,1997
• ‘Stages of Nationalism : Some Hypothetical Considerations’, National Movement, Jacques Dofny and Akinsolo Akiwowo (eds), Sage Studies in International Sociology, No.19, London.
• ‘Sociologists and Sectarianism’, Purvadesh No.2, Dec, 1980, London.
• ‘Electoral Behaviour and Social Values in India’ The Journal of Social and Economic Studies IX (2) , 1981, A.N.S. Institute of Social Studies, Patna.
• ‘Permanent Settlement in Bihar’ Social Scientist, 97, vol.9, No.1, Aug.,1980.
• ‘Understanding Caste Through its Sources of Identity : An Account of the Shrotriyas of Mithila’, Sociological Bulletin, Vol.23,No.1, March, 1974.
• ‘Caste Conflict in Bihar’, The Times of India, New Delhi 5 May 1978.
• ‘Lower Caste Peasants and Upper Caste Zamindars in Bihar ( 1921-25 ) : An Analysis of Sanskritization and Contradiction between the Two Groups’, The Indian Economic and Social History Review, Delhi School of Economics, Vol. XIV, No. 4, 1977.
• ‘Reply to Dr. ( Mrs.) Leela Dube’s Comment’, The Indian Economic and History Review,

Vol. XV, No. 4 , Oct.-Dec. ,1978.

• ‘Classification of Villages in India : Some Hypothetical Considerations’, (with Surendra Gopal), Man in India, Vol. 62, No. 2, 1982.
• ‘A Note on R.S.Sharma’s Ideas on Indian Fedualism ‘ ( With Surendra Gopal, J.B.P.Sinha, K.M.Tiwary and G.S.Sinha ), Indian Historical Review, No. 2, 1974.
• ‘A Schema for Theory Selection’, Behavioural Scientist, Patna, 1978.
• “Irawati Karve : Profile of an investigator”, The Eastern Anthropologist, Vol.XXIV, No.1

January-April,1971.

• “Some elements of racism in the reformatory movement of Sami Dayanada Saraswati”, Journal of Ganganatha Jha Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Vol.XXXI, parts 1-4,1975, Allahabad.
• “Elite-Mass Contradiction in Mithila in Historical Perspective” Elite and Development, Sachchidananda and A.K. Lal (eds.), Concept Publishing House, New Delhi,1980.
• ‘Some forgotten records of Bihar : The case of Sociology of yesterday’, presented at the XIth annual conference of Indian Sociological society held at the B.H.U., Oct.1974.
• ‘Feudalism, Jajmani system and the Hindu Religion’, presented at the VIIIth conference of Indian Sociological society, I.I.T., New Delhi, 1969.
• ‘The Oinwaras of Mithila’, Journal of the Bihar Reasarch Society, Vol.IV, parts 1&4,

Jan-Dec.,1969.

• ‘Varna Ratnakara; A Social Survey’, Journal Of The Bihar Research Society, Prof. S.H. Askari Felicitation Volume, 1968.
• ‘Maithil life in mica paintings of Purnea Haveli’, Journal Of The Bihar Research Society,

Vol. LIV, parts I-LV, Jan-Dec.,1968.

• ‘An important document for the study of the history of the peasent movement in Andhra Pradesh during the second world war’, (with Surendra Gopal), Marxist Miscellany, No.10, Dec.,1977.
• Bihar Me Saikshanik Sudhar : Ek Samaj Shastriya Adhyayan, (in Hindi), Atma Katha, Aaj Ka Bihar Visheshsank, Khanda-2, No. 265 1980.
• “The Crisis Of Mithila’, Bihar Herald, Feb. 23, 1986.
• ‘Job as a Dominant Value’, Current Studies, Vol.1, No1 1980-83, Patna College, pp 42–52
• Bihar Ka Samajik Pichharapan : Samaj Shastriya Vishleshan’ (in Hindi), Atma Katha, AajKa Bihar Visheshank’ (in Hind), Atma Katha, Aaj Ka Bihar Visheshank, 1982, Patna.
• Khattar Kakaka Taranga : Eka Samaj Shastriya Adhyayan’, (in Maithili), Harimohan Jha Abhinandan Grantha, 1982.
• ‘Colonial Legacy and Higher Education in Bihar’, in Tradition and Development’ eds. Sachchidanada et al., Concept, 1988.
• ‘Legitimacy and Political violence’, Journal of Social and Economic Studies, (n.s.), 1&4, Sage Publications, 1984.
• ‘Caste and Profession : A case study of rural Bihar in the first decade of the twentieth century’, Man in India, Vol.63, No.3, Sept.1983.
• ‘Tradition of Urbanism in Bihar : A Sociological probe’, Explorations, Vol.2, No.1-2,

