The DAV institutions are the gift of the Arya Samaj,a progressive movement founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati in 1875. Swami Dayanand Saraswati , the great path – maker of modern India , led a crusade against the superstitious and pernicious practices that prevailed in contemporary India.

With a view to bringing about a balanced and harmonious development of the future citizens of this country and to infusing in them ideas of Vedic Culture and high sense of patriotism , Arya Samaj founded a school at Lahore in 1886 by the name of DAYANAND ANGLO VEDIC SCHOOL. This established the DAV College Trust and Management Society which later set up a network of such educational institutions all over India and abroad.

The DAV movement would not have achieved its goal had not a young brilliant graduate–Mahatma Hansraj, the first Principal of the first DAV institutions , Offered his honorary services as "Jeevan Daan" for 25 years. Matchless also is the sacrifice of his brother , Lala Mulkraj who fulfilled his pledge of supporting Hansraj ‘s family all these years.