Osmania
Courier
Arts College Platinum Jubilee Special Edition
2
MONUMENTAL TASK AHEAD
4
REVIVING GOOD OLD DAYS
8
BLOCK BY BLOCK
Bi-monthly lab newspaper, Department of Communication & Journalism, Osmania University, 24 April 2015, Vol.61, No 1
ARTS COLLEGE
MORE THAN AN EDUCATIONAL HUB
SURESH GHATTAMANENI Arts College, the magnificent and elegant edifice in pink granite stone retains much of its charm even today, though it has seen the vicissitudes of fortune over the last 75 years. The edifice celebrating its platinum jubilee year is infact twenty years younger to the college itself which started in a temporary structure in the year 1919. Just as its blend of different styles in architecture, Arts College draws together a young diverse lot, enabling them to learn and discover. Historically, universities have played a major role as ideological apparatuses, expressing the ideological struggles present in all societies. Arts College played a crucial role in the orchestration and management of wider societal changes. Right from a protest against theocratic state on the eve of Republic Day to that of a rally for “Swachch Bharat Campaign”, it has been accommodating all kinds of ideologues and their contrasting ideologies, sometimes even becoming an arena for debating such. Unlike the universities or colleges which cocoon themselves within the invisible hierarchies of “class” and language-based “elitism”, Osmania, and Arts College in particular, is considered one of those student friendly institutions that welcomes all kinds of students
including the marginalized and oppressed sections creating a non-discriminatory platform. A student from a rural/tribal/nonEnglish background receives welcoming vibes in Osmania. Infact they neither have to face the judgmental attitudes nor the feelings of guilt which the “much hyped” top notch universities tend to create. The educational experience at Arts College or Osmania University on the whole is beyond the classroom and the laboratory. It enables a student to discover her/himself and take major strides towards their career choices. Most progressive thoughts and actions with utmost sensitivity towards caste, class, religion and gender have been demonstrated by generations of students of the college at all points of time. The first ever radical students union of the state was formed here which signalled the emergence of the visible antiestablishment politics. Infact, every revolutionary movement in the region of Telangana which created an impact, had its first squall at the Arts College of Osmania University and it continues to be so! Housing over 22 departments under the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social Sciences, the staff through various academic bodies give direction to the curriculum to be followed at the undergraduate level. Faculty is also in decision making bodies for Intermediate education. In
summary, the policy framework for education to be imparted for future generations at the lower levels is laid in Departmental conferences constituted by respective departments in Arts college. Scores of students who choose to take up teaching as a career take their first baby steps in assimilating the tougher forms for knowledge to be transferred to future generation In essence; they contribute to moulding the society There is a criticism that the college is losing its sheen in terms of academics and on account of students’ focus on politics and protests. On the flip side, the college has produced many eminentpersonalities in academics, media, and economics apart from politics and it continues to do so. Politics is a part of our life and when there is a sensitive and sensible platform like this, it is welcoming. The better way of understanding and looking at it is that the college and the university have been successful in producing, sensible and sensitive human beings who understand and react to the issues in society and are not just eminent personalities visible for success just in their respective fields. The youngsters shaped by the college over the years have turned out to be equally outstanding in their chosen spheres and the majestic building never fails to evoke nostalgia among the people who had passed through this portal of knowledge.
Visionary founderNizam Mir Osman Ali Khan Mission The University College of Arts and Social Sciences is committed to the cause of Higher Education by providing world-class teaching, research and public service. The college seeks to serve society by contributing to • The development of an educated and enlightened population capable of informed judgment and responsible citizenship. • The availability of persons who have the knowledge, skills and adaptability required by public and private enterprise. • Advancement of knowledge, skills and human creativity. It is in this context that the University College of Arts and Social Sciences, articulates the following statements concerning its goals, its accountability and its distinctive role in modern Indian society. • Provide the highest possible quality of teaching in the humanities, languages, and social sciences. • Enhance student success by fostering an environment conducive to intellectual and personal growth. Encourage original scholarship and basic and applied research of the highest quality. • Serve the community by making its expertise available 1919, August 28, College inaugurated at Gunfoundry 11 Departments with 25 teachers and 225 students at Gunfoundry area. 1928 : Land acquired near Adikmet 2.5 lakh square feet- total plinth area Architect- Monsieur Jasper, from Belgium 5 July 1934 -H.E.H. Nizam VII, laid the foundation stone 4 December 1934 College declared open
•
to individuals and institutions. • Preserve and protect academic freedom and intellectual independence, and provide a forum for critical inquiry and debate. Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan considered the architecture as a medium through which he could convey to the people and the world his royal ideals. In his address at the opening of the Arts College building, he said “…God be praised that this gorgeous edifice is now ready. This structure has no parallel in the world of India for beauty, grandeur, and nobility. As Osmania University is one of the greatest achievements of my reign, this building, too, will be a lasting memorial of my rule, reminding future generations, for centuries to come of the culture, architecture and civilization of this age.” Later addressing the architecture of the College he remarked, “Like the Urdu language, the manifestation of the fusion of the Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture and its façade, its pillars and its portals portray the culture and the art of the two people. This building, therefore, is a symbol of unity, brotherhood and cultural amalgam of the Hindus and Muslims which has been the feature of this state for centuries. I consider it a part of my kingly duty to preserve this feeling of amity among my people. Osmania University, which represents the best traditions of the Hyderabad state and its noble culture, should keep as its goal the furtherance of such fellow feeling and unity, for therein lies the welfare and prosperity of the country.”
thoughts & views
2
Arts College 2.0 PROF. B.BALASWAMY
The University College of Arts and Social Sciences, which is known popularly as “Arts College” is an iconic reflection of not only Osmania University, but also the heartbeat and mindset/pulse of entire Telangana. In its journey spanning over seven decades, there are myriad nostalgic tangible and intangible feats in its trajectory. It has been world class in its mission of imparting knowledge in diverse disciplines- Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences The College had the distinction of having star academicians/ stalwarts including Padmabhushan and Gnanpeet awardees. Its illustrious faculty include Dr. C. Narayana Reddy, Prof. AM Khusro, Prof. Shiv K.Kumar, Gidugu Ramamurthy, Prof. Bhadriraju Krishnamurthi, Prof. E . G. Parameswaran and many others. It has produced several Vice-Chancellors, politicians, poets and policy makers. The alumni are spread across the world in distinguished positions. Many people met their life partners for the first time in Arts college. Being one of the heritage buildings in Hyderabad, the Arts College reflects a truly composite culture of Hyderabad. This college is the inspiration and intellectual base for many movements, including the movement for Telangana state. It has been instrumental in realizing Osmania University’s mission of providing quality of education at an affordable cost. With three CAS Departments, it has played a pivotal role in the University gaining the University with Potential for Excellence status in the recent past. Notwithstanding these laudable achievements in the social, political and educational spheres, there is a lurking perception that the University as a whole and Arts College, that academics has taken a beating owing to the storms of disruption and the ups and downs. Admitting that this is a It is time we go back misperception, what is to the foundational needed is an “academic revolution” from within. debates on the ideals This revolution should of higher education, be aimed at academic carefully preserve excellence and innovation contributing to seminal all that is good in research and theory. the present model Dissecting the societal and treat this as the problems, coming up with possible and plausible starting point of a solutions calls for reconstruction. strengthening the research ethos. Further, unleashing the creative energies of students, researchers is the need of the hour for some kind of “creative disruption.” A concerted effort on the part of the administration, faculty, students and the researchers and the political class is the first step in the direction to bolster higher education in Arts College. There has to be a paradigm shift in the established ways of thinking about higher education, research, and innovation. It calls for redefinition of knowledge and its purpose, reorganization of branches of knowledge, rethinking the existing practices of teaching-learning and research and recognition of the limits of what we know. Like all shifts, it involves recovery, reconstruction and bold re- imagination. It is time we go back to the foundational debates on the ideals of higher education, carefully preserve all that is good in the present model and treat this as the starting point of a reconstruction. At the same time there is no escaping the challenge of thinking afresh to meet the new situation that confronts us. As the College celebrates its 75th year, the Osmania Courier has attempted to devote this issue to Arts College and present its myriad facets.
Monumental task ahead
T
hat the perceived image of the University, especially Arts College, among diverse stake holders has been dented is indisputable. The College, racing towards the Centenary year is known to the present generation only as a battle ground with the ideological outshouts- protests and movements reverberating with the slogans of social justice and identity politics. Beneath the media projected dented image, lies the history which carries the memoirs of being the most preferred college for its academics. It has produced several stalwarts in different fields. However, in the early years, the academic outcomes Arts College were always a rejoinder to the criticisms of being termed a war-zone for various revolutionary politics undermining the education system. The College during the past few years has been failing consistently to live up to its past and it’s time for us to look for some corrective measures to salvage this. It’s time to introspect what went wrong over the decades wherein the academics took a beating and the college lost its prominence in being the most preferred destination for the talent pool. First, political interference into academics over the past few decades disturbed the autonomy of the university and the fabric of the delicate relationship between the teachers and the students. While some administrative heads tried fixing it during their tenures, some turned a blind eye to it not to get embroiled into controversies. Agreed that Arts College has been a springboard for several movements- political, and social, with an objective of social change producing leaders who are remembered and idolized by the youth today. But, the point that is always undermined in this discussion is the academic success of the same leaders who have inspired us. In areas of low aspiration and poor attainment, where teachers’ expectations from the students are also low and there is an invisible and unaccepted disconnect between the teachers and students, igniting a passion in a student is made all that much easier if the academics are treated on par with the practicals. The onerous task ahead is in persuading students to balance their political intents with academic interests.