Jan.-July,1988, PP.47–55; Town in Pre-Modern India, ed. Vijay Kumar Thakur, Janaki Prakashan, Patna, 1994, 177-187.

• ‘Crisis of Higher Education’, The Times of India (Focus on Bihar),1 May 1986.
• ‘Uchcha Siksha Par Upniveshik Shikanja’, (in Hindi), Nav Bharat Times, 11February, 1987.
• “ A Glimpse of the Rise of Casteism in Bihar”, Pankaj Pravas, ed. Bijay Kumar, Pankaj Memorial Trust, Patna, 2000, pp. 66–78.
• ‘Tribal Unrest in Bihar During the Second Half of the Eighteenth Century : A Sociological Apraisal’, Dr.V.A.Narain Commemoration Volume, The Journal of the Bihar Puravid Parishad, Vol.1X&X, Jan-Dec,1985–86,PP.413–420.
• ‘Report on the Status of Teaching of Sociology and Social Anthropology in the Universities and Colleges of Bihar, Bengal, Assam and Orissa’, Report on the status of teaching of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Part-111, Regional Reports, U.G.C. New Delhi,1979.
• ‘Imagining Mithila : A study of its Identity Crisis’, S.B.Roy and Ashok k. Ghosh eds., People of India, Biocultural Dimensions, K.S.singh festschrift, Inter-India Publications, New Delhi, 1993, PP.244–251.
• “The problems of mechanical transformation and understanding the moral transformation of the rural areas in India”, presented at the symposium on ‘social transformation : different dimensions’, P.C.Mehalanobis centenary celebarations, Indian Statistical Institute(Calcutta), held at Giridih, December 25–26, 1993; a revised version published in The Social Engineer, Vol.6, No.1 January 1997, PP.37–48.
• ‘Social Context of Social Science Research’, Swayamprabha, Brajmohan Das College, B.B.Ambedkar University, Dayalpur,1994-95' PP.73–75.
• ‘Understanding Nationalism and Ethnicity’, Journal of Historical Studies, No.1, April,1995, Dept.of History, Patna University PP.107–115.
• “Kisan Samaj Ke Vikas Ki Samasya” (in Hindi), Vikas Ki Smasya Aur Bihar (in Hindi), ed.Purushhottam, Mass Information Research Association, Patna,1994.
• ‘A Glimpse of Intrafamilial Interpersonal Relationship in the Nineteenth Century Bihar’, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal.
• ‘A Glimpse of the Rise of Sectarianism among the Upper Caste Groups in Bihar’, Continuity and Change in Indian Socity, ed. Bindeshwar Pathak, Concept Publishing House,New Delhi,1998, PP118–124.
• ‘Socio-Economic Significance of Tanks in the Village Life of Mithila’, The Social Engineer, volume 4, November2, July 1995, PP.34–41; Hindi translation : “Prachin Mithila men Pokhar Parampara”, Sakshya, ed., Zabir Husain, Bihar Vidhan Parishad, 2004, pp 325–334
• “Technology, Communication and Culture Change, A Critical Reflection,’ presented as a theme paper of the panel on ‘Technology,Communication and Culture change’, at the twentyfirst all India Sociological Conference held at JNU, New Delhi, 19 to 21 December 1994; Theme Papers and Abstrats, XX1. All India Sociological Conference,19–21 December 1994, Centre for the Study of Social System, JNU, New Delhi, PP.20–29, published in Trends in Social Science Research, Vol.4, No.1, June,1997, PP.37–46.
• ‘Plight of the Scheduled Caste People in Bihar”, Social Justice and Development of Weaker Sections, ed, Bindeshwar Pathak, Inter- India Publication, New Delhi, 1997, PP.172–181.
• ‘A language which has lost its script : Maithili’, The Telegraph, Calcutta, Friday, 2 February 1996.
• Social Structure and Relationships : Rural Bihar; ICSSR Research Abstracts Quarterly, Vol. XXIII, No.384, July-December 1994, PP.137–142.
• “Decline of Vernacular Education in Bihar in the Nineteenth Century” The Contested Terrain, ed. Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, Orient Longman, New Delhi, 1998, pp. 218–228.
• “The Land Called Mithila”, Seminar, 450, February, 1997, pp. 37–41.
• “Bhasha, Samaj Aur Rajniti : Maithili Ke Sandarbha Me” (in Maithili), Jijnasa, 4, No.6,

