Prof. Ram Sakha Gautam (RSG) was born in a small village Kulgavan of Satna district, which was in erstwhile illaka of Nagod in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh. His father Pt.Baij Nath worked as a Diwan in a small feudatory of Pataura in the state of Nagod. RSG started his schooling from Lagargavan near his native village. He completed his high school from Jabalpur and completed Fellow of Arts/BA from Rewa. His father’s death in 1945 could not deterred young RSGs ambition for higher education. Despite various financial hurdles, his honest and tireless perseverance brought him several fellowships from the rulers of erstwhile states of Vidhya Pradesh. RGS completed his M.A. in Political Science and L.L.B from Sagar University and started his academic career as a lecturer of Political Science in Rewa. RSG got his doctorate degree in Political Science from Sagar University working on Security Council of United Nations . RSG than moved to his academic abode Ujjain in 1966 and joined School of Studies in Political Science of Vikram University. In Vikram University, RSG not only taught his students but also worked for his D.Litt on ‘Indian National Congress and Constitutional Change’. It is in this connection that RSG met Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, in this interaction; RSG was very much inspired by the personality and his noble etiquettes of the first prime minister of India. Prof. RSG was not only an inspiring teacher but also he stood all along behind his students to carve out niches in the academics and administration through out his life. As a professor, RSG went to USSR as a part of Indo-USSR Cultural Exchange Programme. He visited and lectured at Patrice Lumumba University, Moscow University, Centre for Social Science Studies in Leningrad and the University of Tashkent. He was a Fullbright Fellow in 1986 and delivered lectures on Indo-Us relations in New York University, Columbia University, George Washington University, Princeton University, University of Philadelphia, Michigan State University and the University of Chicago. In his academic life Prof. RSG, guided 36 scholars for Ph.D, three scholars for D.Litt and supervised and directed 15 research projects on topical issues of social science. He has written three books viz. Sanyukt Rashtra Sangh (1977), Indian National Congress and Constitutional Change in India (1990), Nehru: Science and Society (1990). Prof RSG was the founder of Madhya Pradesh Political Science Association (MPPSA). Prof. RSG also edited the Madhya Pradesh Journal of Social Science (bi-annual journal of MPISSR) and Kautilya (journal of MPPSA) during his active academic career.
Prof. RSG was an academic saint, his humble bachelorhood and untiring perseverance has given birth to an institution called Madhya Pradesh Institute of Social Science Research in 1983. His perseverant effort not only established it, but his inspiration to the young faculties and employees of the institution inculcated a culture of self initiation and self discipline at the institute. It is due to his vision MPISSR has succeeded to create a niche for itself in the arena of social science research over last two decades. In the later years of his life, MPISSR was turned into his home, irrespective of the holidays; he was always at institute to inspire the fraternity of the institute. Keeping in view his tireless effort for well being of the society, Department of Social Justice, Government of Madhya Pradesh conferred on him with Indira Gandhi Manav Sewa Award in 2001-02. The great institution builder Prof. RSG nominated as the council member of Indian Council of Social Science Research in 2008 and he served as President of MPISSR and Council of ICSSR till his last breath. Prof. RSG passed away on 6 April, 2011 at Ujjain, leaving behind an academic legacy through MPISSR and his students, dotting all over the India.
For more biographical information see: R.S. Gautam: A Biographical Sketch- Yogesh Atal in (eds) Yogesh Atal and D. C Sah (2007) Exploring the Social Frontier, Rawat Publication: Jaipur.