Admitting that there is an apparent disconnect between class room learning and the world beyond, it is imperative to bridge and strengthen this gap. We cannot mould ourselves only to present demands, without listening and understanding the history. Understanding the history can happen only when there is importance catered to the academic aspects of the education. What happens outside should commensurate and complement with what happens inside the classroom. Grim realities matter more than the romantic fantasies of looking beyond the class room education. Government jobs are like “competing for a shrinking cake” and therefore there is a need to rely more on meaningful education with the skill sets received in college. Given the specialization required for many jobs these days in the globally competitive world, young people entering the job market do need a substantial base of knowledge and, in many cases, specialized skills. Instilling the idea that students with academic success would have more opportunities to choose than those with “mere degrees” is less education. The prime duty of a university college is to produce economically valuable intellectual resources and college education plays a vital role in this. Learning is a continuum, a lifelong awakening to the complexity of the world. Knowledge and grip on the subjects learnt, boosts the confidence levels of an individual in being successful in whatever field she/ he chooses to be in. Academics define our capability to perform in a restricted sphere. It may not be a determining factor, but definitely an indicator of potential for success in our sphere of interests. Review, Refinement and Rationalization of the academic aspects of the college are undoubtedly the need of the hour. But these need to take place in the wider context of understanding and learning lessons from the past It’s time to restore Arts College to its earlier pedestal which carries the history of churning out globally competitive products. It is the collective responsibility of the students, faculty and the educational administrators and policy makers to bring back the good old days. It is a monumental task, no doubt, but not insurmountable . SURESH GHATTAMANENI
tete-a-tete
4
A
Reviving good old days my priority, says T.Krishna Rao, Principal Any plans to achieve excellence in the college?
s the University College of Arts and Social Sciences, known as Arts College, celebrates the 75th year Prabhakar Chouti speaks to the College Principal, Prof. T. Krishna Rao from the Department of Philosophy on his future plans and diverse issues
Excellence can be achieved through teaching and research. Also, empowerment of students through knowledge and information and moulding them into a responsible and productive citizenry.
How do you feel being the Principal of Arts College in its 75th year? I am pleased to be the Principal of the college in its 75th year. I am greatly honored by this position. This is a great opportunity for me .It has been my childhood dream. I used to play around this Arts College (1973-74) in my childhood. I am emotionally attached to this college. What are your priorities and vision for the college as a Principal? My priorities are to revive the glory of Arts College. Further, to bring the heritage value of this building into public domain; to preserve and promote cultural heritage, humanistic and spiritual values of this college; to develop, enhance, and improve the quality of human
What are the biggest issues facing the students in this college?
resources and to cultivate resolute moral and ethical values.
What does Arts College stand for?
There is no “personal vision”. The vision of university is the highest mission. It is to generate and disseminate knowledge through a harmonious blend of ancient and modern wisdom, and to serve the society by developing in students’ heightened intellectual, cultural, ethical, and humane sensitivities; to foster a scientific temper, and to promote professional and technological expertise.
The College is instrumental in propagation of ‘Cultural diversity’ and reflects the needs and aspirations of various communities in the region for over eight decades. It has emerged as one of the noted Universities of India. The students of the college have played a key role in various ‘social movements’, and in the process of ‘social transformation’ of the region and the country.
The major issues are lack of career opportunities for students. Next is the outdated infrastructure – pipelines, power lines are so old that they cannot be renovated. We need to fix them all afresh. I request the Government of India to grant developmental funds to build new hostels. Can you outline the role Arts College students in the newly constituted state of Telangana? Students should concentrate on education and research rather than indulge in politics. They should be stay away from politics .They should own the highest
educational values and be an inspiration to new students. All students should adhere to highest discipline to glorify this college. Do you have sufficient budgetary allocations for maintenance of the College? As Arts College is not adequately funded there are financial problems. Maintenance works are being undertaken by the Buildings division and the authorities have to take further steps to renovate and modernize the structure What is the role of Arts College in 21st century ? The University College of Arts is committed to the cause of higher education by providing worldclass teaching and research. The college seeks to serve society by contributing to develop an educated and enlightened population capable of informed judgment and responsible citizenship. The College preserves and protects academic freedom and intellectual independence, and provides a forum for critical inquiry and debate on developmental perspectives.
Shun bias in reporting, cautions Prof. Padmaja Shaw EP YESUDAS
W
hat would you do if you were made the Vice Chancellor of Osmania University? “I would resign the very next day,” retorted Prof. Padmaja Shaw without a missing a beat, baffling the questioner. Participating in a post-retirement interaction session at the Department of Communication and Journalism, she explained that if the judicious allocation of university resources by a committed Vice Chancellor is a warranted responsibility, a reasonable expectation then is regular attendance of enrolled students and proper utilization of departments’ infrastructure and resources by the faculty. “Students’ regular attendance at classes is what motivates the faculty to come prepared and brings out the best in them” she said. Smaller class sizes and regular attendance is what would make the
instruction more effective, she added. Asked what could be done to make the academic environment in the university better, she observed that various stakeholders of the University should be driven by a common purpose and the Vice Chancellor alone cannot ‘enforce’ things. “I am personally against forcing people to do anything,” she said. Tracing her journey from being a student of Arts College to becoming a Professor,
Padmaja Shaw revealed that her entry into Journalism was accidental. Her interest in writing as profession gave her a choice between pursuing English Literature or Journalism at the Arts College. Since the bachelor’s degree in Journalism took just a year, she opted for it. Later, she got a Masters degree in Journalism and landed an internship in television which was the most happening thing at that time. Giving further details, she said she enrolled for an MA in television production at Michigan State University, United States, in pursuit of her passion. She subsequently travelled back to India in search of a practical assignment in TV production rather than pursuing a theoretical PhD in the US. Recounting her days at the Michigan State, Prof. Padmaja pointed out that apart
from creating ideal conditions for the pursuit of academic excellence such as academic discipline, grading systems, assignments and well equipped libraries that were open till 2 am every day, the university administration also took care of small but important things such as the availability of food and personal safety, lack of which is such an impediment for students wanting to spend more time pursuing academic activities in Indian Universities, she added. She contrasted this with the lack of security for the inmates of Osmania girls’ hostel during agitations and blockades. She said that all it needed was the will of the authorities to allocate the resources judiciously to meet the needs of the students. Lamenting the general state of affairs in Osmania today, she stated that though Osmania University had always been a hot bed for political activity. Despite that, the focus of the students and the availability of great teachers across disciplines made academic pursuit exciting and the transition into western universities less challenging for students in those days than today. Prof. Padmaja implored students to recognize their own biases and the potential
danger of a reporter ending up misreporting or misinterpreting facts. She remarked that she did not take up journalism since she felt she was ‘too biased’. She opined that, “Ultimately journalism is fair only if it provides a level playing field to air all biases.” She reminded the students of Gunnar Myrdal’s book ‘Asian Drama’ and encouraged them to follow his advice to first know and then state their own biases and then go out in a scientific manner to test the bias objectively and finally if proven wrong, to have the decency to accept that their bias is wrong. Asked about the challenges women face in meeting the demands of raising children and looking after households, Prof. Padmaja, who worked on “Women and Social Movements” for her doctorate, stated that apart from the really poor who live on daily wages, our society provides many more opportunities for middle class families. Many women find adequate social support and are able to pursue their dreams. She encouraged students to ensure that they get what they want (professionally) otherwise they will be forced to like what they get.
inner grandeur
5
COURIER DESK
iwan, arch, monumental portal, sanctifying half dome, stalactite ornamentation reproducing the form of a Mihrab. The college exterior can be broadly divided into the centrepiece consisting of a grand arch which has a huge doorway designed after the Persian Pishtaq or the mosque of the yesteryears. On the either side of the centrepiece are two double-storied colonnaded galleries, each reflection of the other. The huge doorway with its marvellous arch, welcomes the staff, students and all the visitors to the striking interior.
C
ut off from the din and pollution of the twin cities of Hyderabad, and nestling in the green environs of the 1,500 acre campus is Arts College . Documents reveal that the Osmania University College, (Arts College) was inaugurated on August 28, 1919. Sir Ross Masood was the first Principal of the college. The college was temporarily housed in eight rented buildings in Gunfoundry area with 25 teachers and 225 students in the Intermediate first year class. But since the authorities found the location unsuitable for expansion, it was decided to acquire a site and have building worthy of the University. Subsequently, a vast portion of land was acquired near Adikmet in 1928. Prior to executing the plans, it was considered a important to depute two of its suitable and experienced Engineers to a world tour, to study the requirement of a modern model university- both from academic and engineering points of view and to propose the appointment of a Consultant Architect. A team of experts with Sri Syed Ali Raza (later Ali Nawaz Jung), an Engineer and Nawab Zain Yar Jung, an architect, was sent abroad to study and suggest a model plan. The group toured Great Britain, Europe, America, Japan, Egypt and Turkey, and recommended the appointment of Monsieur Jasper, a Belgian as an architect. Jasper prepared a detailed plan of all the university buildings. After Jasper left Hyderabad in1931, Nawab Zain Yar Jung executed the plans for which he was awarded a Padma Bhushan for his outstanding service to the field of architecture.
Much thought and careful planning lies behind the selection of the present site of the Campus of Osmania University with the Arts College building as the central structure. The last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan evinced intense desire for the success of the university scheme and agreed to lay the foundation stone of Arts College himself. H.E.H. Nizam VII, laid the foundation stone for the Arts College building on 5th July, 1934 and it was declared open by him on 4 December 1939. The Arts college has an architectural heritage structure similar to College of Sultan Hassan in Cairo, Egypt and was meant to reflect implicitly some lofty and noble ideals of Indian education. The edifice is a synonym for architectural uniqueness unspoilt by the arrival of new fangled architectonics.
Beauty in pink granite The magnificent, University College of Arts and Social Sciences building (Arts College), at the centre of a sprawling 1510.85 acre Osmania University Campus, from the stage of the planning of the Osmania Campus in early 1930’s was conceived with special care to be the central and principal architectural structure of Osmania University. This stately granite giant, an articulate specimen of later Osman Shahi architecture, combines the archetypal characteristics of the Hindu temple styles with those of the Saracenic. Inlaid into this unique form are motifs of medieval Moslem, Arabic, Moorish and even Gothic schools of architecture. The unspoiled edifice reveals majesty and is the nucleus of the 95-year old Osmania University. The College was originally Osmania University itself and from here starts a bio-spiritual journey into the world of art and aesthetics revealing itself in sculptured granite. The College of Arts and Social Sciences of the famed Osmania University, popularly known as the Arts College, a doublestoried construction covers a plinth area of 2.5 lakh sq. ft. with cellars bringing up the level of depressed portion to the ground floor level of the building. The cellars meant to be used as locker, store and cloak rooms. The exterior of the basement is of dressed granite, the interior lime plastered and its roof is done in Jach arch. Built in dressed granite of pink shade obtained from quarries within the project area, Arts college stands without a parallel, unique amongst its contemporaries. A large number of imported dressers, the majority of whom hailed from remote towns in Southern India like Tanjore, Turukapalam, Conjeeveram, etc., are busy like the bee, patiently carved and dressed one of the hardest varieties of granite.