January-June, 1999, pp. 65–72.

• “Chanda jhaka Gamaka Prasange Kichhu Dastavej” (in Maithili), Anand Mandakini, Acharya Ananda Mishra Abhinandan Grantha, Sahityiki, Sarisab Pahi, Madhubani, 2000, pp 51–54.
• “Historical Roots of Rural Violence in Bihar”, The Times Of India, Patna, Monday, January 26, 1998, P.11.
• “Peasant View of Peasant Life and Categories, A study of the proverbs of north India”, Indian Social Science Review, Vol.3, No.1, January-June, 2001, pp 101–114, ICSSR, New Delhi.
• “Peasant Question and Cooperative Management Education”, National Council for Cooperative Training, New Delhi,1998; Cooperative Perspective, Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management, Pune, July-Sept. 1998, Vol.33, No.2, PP.42–48.
• “Village School, Speculating on the Conditions of its Re-emergence”, Presented at the national seminar on “ Education : The role of the state and community participation in improving school effectiveness”, Siemat (State Institute of Educational Management & Training), Patna, March 20–21, 1999.
• “Tradition : An Appraisal of its Course and Concept”, presented at the seminar on “Tradition : Its Meaning and Contemporary Relevance”, Centre for the Study of Indian Traditions, Ranti, Madhubani (Bhiar), March 22–24, 1999; Professor Umanath Jha Felicitation Volume, eds. Trilokanath Jha et al., Professor Umanath Jha Felicitation Committee, Darbhanga, 2003, pp 329–334.
• “Secularism and Indian Tradition : The Relevance Of The Vision Of Vidyapati”, Prof. A.S.Altekar Memorial Lecture, K.P.Jayaswal Research Institute, Patna, October,1999; published in Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol.VII, No.1, Summer 2000, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, pp 155–170.
• “Knowledge in the View of Indian Tradition, Education and Tensions in Indian Society”, Seminar on “Achieving Quality : Challenges in Higher Education”, Zakir Husain Centre for Education Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, November

3-4,1999; A revised version of this paper entitled “The Tensions in Indian Society and the Future of Our Education”, A.K.Lal ed., Social Exclusion, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, 2003, pp 137–142

