In a strange omission that would not happen in Dravidian land, the 2013 annual report of Madurai Kamaraj University here had no mention about iconic figure the late C.N. Annadurai in whose honour a Chair was set up to propagate his ideals through various activities.
As per a State Government’s direction, the university had instituted ‘Perarignar Anna Chair’ in June 2009 as part of former Chief Minister’s centenary celebrations to popularise his lofty ideals and take up research on Anna’s political acumen, social wisdom, literary command and oratorical skill.
This Chair, set up during the DMK regime and inaugurated by noted lyricist Vairamuthu on September 17, 2009, is inactive and was missing in the 48 annual report of MKU which runs in to 696 pages and circulated to staff a few days ago.
However, there was a mention about the recently started Navalar V.R. Nedunchezhian Chair in Tamil Department, according to sources.
A few senior teaching staff told The Hindu on Saturday that the annual report had two important “misses” — it ignored not only Anna but also did not highlight the activities of Department of Guru Nanak Studies which began as a chair in the 80s.
“Things are looking strange in our university. We were told that Tamil culture, history and literary thought can be best understood through late leader Nedunchezhian Chair. If it was so, then what about Anna and why no activities are carried and proper space not allotted?” a professor asked.
According to sources, all other Chairs in the MKU were listed in the annual report from pages 662 to 668. Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar chair was listed on page 663, Thirukkural Chair on page 667 and Navalar Nedunchezhian Chair on page 668. There was concern in university for leaving out Guru Nanak Studies Department which has staff, courses, students and research scholars. Started as a Chair in 1987, it became a full-fledged department offering M.A. (Cultural Studies).
“When the long annual report could present all other departments, why leave out our department? In fact, the University Grants Commission had chosen the MKU for starting the Guru Nanak Chair and now a bad precedent was set. There was a mere mention about it and no details of activities carried out,” a retired professor observed.
R. Kathiresan, former honorary director of Perarignar Anna Chair in MKU, has expressed concern that the activities in honour of a great leader should not be stopped with just centenary celebrations when the State government had directed to keep it afloat through research and publications.