The visitor is mesmerised by the innards of the great welcome arch built in dressed granite, seemingly supported by two soaring, round and polished granite columns. The main entrance to the building is an immense portal in a vertical oblong stands out from the façade and is higher than the side walls and winds of the structure. It encloses a trefoil arch whose peak soars higher than the walls of the edifice to either side of the portal. The arch houses a semicircular vault with stalactites, resulting in a synthesis of several major architectural themes of iwan, arch and monumental portal. The interior of the arch is deep to make an iwan covered by a semi-circular vault with stalactites. The result is a synthesis of several major architectural themes of
Inside the college you’ll find the flooring, staircase balustrade and railings covered in pink terrazzo. The flooring of the first and the second floor was done in -Shahabad stones. Atop the centre of the hallway you’ll find a fantastic dome with chande liers set. The dome is double-decked in structure, the first deck has sixteen sides and the second deck, a downward extension of the first, has sixteen windows related to each side of the first deck. The dome has 32 inverted “A” symbols with 16 windows. But the uniqueness and strength is not confined to the building. The portal found in madrasas and mosques of medieval welcome a visitor into a sacred interior. The remarkable tall polished round granite pillars flank the entrance, accentuating the vision of height of the portal. The main cornice and parapet were done partly in dressed granite and partly imitation. Railing in external verandahs were cast and fixed in artificial granite. The overall plan is perfectly symmetrical. If we exclude the portal, the three façades of the building are treated alike and the symmetry and the repetitive rhythm of each side is pleasing. Into this façade of Islamic character, the look of rock-cut architecture of the Deccan seems integrated. For the instance a Tin Tal at Ellora, which formed part of former Nizam’s Dominion. The railing of the octagonal shafts strike one as based on Buddhist Cave architectural elements of the Deccan. The entrance hall of the ground floor is the chief attraction of the architecture of Arts College, with a dome crowning it, its floor in shining pink terrazzo and enclosed by twenty-four ornamental pillars. These pillars are the best representation of Hindu architectural style with shaft fluted in parts and carrying an Amalaka capital. Long and deep aisles, lecture halls, open courts with columns of dressed granite stone and three stair cases, one of which is of cantilever type. The flooring of Arts college in the ground and first floors is of
cont’d on p13
guiding lights
6
Leading Faculty who nurtured academics
E
ducational institutions, it is said, are built on the foundations laid by the faculty, research, students and the buildings. While each contributes to the growth of the institution, the role of the Faculty is of pre-eminence. As the Arts college celebrates the 75th year, Himabindu Duggirala met a few Professors who leveraged their positions while in service to ensure that the College scaled the peaks of academic excellence. Also, they were asked to recall the contribution of their predecessors.
Political Science Politics and Arts College cannot be divorced. Same with the Department of Political Science. While the faculty can take credit for shaping the political careers of generations of students, early history reveals that way back in 1918-19, Political Science was a part of the Department of History. It was recognized as an independent discipline in 1948 with Prof. Arun Khan Sherwani as its first Head. In 1964, Late Dr. Rasheeduddin Khan, a stalwart and a confidante of the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, infused the research culture in the department. He conducted Electoral Services in the elections to the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad and eventually became the member of Rajya Sabha for two terms. Later in 1977, Prof. G. Ram Reddy, Former Head and Vice Chancellor carried on the legacy of Prof Khan by restructuring the research activities. M a j o r contributions during his stint included two volumes on ‘Regionalism in India – A case study of Telangana’ and ‘State Politics in Andhra Pradesh’ were published. Having been a part of the Department of Public Administration initially, he introduced Public Policy as a broad subject liberating it from a narrow confines of ‘Government and Policy’. This was later carried over by Prof. B.A.V. Sharma. Since then, the Department laid emphasis on public policy studies which resulted in the publication of a
volume on ‘Reservation Policy in India’ in the early 1980s.Prof. Sharma, a successor of Prof. Ram Reddy was a student of Prof. Aloo Dastur and Prof. Usha Mehta. Prof Mehta was a pioneer in Political Sociology and Comparative Politics. He launched the Election Studies Programme and played a pivotal role in starting the Departmental Research Support (DRS) Programme which later helped the Department to achieve the status of Centre for Advanced Study (CAS). During his tenure, the department was given approval for a Centre for Public Policy in 1980 and admissions to Ph.D saw an increase. Prof. K. Madhusudhan Reddy, served as the Head and later as the Principal of Arts College. He was looked up to as an authority on India-China politics. He served as a coordinator for the Departmental Research Programme (DRS) from 1978-85. A man with a far sight, he pushed the proposal for Departmental Special Assistance Programme (DSAP) in 1988 and got it approved by the UGC. He was the local secretary for the 43rd All India Political Science Conference held in Hyderabad. He supervised the publication of books including Young Voter, and Women in Politics. Political Science was introduced at the post-graduate level in Women’s College and other places during his stint. Prof. Kancha Ilaiah is a widely recognised intellectual, known for his book, ‘Why I am not a Hindu’. His is a strong voice in support of the sub-altern perspective. His many recent books and articles build on this perspective to argue for the existence of an autonomous subaltern culture and knowledge systems. His research on the scientific aspects of cattleherding practices was published in the Subaltern Studies series published by Oxford University Press. Prof. Rajurkar was an authority on Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his policies and was invited to deliver the Nehru Memorial Lectures. Other faculty members who guided the progress of the department and occupied prestigious positions at national and international levels include Dr. Rama Melkote, Prof. S.D. Jatkar, Prof. Kousar J. Azam. English Introducing English at a time when Urdu was the medium of instruction and was predominantly
spoken, was a bold initiative towards catching up with the world. Started in 1919 with Prof N.G. We l i n g k a r as Head, the Department of English had an intermediate c o u r s e. Later, it was introduced at the undergraduate level in 1921, M.A. in 1937 and M.Phil. in 1973.
Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics) from 197994. Later in 1994, the UGC sanctioned the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) since then the activities were taken over by the ELTC.
The Department was the first to offer American Literature in 1956-57, General Linguistics with Spoken English in 1972-73, and Commonwealth Literature in 1978 at the M.A level.
Linguistics
Prof. R.S. Sharma, Former Head and Dean Faculty of Arts, recalls how the department has transformed by the day. “Dr. D. S. Reddy, Former Vice Chancellor, had brought in a lot of changes – in the location of the Department and faculty composition. He invited eminent professors from different parts of the country, who contributed immensely to the stature of the University.” Research b e c a m e one of the important aspects of not just English but also other disciplines. Eminent scholars like Prof. Shiv K. Kumar, Prof. Vasanth A. Shahane, Prof. Isaac Sequeira, Prof. Doraiswami, Prof. M. Sivaramakrishna, and Prof. Venkatachari served the Department. Prof. Shiv K. Kumar initiated several measures that catapulted the Department to the top of the national academic scene. Prof. Kumar and Prof. Shahane founded the Osmania University English Forum in 1960 to conduct academic discussions. The Osmania Journal of English Studies, launched in 1961, brought out special numbers on the different dimensions of Shakespeare, American Literature, Indian Writing and Poetry in English etc. The Department was the first to introduce courses for the disadvantaged students. American Literature was introduced by Prof. Isaac Sequeira. The Department collaborated with ICRISAT (International
Prof. Kumar, Prof. Shahane, Prof. Sequeira and Prof. Sharma served in the position of Dean, Faculty of Arts. Prof. Kumar and Prof. Shahane had the distinction of being the Principals of Arts College.
The Department of Linguistics was established in 1962 with the institution of a Tagore Centenary Chair in Linguistics, funded by the Government of India and the University Grants Commission. Prof. Bhadriraju Krishnamurti was the first occupant of this Chair. In mid’70s, Prof. Krishnamurti, as the Head of the Department, had the foresight to make the linguistic programme applied in nature. He worked closely with the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta and the Institute for Experimental Phonetic Speech Pathology (IEPSP) in Yugoslavia. He started a collaborative research institute with the IEPSP and organised workshops. He also imported a 22-channel equipment along with Selective Auditory Filter Amplifier (SAFA) and other vibrotactile devices with which one could train children (especially, Teluguspeaking kids) with hearing and speech impairments to speak better. “He was the one to design an Audiometric room and asked me to start with the training,” says Prof. Vasanta, faculty member cum a speech language therapist, Department of Linguistics, OU. “As a person, Prof. Krishnamurti was a man with high standards of discipline and he instilled the same work ethic among his colleagues,” recalls Prof. Vasanta. A man of high repute, several famous linguists and personalities visited the department during his tenure. “Today, we’re identified as the one and only department that has entered the fourth phase of CAS [Centre for Advanced Studies]
and the seeds were sown by Prof. Krishnamurti,” exults Prof. Vasanta. “Prof. Krishnamurti strived hard to ensure the department attained international stature. We’ve been keeping up with it for the past 50 years by organizing national seminars, workshops and guest lectures.” Apart from Prof. Krishnamurti, Prof. Ananthanarayana, Prof. C. Rama Rao, Prof. Lakshmi Bai, Prof. Aditi Mukherjee have significantly contributed to the growth and evolution of the department in their respective fields by their extensive planning and diligence in theoretical and applied linguistics. The Department was selected for the Special Assistance Programme (SAP) of the UGC in 1977, and was accorded Centre for Advanced Study status in 1985. The Department has been actively publishing an annual research journal ‘Osmania Papers in Linguistics’ since 1975. Islamic Studies The Department of Islamic Studies came into existence in 1965 after the bifurcation of Department of Religion and Culture, with Dr. Hans Kruze as its first Head. Islamic Studies, as a separate discipline was strengthened during the period of Dr. Anwar Moazzam, Dr. Suleman Siddiqui and others. Prof. Anwar Moazzam was instrumental in preparing the Islamic Studies syllabus for the Jamia Hamdard and the Kashmir University. He also published several books. A disciplined person, punctual and principled he played a key role in building the department to what it is today. Dr.