• “ASSERT Searches for Better Health Scenario : A summarised version of the report : The Cultural Context and Healing,” ( with Jai B.P. Sinha and Rajeshwar Mishra), The Social Engineer, vol.8, No.2, July 1999, pp35–45.
• “Promises and Lapses : Understanding the Experience of Scheduled Castes in Bihar in Historical Perspective”, Journal of Indian School of Political Economy, Vol.XII, Nos.3 & 4, July-Dec. 2000, pp423–444
• “Role of Voluntary Organization (NGO) in the Rural Development, Understanding the conditions of “empowerment” “, The Social Engineer, ASSERT, Patna, Vol.VI, No.1, Jan.1997, pp.37-48
• “Rural Violence in Patna and Magadh Divisions of Bihar : A Sociological Probe into the Roots of this Crisis”, Presented at the seminar on “Madhya Bihar Ka Garamin Samaj : Aitihasika Pariprekshya men”, held under the auspices of K.P.Jayaswal Research Institute, Patna, on 17 February, 2001.Bijoy Kumar Choudhary, ed. Readings in the History of Rural South Bihar, K.P.Jayaswal Research Institute, Patna, 2007, pp 23–34.
• “Paryavaran Aur Kala : Mithila Ki Lupta Shilp Kala aur Chitrakala” (in Hindi), Bahuvachan, Varsha II Ank 6 January-March 2001, pp. 161–168, Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, New Delhi.
• “ ‘Lok’ Sampratyaya Ki Sanchhipta Vivechana” (in Hindi), Lok (in Hindi), ed. Piyush Daiya, Rangayana, Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal, Udaipur, 2002 .
• “Knowledge and Civilization : Knowledge hierarchy in Medieval India and Its Consequences”, presented at the National Seminar on “Cultural Factors in the Formation of Indian Civilization”, Centre for the Study of Indian Traditions, Madhubani, Bihar, March 20–22, 2002.
• “Hinduism versus Caste : A Review”, Samajik Vimarsh, Praveshank, June 2004, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi, U.P. pp. 133–147
• “Bharatiya Parampara men Mrityu Prasanga Vichar” , Baidyanatha Sarasvati et al. ed. Mrityu Ki Dastaka (in Hindi), D.K.Printwprld Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, N.K.Bose Memorial Foundation, Varanasi, 2005, pp 166–170
• “Purush Pariksha”, Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature (revised edn.), Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, (in press)
• “Death and Social Existence of Man” Baidyanath Saraswati ed. Voice of Death, D.K.Printworld (P) Ltd., New Delhi, 2005, pp. 195–200
• “Topography of Darbhanga Town”, B.Thakur et al. ed. Urban and Regional DEvelopment In India, Concept Publishing Company, New DElhi, 2005, pp. 16–23
• “Language and Society in Mithila : A Socio - historical View”, Bhasha aa Samaj , ed., Govinda Jha, Chetana Samiti, Patna (forthcoming).
• Casteism and Communalism Today : Understanding the Roots of the Crisis”, Arrupe Memorial Lecture, Bihar Social Institute, Patna, April 9, 2003.
• “Violence in South Bihar : A Socio - historical View”, presented at the National Seminar on Violence”, Violence Mitigation and Amelioration Project, Oxfam (India) Trust, Patna, April 11–13, 2003. Avinash Kumar Jha, ed. Itihas Ki Khoj Main, Vol.II, January - June, 2007, Dept. of History, M.M.College, Bikram, Patna, pp 180–193
• “Society, Law and Land Rights of Women in Bihar : The Need of an Ideological Struggle”, CRS, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie (forthcoming).
• “Decline of Village Community Since Nineteenth Century and Rural Development”, The Eastern Anthropologist, Vol.58, Number 3-4, July-December, 2005, pp 495–506
• “Maithili Aur Hindi” (in Hindi), in Ramakant Agnihotri and Sanjay Kumar, eds., Bhasha, Boli Aur Samaj (in Hindi), Deshkal Prakashan, Delhi, 2001, pp 71–79.
• “Bihari Desh Bhavana : Kitana Sach? (in Hindi), in Shiv Dayal, ed., Bihar Ki Virasat (in Hindi), Sarokar, Patna, 2003, pp 56-60
• “Unnisavin Sadi Ke Madhya Me Ara Shahar Me Dharmik Sahanshilata Ki Ek Adbhut Ghatna” (in Hindi), Veer Kunwar Singh University Journal, Vol.1, November - 2, Winter 2003, Veer Kunwar Singh University, Ara, Bihar, pp. 112–116
• “Amaranatha Jha And His Vision of Value-Based Education”, L.N.Mithila University Annual Convocation Souvenir, 4 December 2003, Darbhanga, pp 12–15
• “An Account of Religious and Sectarian Diversity in Bihar in Historical Perspective”, with Surendra Gopal, Development Ecology, Vol.VIII, No.122, March - September, 2001,

