Educationist Gnanam passes away

PONDICHERRY, 30/03/2007: A. Gnanam, former vice-chancellor of Pondicherry University in Puducherry on March 30, 2007 Photo: T. Singaravelou

Noted educationist and former Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry Central University Prof. A. Gnanam (86), who pioneered several concepts in higher education, passed away in Chennai on Wednesday night after a brief illness. He is survived by a son and daughter.

Prof. Gnanam was the second Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University from 1991 to 2007.

He has also served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras (1988-90) and the Bharathidasan University, Tiruchi.

Apart from heading the National Assessment and Accreditation Council, he led various policy-making bodies, including the Matriculation Schools Syllabus Revision Committee in Tamil Nadu, of which he was Chairman.

Community colleges

Prof. Gnanam is credited with pioneering the concept of the community college when he established the first of its kind in the country at the Pondicherry University during his tenure at its helm as well as introducing the Choice-Based Credit System in Indian Universities, according to a University official.

‘Humane person’

At a condolence meeting held at the Pondicherry University on Thursday, faculty members hailed the outstanding contributions in academia of their former Vice-Chancellor, who they fondly recalled as a highly knowledgeable and humane person.