Siddiqui,
Former Head, Department of Islamic Studies, has also served as Principal, UCASS; Director, Competitive Examinations Coaching Centre; and Director, Dairatul Maarif; and ViceChancellor. He is said to take pride and relish every bit of his journey from studentship to retirement. “Osmania oldest seat new state starts off, times have “The
University is the of learning in the of Telangana,” he noting how the drastically changed. academic
cont’d on p13
through the years Flux in student politics COURIER DESK
7
50
plus, and going strong
Sir Ross Masood (1921-21) (First Principal)
Student politics in Arts College has had a roller coaster ride during the past few decades. and the body politick is fractured on several lines. In Arts College, student politics can be understood in two phases: pre and post Emergency . In the pre-Emergency era, Youth Congress and NSUI, both part of Indian National Congress, played a dominant role. In the post-Emergency period, when the super powers played out Cold War politics, Leftwing student organisations emerged, among which extreme Left organisations such as Revolutionary Students Union (RSU) and Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU) occupied most of the space. These organisations remained strong till 1985 because of their strong base at the grassroots level. The early eighties saw the waning influence of the Left Parties and the blossoming of Independents for a brief spell. The ban on the Left Wing groups by the State Government saw their hold waning and the rise of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) as a major force. According to Prof. V. Jagadeeshwar Rao, an ABVP student leader during 1987-89 , the period between 198589 saw ABVP hold power and play an active role in the University till the elections were banned in 1989 and in the 1990s, several student organisations were born. A few years later, national politics made an impact on students. The emergence of the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh influenced students who formed the Kranthi Sangrama Pasrishad 2000 onwards till date: With the founding of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, several students rallied for the cause of Telangana resulting in the launch of TRSV, TNSF, TGVP even as the ABVP continues to be a force to reckon with. The Left parties- PDSU, AISF SFI and other groups have marginal presence. Alongside these, another development was the emergence of a host of caste-based organisations including the MRPS, MSF, tribal organisations, Backward Classes, Intriguingly, the National Students Union of India( NSUI) the student wing of the Congress, failed to make major inroads into student politics except during the pre emergency period
M. NAVEEN KUMAR AND J. YASHODA Eleven departments in Arts College have either crossed the 50- or 60-year mark. They include : Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Economics, History, Political Science, English, Kannada, Marathi, Telugu and Urdu. These were offered at the Intermediate level with 25 teachers and 225 students at Gunfoundry area.
ARABIC
The Department of Arabic was started with Prof. Abdus Sattar Siddiqui, as the head with three faculty members. Six teachers were awarded the Certificate of Honour by the President of India. The Department today offers a special course in Arabic to professionals being deputed to the Gulf countries by the MNCs.
PERSIAN
Maulana Syed Ashraf Shamsi was the first Head of the Department of Persian. Prof. Sharif Unnisa Ansari of the department was awarded with Padma Shri.
SANSKRIT
The Sanskrit Department runs a Master’s course to meet the teaching requirements of colleges offering Sanskrit as a second language or as an optional at the Intermediate and Undergraduate levels. It has a course on Telangana literature.
TELUGU
The Department of Telugu was started with Rayaprolu Subba Rao as its first head. One of the stalwarts of the department was Prof. Divakarla Venkatavadhani, who was the son of twin poets known as ‘Tirupati Venkata Kavulu’. Prof. C. Narayana Reddy, who earned his fame as a lyricist for Telugu films, also taught in the Department. Prof. Reddy picked a small topic and traced its evolution and connect it to the present.
MEN AT THE HELM
The UGU selected Department for the Departmental Research Support Program in 1994. Seven Faculty members have become Vice-chancellors while two are Gyanpeeth award winners.
ECONOMICS
Teaching of economics began at Intermediate through Urdu medium in the Department of History. A full-fledged Department of Economics was established in 1935 with introduction of Economics in B.A. and M.A. in 1937. Prof. C.H. Hanumantha Rao, who served as a member of the Planning Commission, member, Rama Krishna Sastry, member of the National Academy of Development, undertook research on the economy of AP and Telangana. As Vice Chancellor, Prof. D.S. Reddy had invited eminent scholars like Gautam Mathur and Raja J. Chellaiah to teach in the Department.
KANNADA
Kannada received prominence right from the inception of the University 1918-19. Prof D.K. Bhimsen Rao was the first Head. Osmania University is the only University in Telangana offering Post-graduate and Research programs in the
Kannada language. The Kannada Development Authority, instituted a fellowship of Rs. 2,000 per month, to encourage the study of Kannada outside Karnataka State for five students of both 1st and 2nd year of PG. Kannada is offered as second language and as modern language in undergraduate courses in the University College of Women, Koti.
HISTORY
The Department was established in 1919 with Sri Qazi Badruddin as the first Head. It offered undergraduate courses in 1919 and the Post-Graduate programme was started in 1924. The UGC has granted Departmental Special Assistance (DSA) for a period of five years from 2007. The department has completed over 15 major research projects funded by different agencies. Prof. Vaikuntham of the Department served as the Vice-Chancellor of Kakatiya University and also as the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences. . Prof. Sarojini Regani served as Director, State Archives and Research Institute and as Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences. Prof. A. Satyanarayana has been awarded visiting Fellowship by Jacob University, Bremen, Germany for two semesters during 2010-11.
MARATHI
The department was established in 1918-19 with Sri C. N. Joshi as its first Head. Marathi is offered as the second language in affiliated colleges. During the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the University in 1968, the government of Maharashtra instituted a Professorship called The ‘Maharashtra Chair of Marathi,’ Dr. Sreedhar Rao Kulkarni was the first to occupy the Chair in 1970. Prof S.R. Kulkarni, Prof V.D. Kulkarni and Prof Manik Rao Dhanpalwar of this department were prominent academicians. Those who completed PhD in Marathi are awarded ‘Madhekar Memorial Gold Medal’.
Nawab Mahediyar Jungbhadur (1921-22) Prof. Abdus Sattar Siddiqui (1922-24) Prof.Mohd Abdur Rahmankhan (1924-26) Prof. Qazi Mohd Hussain (1926-37) Hussain Ali Khan (1937-45) Prof. M.S Doraiswamy (1945-54) Prof. Syed fazl-e-Haque (1954-54) Prpf. Abdul Khader (1954-60) Prof. Aryendra Sharma (1960-65) Prof. S.K Kumar (1965-67) Prof. V.A Shahane (1967-67) Prof. Bh Krishnamurthy (1967-71) Prof. M.A Muttalib (1971-73) Prof. E.G Parameshwaran (1973-75) Prof. G.Ram Reddy (1975-77) Prof.C.Lakshmanna (1977-80) Prof. K.S Upadhyay (1981-85) Prof.V.Narayankaran Reddy (1985-86) Prof.YadavaReddy (1986-88) Prof. K.Madhusudhan Reddy (1988-93) Prof. K.Subhashchandra Reddy (1993-94) Prof. M.Gopal Reddy (1994-95) Prof. Suleman Siddique (1995-95) Prof. R.Soma Reddy (1995-96) Prof. T.Mohan Singh (1996-01) Prof. M.Venkateshwar (2002-05) Prof. G.Satyanarayana (2005-06) Prof. P.L Vishweshwar Rao (2006-08) Prof.S.Sudharshan Rao (2008-10) Prof. T.KeshavaNarayana (2010-12) Prof. Sankasala Mallesh (2012-14) Prof. S.V Satyanarayana (2014-14) Prof. Maimoona (2014-14) Prof. Krishna Rao (2014-…)
8
vignettes from the past
BLOCK by BLOCK
poetry in stone
9
PICS BY: Suresh.G Yasir Muhammed Vanitha
view from the ground
10 DOWN MEMORY LANE TRIPTIKA BASU & MANOJ SADULA “‘A GOOD TEACHER WAS ADORED “ Prof. K. Madhusudhan Reddy, Professor, Department of Political Science, recalls his association with Arts College over 40 years, first as a student and later as a faculty member, Dean, and Principal. Prof. Reddy says there was not much by way of research in Osmania then but there were a lot of job opportunities. “Till 1960s, Osmania emphasised on teaching. A good teacher was adored those days. Urdu as a medium of teaching and learning was given up in 1950s,”he reminisces. In early 1960s, Osmania excelled in courses and research gained importance. Teaching was blooming. Even during the 1969 Telengana agitation there was no shortage of faculty members. Many eminent Professors from all over India joined Osmania University. Till the 1970s, most of the students hailed from an urban background. After 1970s, English became a new trend as also a new culture emerged with the influx of rural students . Today, there is a perceptible dip in the quality of teaching as also research. PhD has became a substitute for unemployment. Political interference led to a decline in OU’s educational standards.” ‘EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME’ Prof. Kousar Azam (Political Science) recalls her first visit to Osmania when she was eight years old along with her teacher which she describes as an “experience of a life time.” It was like a king’s palace. She remembers her teacher telling them that Osmania is the ultimate seat of knowledge and that they all have to end up here someday. Prof. Azam recalls the location of all administrative offices in the ground floor of Arts College. When, 20 years later, she came to Osmania to do her Masters, the Professors of Political Science divided their time between two institutions. For three days, they would go to Nizam College and teach at Arts College for the remaining three days. Professors then were high-profile people but were also very gracious. Prof. P.V. Rajagopal’s English was so impeccable and he had a good sense of his sense humour . By listening to him, students would learn a lot, Prof. Rashiuddin Khan, who later became an MP and also played an important role in India-Pakistan war over the creation of Bangladesh was an erudite man, she recalls. Prof. Azam also recalls that for the first time, Department of Political Science introduced two subjects in 1963, namely, International Law and International Relations. When she joined the Department, Prof. M. A. Muttalib had established a separate department for Public Administration, which was till then a part of Political Science. She recalls that the Department of Political Science delinked itself from the Department of History in 1948. ‘NEED INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE’ For a long time, Prof. Laxman Rao was the face of the Library Science department. He started his career as a student in year 1968-1969 in Osmania University and went on to complete his Master’s from Banaras Hindu University. He returned to OU as a faculty member in 1975. Prof. Laxman Rao says that in recent times, “In this course, we need to update regularly. The syllabus in Osmania was ahead of all other universities. Now more practicals are to be done. Students should be exposed to international practices.”
