Vice Chancellor Rajan Gurukkal Dragged Into Controversies In Kerala
Statement by Scholars and Academicians
22 April, 2012
Countercurrents.org
Scholars across the world appeal to government
We feel distressed at the malevolent campaign unleashed by a section of the Syndicate members of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, against its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rajan Gurukkal, an internationally acclaimed scholar and social scientist. A great academic visionary and an astute administrator, Prof. Gurukkal has been instrumental in bringing eminence and academic stature to Mahatma Gandhi University, which has, over the last three and a half years, emerged as one of the pioneering institutions in the realm of higher education in India. It is to his relentless efforts that the University owes the tremendous progress that it has achieved in the past three and a half years, but whatever achievements the University has made under his intellectual leadership are sought to be scuttled by the malicious and politically motivated campaign initiated against his office by some vested interests. As colleagues in the academic fraternity, we have always recognised and valued his resolute commitment to intellectual pursuit and his respect for law and regulatory norms in place. Prof. Gurukkal is known for his uprightness and perseverance, and is greatly respected by all in the academic world.
Unfortunately, for the last few months, Prof. Gurukkal’s name is being dragged into controversies with the obvious intention of undermining and maligning his image as Vice Chancellor. The unstated purpose, it is clear, is to seek his ouster from office for political reasons.
While placing on record our anxiety and reservations over this politically orchestrated campaign, we appeal to the Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University and the Government of Kerala to urgently intervene to ensure the academic autonomy of the University. It is the duty of the state – as it is of the academic community – to protect and uphold the stature of the office of the Vice Chancellor. We also appeal to the Chancellor of MGU and the Government to create a proper academic environment that would allow Prof. Gurukkal to continue to discharge his responsibilities in strict compliance with the laws and norms being followed by academic institutions and without fear or pressure from vested interests.
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak(Columbia University, USA)
James Petras (Binghamton University, New York, USA)
Prabhat Patnaik (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
Partha Chatterejee (Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta)
Gyan Pandey(Emory University, Atlanta, USA)
Henry Barnard (Massey University, New Zealand)
C.P.Chandrasekar(Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
G.N. Devy( (DA-IICT, Gandhinagar)
Kim Scipes (Purdue University North Central, Westville, Indiana, USA)
Filippo Osella (University of Sussex, UK)
Jayati Ghosh(Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
Sita Venkateswar (Massey University, New Zealand)
M.S.S.Pandian (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
Meena Alexander (City University of New York, USA)
Azeez P.A. (Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore)
Udaya Kumar (University of Delhi)
Dilip Menon (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa)
Janaki Nair (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
Prathama Banerjee(CSDS, Delhi)
Sasheej Hegde (University of Hyderabad)
K. Satchidanandan (Poet and former Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi)
E.V.Ramakrishnan (Central University of Gujarat)
B.N. Patnaik (formerly with IIT Kanpur)
Alexander Lautensach (University of Northern British Columbia)
Amiya Dev (Former Vice-Chancellor, Vidyasagar University, Medinipur)
G. Arunima (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
Ruby Lal(Emory University, Atlanta, USA)
A.K.Ramakrishnan (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
Sundar Sarukkai(Manipal University, Manipal)
Kunal Chakrabarti(Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
Sabina Lautensach (Human Security Institute, New Zealand)
B. Ekbal(former Vice Chancellor, University of Kerala)
P.P. Raveendran (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam)
K.M.Seethi (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam)
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