Defending Academic Freedom – Peter Heehs visits Pondicherry University

One of my former students of Pondicherry University in the mid 90s by name Arindam das , who also happened to be  the student of Aurobindo  Ashram school  came to campus and told about the controversy surrounding the lives of Sri Aurobindo , authord by Peter Heehs in 2008. While talking , he made an observation that Pondicherry , being and becoming the hub of educational institutions , the university should take the initiative and defend the academic freedom of  serious researchers and scholars , who are becoming the victim to moral policing and high handedness of vested interests.

In a matter of few days  a small meeting was arranged and we succeeded in bringing the author to our campus and despite our best efforts and good intention a detailed  objective  and health discussion could not take place , largely due to  the recalcitrant and highly arrogant attitude of one student , who tried to hijack the discussion and the personal level .

The positive fallout of the meet during the last week was that I did some home work for nearly a week and attempted to  understand the life and teachings of Aurobindo, as narrated by Peter Heehs and enjoyed reading it  and also  articulating the same on the stage in my own characteristic way .The author clarified  a few doubts  on questions , which were of trivial nature .

Being a pondicherian  for long , I neither  knew French nor tasted any hot  drink  .Over time, I had an occasion to enjoy social drink in a very very moderate dose but not picked up the french language. Nor did I bother to learn more about Sri Aurobindo , one of the finest  rebels  and revolutionaries in the early stage  before culminating  into a spiritual guru and practitioner of Yoga .Ig God wills, I might write a detailed review of this book , which  appears to be a well wriiten treatise with lot of proof and documentary evidences . As an insider  for more than four decades and as a critical historian by training , Peter Heehs  has done reasonable justice in humanizing Aurobindo to the common man and making people like us, who are not deeply religious but nevertheless very  keen to go into the realm of diving grace with all our doubt  and ignorance .

I Salute my Alma matter T.A.C, while it clebrates its Golden jubilee

Last week, Tagore Arts College (T.A.C.) - the first premier institute for higher education in Pondicherry celebrated its Golden jubilee. Incidentally this institution also happens   to be my Alma matter and the event managers/ organizers were kind enough to remember me and extended invitation for the inaugural function. Given my prior commitment and academic engagement I could not participate.

Through media, as a distant observer I learn t from the deliberations that every one spoke about the need for giving recognition to an institution which has completed its fifty years of physical existence. Thnak God, the T.A.C has survived successfully, by silently producing many scholars and bureaucrats amidst all the chaos inherently built into the institution.

I was privileged to address the student community and the faculty under the shamina erected in front of the building, just a year ago and at that time I understood the existential dilemma of the institution which nursed and nurtured people like us academically. I had my natural guts and innate academic commitment to outsmart the hooliganism displayed by a few drunkards on that day. I will try to revisit that event at a late stage in tranquility.

In the Golden jubilee celebration, the Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to the establishment of state university and another agricultural university. I was told that another speaker, a former student  my contemporary then gave a novel idea that the university shall be started in the T.A.C.Campus.

It  is just puzzling and perplexing to hear how  the elite and the intelligentia could be so hypocratical and artificial in their utternaces and action as the very same people  hardly paid any attention  to preserve and maintain minimum academic  law and order in the campus . 

This is not to say or suggest that everything is in shambles and there is no redemption for T.A.C. There are still many stalwarts and eager students keen to learn and prove themselves as worthy students in a government institution in order that the old academic legacy of the 60s and 70s could be re invented.

At this moment I think about one professor .Bala Krishna Nair,  who did the real magic  as  the first principal of the college . Having made a mark in presidency college Madras, he could  instill discipline and professional honesty in T.A.C .

I take this opportunity to remind our C.M of Puducherry , who has rightly lamented that our region should  produce more I.A.S officers that  an old T.A.C student who was lucky to study M.A. economics under our dispensation , eventually elevated himself to the status of I.E.S  and currently he holds the position of Additional Economic Advisor  in the Finance Ministry . In his education and ultimate elevation , a few faculty members  played a prominent role and among them  I will mention  my own contribution and that of  Dr.Dharma Lingam , a scholar of repute .

It would have been more appropriate if the event managers of the function have taken pains to honor Satish kind of students on the stage and thus motivate the budding scholars to rise to exalted position.

Personally speaking, it was a rewarding experience for me to study economics under the regime of Prof.Sasankan and Prof.Palani.G.Periya sami. I am thankful to the Lord for my education – the most foundational one at T.A.C and come out as college first which gave me a birth in Madras Presidency College. Otherwise I would have ended up my life as a clerk in Government office or taken over my Father’s profession. And who knows? I would have  made more money in life. Before I conclude this piece , I can only pray to the Lord  sleeping  in  heavens that   the institution should be freed from  all kinds of divisive and destructive politics and a strong leader  should take over the administration , giving strength and support to both students and faculty .

Today, I complete my 42 years of teaching

Today, I complete my 42 years of teaching.When I look back the four decades, I feel immensely happy.A quarter century  experience at varius colleges in the Unioin Territory of Pondicherry, which included a four year fellowship period at Gokhale Institute , Pune  served as launch pad for my entry into the Pondicherry  University in 1994 . I am in the final year of my stay at varsity, one year short of two decades teaching.

My entry into university was late.But better late than never. University was not in my frame of mind, when I did Ph.D at Pune.Benevolent fate brought me to central university and I had the blessings to teach students drawn from all over the country and of course from overseas .

The University  provided me a compelling environment to study extensively.The Hindu Business Line  facilitated my writing skill.Given  my academic  potentials, I could have done better on publication side.No regrets. If God wills, and health co operates I will be more active and academically more productive, during post-retirement period.If there is real zest  for academics, even  physical health will improve and I am feverishly hoping and  praying that God will come to my rescue and ensure  minimum health to carry my tapas and meditation on academic track.Today,  6 th August 2012, I remember all my teachers and all my students for having carried me thus far.Let the supreme enable me to deliver more  at the margin time.