An object of neglect THIRUPATHI GUGULOTHU
T
he founder, architect, construction labour would be turning in their graves watching the pitiable plight of the woes that have befell Arts college, the wonderful edifice they have worked for. After weathering the ravages of time for nearly seven decades, Arts College seems to have fallen on bad days- bad days because of the poor quality of maintenance and upkeep. While the exterior structure has retained some of its old charm, the interiors tell a different tale altogether. Water seepage into corridors, classrooms, cellar and the toilets has become a common feature during the monsoon season. The buildings division which takes up repair work has not been able to come up with a permanent solution. As a result of the continuous seepage, corridor walls are stained and are an eyesore to the visitor. The spotless white walls stretch only as far as the Main Hallway. Beyond the Principal’s office area, one can see the paint peeling off the walls. The College is no exception to the malaise that plagues most heritage structures in India- graffiti on
the walls. The walls on the upper floor, especialy the ones around the grand staircase have been defaced by “memories etched in pen”. While this is the handiwork of human miscreants, their avian counterparts add to the mischief with their “droppings” on the balustrades and sunshades. Broken window panes and blackened chandeliers do not speak well of the upkeep. The huge wooden doors and windows, perhaps attended to years back need urgent attention as they are under the threat of a termite attack. Spaces adjacent o the College, present a pathetic scene and one would be tempted to describe it as a “dust bowl” . The lawns, a favourite haunt of both students and casual visitors, are now marred by the ever increasing garbage . With no dustbins to dispose off waste, empty plastic bottles, water sachets, used plates
and cups end up in the grass. The road that leads to the Library from the Arts college now has, on its left, a huge pile of construction debris that is never cleared. The pond now stands empty and dry. The Buildings Division of the University is clueless about the underground sewage system. Despite several complaints by some departments about foul smell from the toilets, they have failed to fix the problem. To compound woes, the Arts college today has just two functioning toilets for nearly 1000 students , faculty and staff . Though repair work commenced, , a couple of toilets have been locked with construction material scattered and remains unattended. Students visiting the Competitive exams coaching centre, centre for handicapped, psychology and journalism departments operating in the cellar are the worst hit as
repair of toilets has been stopped midway. Points out an employee, “even the toilets which have been fixed, and have wall tiles, the elbow space in the toilets has been reduced due to thickening of walls. The Principal, Prof. T. Krishna Rao, says, “Arts college building is a cultural heritage building so we cannot change its basic structure. Hence it’s impossible to construct new toilets for girl students.” Rues a senior faculty, “it is sad that we are not able to maintain such a beautiful edifice, handed over to us by the founding fathers.” Instead of indulging in a blame game and complain about lack of funds, it is time authorities take the initiative and call for likeminded institutions, individuals, UGC and the alumni to evolve an action plan to protect this engineering marvel for future generations. Is anyone listening?
“Like Arts College but not exam delays....”
KARWAN IBRAHIM & TEOPOLINA TUYENI After 75 years, Arts College is home to not just local students, but also a huge number of foreign students who hail from as far as the Middle East and Africa. They share their thoughts about Arts College with Osmania Courier. Nasir Ahmad, from Afghanistan says, “I like the Arts College building for its architecture that showcases the regional history. Arts College has experienced faculty and offers a large number of courses compared to other colleges.” Zinah Sahib from Iraq studies Arabic. “This
is my 4th semester here. I feel sad to leave this beautiful college after two years.” she says. She echoes Nasir’s opinion about the faculty and feels that it has been an enriching and rewarding experience Suren Akram from Kurdistan doing Sociology has mixed feelings. He says, “Arts college gives a nice feeling. Being a historical landmark, it’s a tourist spot too. I am reminded of my own country with its many historical places.” But the frequent postponement of exams and some infrastructural problems bother him. Anatoria Joel from Tanzania, who studies linguistics , expressed her anguish at the lack of
adequate teaching staff in some departments and delay in conduct of exams She feels that the delay upsets the students as they have stiff visa issues. It would be better to hold separate exams for the foreign students”, she suggests. Concurs Bridget Le, from Namibia, Africa, studying economics, and complains about the pathetic maintenance of the toilets. But she says, “I feel honoured to be a part of the best college in India. Arts college offers quality education that is recognized not only in India, but all over the world.”
Growing old with the College, University ….
I
MYADHARI NAVEENKUMAR t’s not everyday that one gets to hobnob w i t h someone who has seen the growth of a university, its highs and lows, its sunrises and sunsets over several years. A chat with S. Yadagiri, one of the most senior and experienced Class IV employees in Arts college, was an opportunity to see the university through his eyes. “I come from Nalgonda district”, he says, recounting how he ended up working at the Osmania University. “My father migrated to Hyderabad in search of a livelihood.He started working as a construction labourer, supplying
bricks during the construction of University College of Science building. And then I became a part of the university too.” Yadagiri joined the Geophysics department of Science College as a Lab attendant in 1973and worked there till 2004. On his initial years, he says, “The academic calendar was strictly followed. Classes were conducted regularly and commenced at 9 am sharp.” He remembers the learner- friendly atmosphere on campus. One could witness active discussions and faculty teaching with the aid of maps and diagrams. The campus was abuzz with activity all the time.” Today, things are good, but they could be better, Yadagiri rues and adds that the present generation has varied priorities.” Yadagiri was later
appointed as the Junior Assistant in the office of the Principal of the Arts College and served there until February, 2012. In March that year, he was promoted to the post of Senior Assistant served the college till his retirement the same year. Of all the administrative challenges that the university faced during his tenure, he says, it was a bold decision to hold exams when the 2009 Telangana movement was at its peak saving the academic year. What does he think of the students’ contribution in the struggle for a new state? “Several students, including girls were injured in the police attacks and the campus turned into a battlefield . Students participated in the struggle at the expense of their studies and career. We saw a spate of suicides
across the State” he says. When the conversation turns to Arts College’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Yadagiri is enthusiastic. “Arts College is famous for its remarkable architecture. It attracts several tourists from various places. Arts College has made significant contributions to education, preparing students to be competent in today’s world. Many bureaucrats who occupy top positions graduated from here. The college has seen the birth of many movements like the ProTelangana movements in 1969 and in 2009,” he gushes. Yadagiri, now on contract with the College remarks, “a daily maintenance regime is needed to preserve the beauty of this heritage symbol.
wider horizons
11
CATCH UP WITH DIGITAL SKILLS, SENIOR SCRIBE ADVISES STUDENTS
Need to step up research culture COURIER DESK
Research in higher education institutions is the bedrock of all academic activities. The University College of Arts and Social Sciences is no exception.
T
EP YESUDAS he tectonic changes in the mediascape with the advent of the social media demanded that journalism students need to learn and adopt a new set of core skills, said K.Srinivas Reddy, Resident Editor, The Hindu Addressing students on ‘Reporting for Print Media - Trends’ at the department on 20 January, Srinivas Reddy stated that the changes in technology have revolutionized the media landscape. This necessitated the adoption of skills for ‘new media technologies’ where people demanded to be ‘up to time’ instead of ‘up to date’ with the latest happenings. Gathering content and content curation have undergone dramatic changes in the context of new news delivery platforms- web and mobile. He personally felt that publishing on Twitter was the most challenging form of writing for the media today as one had to say it all in just 140 characters. While underlining the importance of a good classroom education, Mr.Reddy emphasized the importance of developing skills that the classroom alone cannot provide; particularly the ‘human component’ of cultivating a source, especially a reticent one. He encouraged the students to familiarize themselves with the activities and decision dynamics of the newsroom where the pressures of deadlines and limited news pages test their skills to report and write; as they collect and collate data or present and analyze news. Responding to a question on his take on the freedom of speech, whether the freedom was that of the journalist or that of the organization that the journalist worked for, Reddy seemed to opine that though freedom of speech was a necessary right it has always had opposition in various forms, from state to organization to the individual himself, who have sought to constrict it or abuse it to various degrees. He explained this by summarizing the changing role of the media in
Research in the areas of the faculties of Arts and Social Sciences housed in the Arts College, is of paramount importance despite varied perspectives on their relevence in the academia and the political class. Given the current social political climate in the country ridden by increasing intolerance levels, conflicts, social fragmentation, identity politics, assertion by disadvantage sections, clamour for effective implemention of civil and poltical rights, research is imperative. The onus lies on the departments of Social Sciences and Arts to rivet their research efforts trying to gain insights and come up with possible solutions.
K Srinivas Reddy, Resident Editor, The Hindu, Hyderabad, addressing journalism students
India’s modern history; from a preindependence educator and promoter of the ideals of the freedom movement, to the post-independence usherer of socio-economic development. The emergency of 1975-77 that gagged it and clipped its wings and the post emergency era that saw it transform itself into a more interrogatory platform reflecting the questioning nature of the state. The present avatar of the corporate media can be traced back to the ‘LPG - liberalization, privatization and globalization era’ from which it stepped out, cutting out the red tape, but also cutting across geographies, timelines and delivery platforms, and cutting in to pervade peoples’ lives. Given this changing character of the media and the circumstances they are into right now, he urged students to draw their own inferences regarding the freedom of speech
“Reminiscing about his academic years in the Arts College as a student of department of communication and journalism in 1983-84, Mr Reddy recalled that his initial attraction to the Journalism Department was its ‘open and accommodative’ culture as compared to that of the English Department where he was pursuing his Masters in English Literature. This ‘not so serious’ entry into the realm of Journalism would however soon be replaced by his decision to pursue
something as serious and critical as conflict reporting. Mr.Srinivas Reddy, hailing from Karimnagar district, took students on a trip down memory lane as he recounted his experiences as a journalist and the challenges that he faced along the way. Having witnessed violence personally during the days of the CPI ML People’s War during the 80’s, Mr.Reddy feels that it was almost guaranteed that he would take up coverage of the conflict. A conflict reporter is in danger of constantly being accused of taking sides, either for or against the movement, besides being targeted for elimination as it happened in the case of Ghulam Rasool of Udayam daily in Hyderabad. “The violence and the brutality takes its toll by dehumanizing the one who is trying to report it” he said. Being a totally impartial and distant observer is what is required from a journalist. This is an uphill task since it is the lives of people that are at stake in the conflicts. Mr.Reddy opined that having solid premises and consistent logical analysis are absolutely necessary for conflict reporting. The Department presented a memento to Srinivas Reddy and wished him success in his new assignment as Senior News Coordinator, to be relocated at Chennai.