pp 27 – 38

• “Who Created Casteism and Communalism? Hinduism Under the Raj”, Surendra Gopal ed. Colonial India, A Centenary Tribute to Prof.K.K.Datta, Veer Kunwar Singh University, Arrah, 2006, pp 265–277.
• “Indian Sociology in Crisis : The Need for Regional Orientation”, Sociological Bulletin, Special Issue on South Asia vol.54, number 3, September - December, 2005, pp 396–411
• “Prospect of Contract Farming : The Need of Organizing Village Cooperative”, R.S.Deshpande, ed. Contract Farming and Tenancy Reforms, Entangled Without Tether, Centre for Rural Studies, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, 2008, pp 250–259
• “Sankhya Principles and Empirical Research”, Anirudha Prasad, Ramkrishna Mukherjee, Beni A. Ekka eds. Social Research Methodologies in Action, Vol.I, Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi, 2008, pp 73–80.
• “Nineteenth Century India : The Era of Changing Paradigms”, Modern Historical Studies, Vol.4, March 2007, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, pp 1–11
• “The Concepts of ‘Folk’ and ‘Loka’ : A Review”, Rethinking Indian History, Hyderabad University (forth coming)
• “Bhartiye Samajshastra Ki Bhumika : Ikkishvin Sadi Mein”, presented at the National Seminar on “The Role of Sociology in the 21st Century”, Dept. of Sociology, Banaras Hindu University, 24 January 2007.
• “Chhua-Choot Ki Parampara Ka saiddhantik Khandan : Bihar Ka Yogdaan”, Keynote Address delivered at the U.G.C. sponsored national seminar on “Social Exclusion and Inclusion : Gender, Caste, Tribe and the Aged”, P.G.Dept. of Sociology, T.M.Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur, 29 March 2008
• “Malaise in Indian Academia’, presented at the International Seminar on Coping with Academic Dependency : How?”, ADRI and The South-South Exchange Programme for Research on the History of Development, Patna, 4 February 2008
• “Bharat Ke Gaon : Upnivesh Kaleen Sthiti”, Journal of the Dept. of Sociology, M.G. Kashi Vidyapitha, Varanasi (forth coming)
• “Decline of Civil Society in India in the Colonial Era : The Case of Indigenous Village Schools of Vernacular Education”, presented at the national seminar on “Social Consciousness and Culture in Modern India”, Centre for Studies in Civilizations, India International Centre, New Delhi, 27–28 February 2006.

Research Reports

• The Cultural Context Of Health And Healing, (with Dr.J.B.P.Sinha and Dr. Rajeshwar Mishra) sponsored by I.D.R.C. (the International Development Research Centre), ASSERT (Association for Social Engineering, Research and Training), Patna,1993.
• “Biogas Plants in Bihar : A Study Of Their Operation and Impact On Society”, (with Rajeshwar Mishra), sponsored by the Department of Non-conventional Energy Sources, Government of India, Mimeographed, Sulabh Institute of Applied Research, Patna,1986.
• Modal Styles Of Social Relationship In Rural Bihar, Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi, Mimeographed, 1989.
• Status of the teaching of sociology and social anthropology in the universities of the eastern zone of India, University Grants Commission, New Delhi, 1975
• Nation Building in a North Indian Region, ANS Institute of Social Studies, Patna, 1976.

Present Research Activities :

• “A study of the Panji System of Mithila” Panjis are the genealogies of Brahmans and Kayasthas of Mithila maintained since the thirteenth century. The genealogical records of each family contain generation-wise information about geographical as well as socio-cultural mobility. Panjis of Mithila are unique in this respect. The present endeavour is to use these hitherto ignored sources for preparing an account of the socio-cultural dynamics of Mithila (North

Eastern Region of The Present State of Bihar in India.)

• Folklore of Bihar : A Sociological Probe into the History and Tradition of Rural Bihar. (“Dak” proverbs have been collected and are being analysed)
• Mithila: A History of its Social, Political and Economic Institutions from the

Fourteenth Century.

• Rural Societies in Early Twentieth Century : A Sociological Study of the Villages of Bihar.

Research Guidance :

Supervised the research work of eleven students who received the degree of Ph.D. in sociology from Patna University.

Reference

• http://openlibrary.org/a/OL207797A/Hetukar_Jha
• http://ier.sagepub.com/cgi/pdf_extract/15/4/521