TS governance issues come under focus The two-day national seminar on “Regional autonomy, new politics and Statehood with special focus on Telangana” debated diverse issues like: Political Parties, JACs and Telangana Movement for Statehood; identity Movements, Social Groups and Civil Society; Regional autonomy and cultural realm; federalism and Regional Autonomy Movements with special focus on Telangana;Challenges to Governance in Telangana- Issues and Policies; Media and Telangana The seminar was organised by the SRC-ICSSR and the CAS, Department of Political Science.
In the course of interactions with senior faculty it was found that there is a general disenchantment with the quality and quantity of the research being undertaken. A quick scrutiny reveals that the foundation program MPhil has been silently phased out. It is learnt that though admissions take place, the returns in the form of submission of dissertations has been pathetically low. Qualifying the NET and having a PhD as a precondition for recruitment of Assistant Professors as stipulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) with no mention of MPhil has also led to student disinterest in MPhil course. This is a win-win situation for both University and the students. But it is having an adverse impact on the PhD program and posing problems to the research scholars who have no initiation into research. Due to UGC’s insistence on PhD for recruitment, there is a mad rush for doctoral programs and scholars who wish to obtain a doctorate without actually subjecting themselves to the academic rigour. A few faculty members regret that the primary objective of this section is to have a doctoral degree without any tangible contribution to the knowledge base. The UGC’s initiatives to streamline research is a welcome step. Making Universities accountable for admission into the research programs, mandatory presentation of seminars, publication of articles and periodic submission of progress report are laudable. Along with these measures, the anti-plagiarism techniques is likely to have positive impact in near future. Be that as it may, what is needed is a strong research culture with inquisitive young minds constantly seeking answers to problems of concern. In this direction, efforts may be made to strengthen library facilities, net connectivity to enable students to access databases worldwide. Also, professional development programs for faculty may be fruitful. The institution of several fellowships to pursue research across all faculties has already seen an increase in the number of applicants. A section of the students feel that fellowships should be extended to everyone who wants to pursue research. However, grants and fellowships should not become a carrot for doing research. Instead there should be a proper monitering mechanism to make the institution and the scholars accountable for the investments made in the form of fellowships.
Telugu
12
13 Osmania Courier Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers in India (RNI) under No. 8132/62 Published monthly except during vacation Reported and edited by the students of Department of Communication & Journalism, Osmania University. Views express herein do not necessarily represent the official view of the University. Editor Prof. B. Balaswamy Issue Editor Prof. K. Stevenson Editorial Associate B Ramakrishna
Leading academics ... cont’d from p6
educational architecture. standards, the quality of education and the sobriety which has to flow from a teacher to student is missing today,” he says. Prof. Siddiqui was also the Registrar of Maulana Azad National Urdu University, and the Director of the Academic Audit Cell, as well as Dean, Faculty of Arts, O.U. Born in Warangal in 1944, he was the first student of Islamic Studies in the year of 1965, and a student of Late Prof. Hans Kruze.
Research Scholars Sneha Varghese, Ramesh Palvai Editorial Trainees Himabindu Duggirala, Yasir Muhammed, Suresh Ghattamaneni, EP Yesudas, Rahman Rasool, Vanitha, S.Manoj, Triptika Basu, M.Naveen Kumar, J Yashoda, Teopolina, Karwan Ibrahim, Prashanthi, G Tirupathi, Prabhakar Chouti, Rakesh Kumar M FORM IV Place of Publication: Hyderabad Periodicity of Publication: Monthly Printer’s Name and Address: Director, University Press & Publications, Osmania University Whether a citizen of India: Yes If foreigner, state the country of origin: Not applicable Publisher’s Name and Address: Prof. B. Balaswamy, Head, Department of Communication & Journalism, Osmania Univeristy, Hyderabad 500 007 Whether a citizen of India: Yes If foreigner, state country of origin: Not applicable Editor’s Name and Address: Prof. B. Balaswamy, Head, Department of Communication & Journalism, Osmania University, Hyderabad 500 007. Names and addresses of individuals who own the publication and the partners or shareholders holding more than one per cent of the total capital: Osmania University, Hyderabad 500 007
Library and Information Science Tucked away in a corner on the ground floor is the Department of Library Science, established in 1959. It rose in stature due to the concerted efforts of Prof. Masood Prof. A.A.N. Raju Yazdani, Prof. P. B. Shenoy, Prof. Raghava Reddy, Prof. A.A.N. Raju, Prof. Laxman Rao and others. Although it started off with offering just a post-graduate diploma course, later it was replaced by PG degree course. The Department was renamed as ‘Department of Library and Information Science’ in the mid-1980s as per the UGC directive. Recalling his association with Prof. A.A.N. Raju, Prof. Laxman Rao said that he was punctual and disciplined, which reflected in his work. “Prof. Raju had significantly contributed to the growth of the Department, where there was not much scope for innovation,” said Prof. Laxman Rao, Former Chairperson, BoS, Library
Get your facts right about Arts College
Science.
Prof. Raju was the first to start the practice of having international conferences while serving as the Dean. Prof. Laxman Rao introduced internship programmes and issue systems. A self-financing M.L.I.Sc. summer programme was held in 1993-94 for in-service librarians, which was discontinued in 2000. Psychology Think of the Psychology Department, the first name that crosses one’s mind is E.G. Parameswaran. K n o w n popularly as EGP, the Department cannot be conceived without EGP. In the early 1950s, Psychology as a subject was first introduced as a part of Philosophy department, but later got carved out of it in 1962 with Prof. E.G. Parameswaran as its first Head. He was invited by the then Vice Chancellor, D.S. Reddy, to the University, and earned the rare distinction of being the youngest Professor in India to head a department. Fondly known as EGP by his students, he was a man with a sharp intellect, progressive thought and a tremendous wit. Apart from heading the Department of Psychology, he also served as the head for six other departments. He held several administrative positions including as Principal of Arts College, Dean of the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Education and Business Management, Director of ICSSR as well as Chairman for the Centre of Distance Education, OU.
Beauty in pink granite polished shahabad stone. The College stands as a pioneer in the history of state buildings for having adopted RCC work on a large and comprehensive scale. The arcades around the open countryard, the ornate parapets on the first floor, all of same dimensions and of Moorish variety, give a mirror like effect, again a characteristic form of the medieval Islamic architecture.
EP YESUDAS
The building in pinkish granite stone represents a harmonious blend of pillars and lintel style of Ajanta and Ellora. The architectural uniqueness stirs romance and the stunning structure blows the mind. The arches were modelled on the arches from the monuments of Delhi, Agra, Charminar
As Director of Competitive Examination Coaching Centre, he initiated many programmes. He was also the author of several books, which were not only for Psychology students but also others from various disciplines. He believed in a mission to share and impart knowledge and he was a visiting professor for many national and international universities. Apart from Prof. E.G.P., Prof. N. Yadagiri Reddy also served as the Dean during 1992-94. He specialised in Industrial Psychology. He also served as the Head and Chairman, Board of Studies. He was actively associated with A.P. Government Project for many years. Prof. K. Ramchandra Reddy, Prof. K. Ravichandra, Prof. Pratibha Sood, Prof Beena and others have added to the glory of the department.
Journalism In the cellar of the Arts College is the Department of Communication and Journalism founded in 1954 by De Forest O’Dell. Noted media professionals such as B. Nageswara Rao from Deccan Chronicle, Pran Nath Malhan from Prof. Bashiruddin the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Indian Institute of Mass Communication provided the much needed impetus to the Department. However, Prof. Bashiruddin is most closely associated with the department by former students as well as seniors all over the country. He held an aura for
and the Mecca Masjid of Hyderabad. This style of arches is called as Indo-Saracenic tradition. In some places arches and slender pillars in the Arabian have been constructed. The octagonal pillars similar to the columnar architecture found in Ellora. Relief, brilliance and excitement are the objects of decorative elements in Islamic architecture. Judicious, limited but balanced decorative elements are found mainly on the walls of the first floor, around the railing going round the open space above the entrance hall of the ground floor and on the underside of the dome. Architectural decoration consists of the muqaranas, stalactite and simple niches and mihrabs, geometric shapes of rectangles, squares, various types of diamonds. Geometrically conceived star patterns, various net patterns based on geometric principles, meanders and circles have been used. The ornamentation
outsiders, while faculty members recall ‘Bash’ breathing life into the department with his highly informal conduct in class. This lab publication, Osmania Courier, was the centre of activities in the department at the time. Known as Bashir baba or Bashir Saab or even just Bash, Prof. Bashiruddin served as Head for several years, though intermittently. Prof. Malhan, who served as Head for three years during and immediately after the Emergency, was not flamboyant or flashy like his predecessor, but is remembered for his sense of fair play. Mr. T.Nageshwara Rao was also down-to-earth in his manners but his lectures are said to be rich in real-world wisdom, dealing for instance with the development patterns after Nagarjunasagar project. His philosophy was that journalism students should respond to what was happening around them, rather than be confined to the syllabus. The Department came under the Special Assistance Programme in 1991 and today it has been accorded the Centre for Advanced Study in Communication and Journalism starus- second phase
Editor’s note: The students who have taken their first stepinto the world of journalism have made an earnest attempt to contact several among the galaxy of luminaries who have studied in Arts College. Given the time, space and resource constraints we may have failed to capture several individuals an varied dimensions. Nevertheless, Osmania Courier acknowledges the contribution of leading stalwarts to the University and also the salutes all the seniors who have excelled in diverse walks of life.
College has a sobering, ennobling and eye soothing effect befitting The building is one of the heritage structures in Hyderabad. The diamond jubilee of the college building was celebrated in December 1999. Initially, the Arts College building accommodated offices of the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and Controller of Examinations, University Library, Law College and College of Commerce and Business Management. These were subsequently shifted to separate buildings. Undergraduate courses in Arts and Commerce were discontinued from this College in 1973 and Arts College assumed the status of a full-fledged postgraduate college exclusively for postgraduate studies, diploma courses and research studies in the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences. Shortly thereafter, it was renamed as the University College of Arts and Social Sciences.
seniorsspeak
14 C.H. HANUMANTHA RAO,
MA Economics (1955-1957) Member, Seventh and Eighth Planning Commission After graduating from Nizam College, I joined Arts College in 1955. I was inspired by Prof. AM Khusro, then a Lecturer. Later, he became a Professor in Delhi School of Economics (DSE). Abdul Khader from the London School of Economics was the Head of the department then. I was active in the students movement and I contested for the post of President of the College in 1956 in the final year of MA and was defeated by seven votes. Earlier, I was the Vice President of Nizam College. My defeat in Arts College was a blessing as I concentrated on my MA and passed out in first division. After 1957, I was invited to join the Delhi School of Economics by VKRV Rao, Vice Chancellor of Delhi University. I distinctly remember I persuaded C.Narayan Reddy to take part in the student politics. CNR refused and remained consistent in his approach to politics. P MURALIDHAR RAO pursued
MA (Philosophy) and M Phil (Political Psychology) courses at Arts College from 1983-87. BJP National General Secretary Arts College is the symbol of student activism. Being hyper active in student politics it inspired me to valiantly fight for a cause. Arts college also reflects the political consciousness of Telangana. Also those were the days when student politics ran on ideological lines. Thus my years at Arts college were very eventful and intense. (After being injured in a gun fire in 1986 at “A” Hostel on the campus, he shifted to Rajasthan and continued his work. Eventually, he rose to become the BJP national general secretary)
PROF. SHANTHA SINHA, MA Political Science (1966-1970) , Magsaysay Award winner I have had a long association with Arts College. I remember with fondness my graduation days from 1966-1970. I was proud to be studying in Arts College as every other department-Economics, Sociology, Commerce, Telugu who had stalwarts in the faculty who were serious and had a personal touch. The Golden jubilee of the College in 1968 was celebrated with full fanfare. We lost an academic session in 1969 due to the Telangana agitation, but we learnt Russian language during the period. I did my MA in Political Science from Arts College, which was vibrant with the mood of the times. There was a student rebellion, inspired by Left Wing activism world over.This influenced many of us in the student community even as there were fierce debates on social change, transformation, violence or non-violence
C.V. ANAND (M.A. Economics, 1989-91), (IPS officer)
as a means of struggle. I am glad that I was part of that glorious era. After completing my PhD in Jawaharlal Nehru University, I joined as a Lecturer in the Political Science department in the College in 1976. This was Emergency period and we had to be cautious as responsible teachers as one felt being watched. It was a relief to Arts College after the 1977 general elections as it was a victory for freedom and democracy. I quit the College in 1979 and joined the University of Hyderabad as a Lecturer. A long and memorable association with Arts College that shaped my life, thought process and gave me a sense of pride. I and my friends explored the magnificent building, climbed up the terrace through a small staircase which was really awesome. We spotted the small symbol of ‘Om’ carved in one corner inside the dome, that reflected a truly secular character of Arts College. I do wish it retains all the positive and invaluable characteristics it acquired over a period of time and continues to occupy a place of pride in the academic culture in our country’.
SYED OMER JALEEL, MA English (1983-85), BCJ (1986) Special Secretary, Minorities Welfare, Government of Telangana It’s great to know that the Arts College is celebrating Platinum Jubilee of its inception. I always remember feeling special entering its imposing entrance and the beautiful architecture. It was always surprising and refreshing that the interiors were always cool even at the peak of summer. I also fondly remember the seriousness with which we followed the lectures and
NANDINI SIDDHA REDDY, MA,
(Telugu) MPhil, PhD. Noted poet I spent around eight years in the College which was truly a great experience. There were many student movements throughout that decade. Arts College was instrumental in moulding me
DR. Y.V. REDDY, Ph.D. (Economics) 1960 Former Governor, Reserve Bank of India. I started my real learning of Economics as a Ph.D. Scholar in Arts College. and subsequently as a Lecturer in Commerce. The College enabled me to forge life-long friendships. I was back in Arts College building as full time Visiting Professor in 1985-86. In many ways, I am what I am, partly thanks to Arts College.
I have pleasant memories of my days as a student at Arts College. The campus was very peaceful during my time, as student elections had been banned and there was no political activity. We had regular classes and very good Faculty like Prof. Raghuram and Kishan Rao. It was here that I made good friends. I remember performing a skit with my friends Jyothi Babu and Hari Krishna for the Farewell party. My friends and I used to spend a lot of time at the library, on the lawns and at the hostel. Though I had played cricket for OU during my under graduation at Nizam’s
college and was also a State-level player, I gave it up during my PG to focus on the civil services exam. I attended classes at the University before going for the evening classes at the Hyderbad Study Circle. Arts College gave me the flexibility and freedom to pursue my dreams while finishing my post-graduation. I cleared the Civils in my first attempt with the All India Rank of 147, and I still remember the day my results were announced. It was just two days after my M.A. results. I have pleasant memories of Arts College, because that’s where I became what I am today.
ments. Open discussions over chai and dosa were the norm of the day. We had great professors like Prof. M Radhakrishna
Sharma and Dr. S Dhareshwari, with whom we could discuss anything under the sun, from movies to cricket. It was my time at the campus that defined me and gave me an identity. It was when I was in the campus that I took the decision to appear for the UPSC exam. I’m glad I was there at Arts college. Thank you Arts College, and thank you Osmania!”
the visits to the canteen and chai shop which we stole in between the classes. Then there was the lounge where we spent hours playing table tennis and listening to music from the gramophone records. Then there were times when the election fever took over and we really enjoyed heckling the prospective candidates. The campus became specially
romantic at the change of summer into monsoon with the high winds and the scent of rain swaying man, woman, trees et al. I still remember roaming in the moonlit nights for a break from combined studies or stealing a swim in the dead of the night at the campus swimming pool. These are all very beautiful and very special memories which bring a fond smile on my face and a heartache for the times gone by which will never come again. God bless Arts college. God bless OU. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my memories on this occasion.
ANANDA SHANKAR JAYANT,
(M.A., M.Phil, PhD , Department of History and Archaeology) Senior officer, Indian Railway Traffic Service, Secunderabad “There was a sense of learning and growth at Arts College- a “laissez-faire” feeling, because there was open exchange of ideas, and debates among students from different depart-
S. JAIPAL REDDY, BCJ (1954), Former Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting
as a poet, activist and as a person dedicated to the building of Telangana state. I was fortunate to be taught by eminent professors like Dr. C. Narayan Reddy and researchers like Rama Raju. The department helped me grow as a poet and researcher. Hostel life is also an unforgettable aspect of my
time at Arts college. The College had a charged atmosphere, with emotions running high. Elections, seminars and conferences gave me new insights,. The College was a symbol for new revolutionary ideologies. All I learnt on campus was what I had heard in my classes. The
I feel proud to have belonged to the first batch of Journalism degree course of Osmania University. I had done Masters in English and developed intense intellectual interest in politics before I took to study of journalism. That interest impelled me swiftly to take a direct plunge in politics. However, the training I received from journalism department has stood me in good stead for the last half century, as I dealt with media both as a spokesperson at the national level and as a politician. My attachment as an alumnus is thus both romantic and real.
BALKA SUMAN, MP, Peddapalli Lok Sabha constituency. “The role of Arts College in formation of Telangana State is undefinable. It is not only imparting quality education but also sensitizes students to the social issues”. GADARI KISHORE KUMAR, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Ministry, Telangana State. “Relentless fight for a genuine cause will certainly yield result as is evident with Telangana movement. The Arts College is a great platform for meeting of an array of minds which guided me to set foot in the Assembly at a young age. I successfully completed my odyssey from Arts College to Assembly with the help of great academicians in the educational hub.” MOTHUKUPALLI NARASIMHULU, MA Political Science, TDP leader and former minister. “I am blessed to have education in Arts College. I learnt so many lessons from great academicians who moulded my political career”.
library represented a vast sea of knowledge to us. The College was a common home for students coming from various districts and different social strata, and continues to be so even today. Arts College nurtures knowledge, friendship and philosophical thinking. My salute to Arts College!
events
15
College Annual day held
ROUND UP Effective Counselling The Psychology Department has witnessed hectic activity in the resent past organizing workshops and lectures. A one-day workshop on “Effective Counselling Skills “ was organized on 16 March 2015on different themes- ‘Understanding the client’ by Dr. P. Srilakshmi, Psychiatrist, Personal attributes of a counselor by Dr. Pragya Rashmi, and Child & Adolescent Counselling Skills by Dr. Geeta Challa, Psychologis Senior Professor, K. Ravichandra, inaugurated the workshop attended by students from St. Francis, Women’s College, Koti and Nizam College. Earlier, in collaboration with the A.V. College, Hyderabad it organized a three-day national conference on “Challenges of Contemporary Life – Role of Positive Psychology.” Tthe themes included-Emotions and Mental Health, Personality and Positivism, Positive Psychology in Diverse Settings, Positive Psychology and Adolescence and Indices of Positive Psychology. Prof. P. Raghurami Reddy, Psychiatrist and retired Principal of Osmania Medical College was the chief guest. This was a part of the Platinum Jubilee year of Arts College, O.U and the ninth Annual Conference of the Indian Association of Mental Health. Prof. Ronald, Greaves University of Liverpool,delivered a guest lecture on “Reflections on a Life- Studying Religion” LECTURE SERIES IN ISLAMIC STUDIES The Department of Islamic Studies organised a lecture serries commemorating its Golden Jubilee year Prof. Bruce Lawrence, Islamic Studies Emeritus at Duke University, USA, spoke on “Abrahamic faith and inter-religious cooperation: why citizenship matters.” Prof. Suleman Siddiqui, former ViceChancellor, Osmania University, traced the “Mystic Movements in the Deccan – With special reference to the discovery of a 17th century scroll. ” The third lecture was on “Love and Punishmentfrom Perspective of Law” by Dr. Flavia Agnes in March. Fresh insights into Tribal literature The Department of Marathi conducted a one-day National Seminar on “Adivasi Sahitya: Sadyasthiti Aani Navya Disha” on 30 March, 2015. Experts in Tribal literature, Prof. Vinod Kumre from Mumbai University and Prof. Maheshwari Gawit from Premrai Sarda Senior College, Ahmadnagar, were the chief speakers. . Around 12 research scholars and speakers presented papers at the seminar presided by the Chief Guest, Prof. Shailendra Lende from Nagpur University. KANAKADASA REVISITED The Department of Kannada, in collaboration with Mangalore University organised a one-day lecture on “Kanaka Chithana Pracharopanyasa”- a discussion on the Kannada poet Kanakadasa’s kritis. Called “Bagilanu Theredu..” (An opening door), the lecture focused on the use of day-to-day activities of man as similes for philosophical insights in Kanakadasa’s poetry. The lecture was preceded by a national seminar on Kannada literature. Workshop on research methods The Department of Linguistics organised a two-day research methodology workshop on February 3 and 4. It dealt with different aspects of research in Humanities. Prof. Mohammed Ansari, Head, Dept. of Linguistics said, Arts College Principal Prof. T. Krishna Rao inaugurated the event attended by nearly 160 research scholars and post-graduate students. “EDUCATION WAS PRIORITY TO NIZAM” Several historians reiterated that the seeds of education in Telangana were first sown in the time of Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, They were participating in the one-day seminar on 27 March, “Educational Development under H. E. H. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam VII” conducted by the Department of History, Osmania University. Dr. Zareena Parveen, Director, State Archives and Research Institute, in her presidential remarks, remarked that the seventh Nizam’s regime was a golden age for educational development in Telangana. Apart from allocating ten percent of the budget for education in the region, the Nizam started medicine and engineering streams in colleges, and established several hospitals. She lamented that the Nizam was however, known more for his autocratic rule than his contributions to the region. Principal of Arts College, Prof. T. Krishna Rao, inaugurated the seminar while Prof. V. Kishan Rao, former Registrar, Osmania University, was the Chief Guest.
(L to R) Akella Raghavendra, Special invitee,College Vice Principal, Prof. Ramulu, Prof. Venkata Chalam, Vice Chairman, TSCHE, Chief Guest, Pidamarthi Ravi, Chairman, SC Corporation, Telangana , Prof. T.Krishna Rao, Principal, Prof. E.Suresh Kumar, Registrar, Prof. S.Mallesh, Vice Chairman, TSCHE, College Vice Principal, Balu Naik, Surya Dhananjaya, Cultural Coordinator Prof. Laxmaiah, Dean Students Affairs, at the Annual day function. Prizes were distributed to winners of extra curricular activities and sports.
Plug in social inequities: Dr. Felix Fadel
RAKESH KUMAR MALKA
H
ow can constructing dams and industries at the cost of displacement of communities and destruction of ecosystems be called ‘development’, questioned Dr. Felix Padel, anthropologist, writer, and the great grandson of Charles Darwin. Addressing a seminar on ‘Development and Social Movements’ organised by Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Southern Region, Dr. Padel explained that real development meant raising everyone’s standard of living, providing equal access to food, water, sensitive education, healthcare, and upholding the principles of justice and equality before law. ”Around 50 to 60 million tribal people are directly displaced since 1950, and indirectly many more than that, in the name of development. The rapid industrialisation devastated forest lands, looted state’s non-renewable sources
and eroded job security,” he said, describing mining and industries as major causes of expropriation of forest from adivasis.
significance all over the world, indicating the heightened awareness about ecology among people,” he added.
“Describing tribals as underdeveloped, backward or primitive is insult to the society which injured them badly,” Dr. Padel said and described the Dongriyas as highly evolved and as being much more civilised than common people. As an indication of their affection for the forests, he quoted them saying: “Forest does not belongs to us, we belong to the forest”.
Concurring with Dr. Padel, Prof. Kodanda Ram, Department of Political Science, OU, stated that every individual in the world wanted development but the question of real development surfaced since 1970.
He recalled the tribal rebellions during 1770-1940 against the genocide and ecocides, and explained that physical extermination and destruction of cultures (ethnocide) were two sides of genocide. He posited the emergence of social movements in the exploitation of natural resources in India and underscored their importance in ensuring real development. “Ssocial movements in the country against nuclear projects like Kudankulam, Tarapur and Kakrapur projects have their
”After liberalisation, the society’s view of development was mere production and investment, and people are not showing any interest in the living standards of the individual. For sustainable development in society, social movements are very necessary” he added. Prof. Krishna Reddy, Director, ICSSR, said that social movements reminded us of the forbidden social rights of backward classes and the need for social justice. Other speakers included Prof. Bhangya Bhukya, Department of History, University of Hyderabad, Dr. Nageshwar Rao, Department of Zoology, OU, and Dr. Ravinder, Deputy co-ordinator, CAS, Department of Political Science.
Journalism students emerge cricket champions of Arts College The Journalism Department team celebrating their victory over Sanskrit Department. In a nocontest game, journalism team posted 130 runs on the board and skittled out their opponents for a paltry 57 runs. It was an all round display as they combined well in bowling, batting and fielding.
in and around
16
WELCOME GREENERY
RAHAMAN
The lush green lawns in front of Arts College never failed to add to the existing sheen of the age-old architecture. Developed by Syed Hashim Ali, Vice Chancellor during the period 1982-1985, the lawns which were witness to a host of events, ranging from plain moments to that of turbulent politic al movements warmly welcome people from various walks of life Even before the mildest of early morning sun’s rays plant a kiss on the building’s exteriors, people of different ages, sexes, shapes and sizes, the green herbages turn into
an open fitness gym with people performing yoga, breathing exercises and what not. As the day gets brighter, the university along with its scenic lawns out there happens to see more footfalls. Students see it as a pleasant, open talk space, and an exchange of a dialogue or two becomes a daily ritual. “I’m at the garden outside, bro!” is more or less used as pet-phrase by many that qualifies it as a landmark location for people who are in one way or the other, a part of the university. Just not that, the grasses also played a host to several student
organisations on campus for both their formal and informal social gatherings. Also, many popular faces are known to have delivered their debut performances to the local masses, amid this very green ambience. Even as the sun goes down, the garden teems with families from nearby colonies with kids in tow and the place
turns into a virtual picnic spot. The university’s priced possession, outsiders from the nearby areas also come to take a couple of tolls while enjoying the elegance of the half-light hues. Old timers also converge here to reminisce their old, beautiful memories. If something has not changed over time, it is the illustrious university
Lazing in the students’ lounge COURIER BUREAU
Times have changed. So have the places and leisure time activities of students. If former students’ had the students lounge, in the cellar of the Arts college on the right side, as a favourite hangout place, today’s networked generation hang out in the virtual world texting away to glory. The lounge had to be booked to organize parties to welcome freshers and one would see enthusiastic seniors trying to impress the freshest face. Initiated into the academic ambience of the college, breathing the fresh air of freedom skipping classes predominantly in the lecture mode one would make his way to the lounge for the gruelling duels in indoor games- table tennis, caroms, chess listening to popular songs on the gramophone records. For a break one would see smokers come out to take a puff. Very soon, the year would come to an end and it is time to bid adieu when there would be broken hearts or two souls bonding together for a life time. Scenes of teary eyed classmates and juniors exchanging pleasantries to meet again in life would be common. Apparently, the students lounge no longer echoes the “oohs and aahs” of winning and losing games as the present generation is focused on battling the realities of lifeto enter the job market. As a result, today classes are conducted for various competitive exams early in the mornings while occasionally, one would hear the shouts of joy and loud music reverberating across the college indicating that it is either a farewell or a welcome party. Party time during hard times! Times never come back. Dil ke arma... Remember the song. Dil ke arma aasuo me bahe gaye sung by Salma Agha in the movie Nikaah. What binds the song to Arts college. Yes, the entire song and the
sequence of shots were shot in the hall under the central dome, squarish in shape, which continues continues to glisten under the light piercing from various corners. With solid columns on all the four sides, there are restrictions on people’s movements in the arena. Today the place is used by students to display their artistic skills for Rangoli competitions or for blood donation camps etc. Further, suddenly banners and posters would spring announcing some event or an exhibition. Changing interiors Keeping pace with the changing needs and requirements of the students and the faculty, the interirors of the college have also undergone a change in the recent past. Courier criss crosses the college and finds a few welcome spots and a few blighted areas. In the cellar, the Journalism department, is perhaps the only one which, has a red carpet to welcome visitors, and the classrooms and the news lab are wall panelled . The adjacent Psychology Department has spruced up the entire flooring and has an EGP hall. .To help physically handicapped students, ramps have been constructed and
wheel-chairs provided at the entrances. Other conspicuous changes are the output units of the air conditioners in several departments This is despite the thick walls, mortar construction which is airy and adequately ventilated. The thick insulation of the copper tube wires hang about freely in the corridors/ floors as also the mesh of the telephone and internet cables. Elaborate sofa sets, window curtains are a major departure, though they may not match the elegant furniture in private colleges. Ergonomic chairs have invaded the staff rooms but students make do with the decades old joint tables and chairs with a desk. The spacious rooms perhaps housed the limited faculty and staff then but today these rooms have been partitioned with cubicles, corporate style. A new seminar hall adjacent to the seminar library on the first floor hosts meetings of students and faculty. Sandwiched between the seminar library and the hall is the Aziz Jamaluddin Computer lab named after Aziz Jamaluddin. Water coolers stationed at select points quench the thirst of the students. Surprisingly, the college does not have a “Ladies room” despite the tall talk of gender equality and safety in the class rooms. Winged messengers ?? They have made the College their
building, and an old lady along with a few more people there, who tend to see the same piece of land as a means of livelihood. Apparently, they have introduced the culture of munching some fried spicy nuts and other light eateries while one tries to go back in time; or on a wait for somebody; or even as they lean back to simply relax before indulging into a casual talk. However, today the grassy piece of land shows many signs of having been neglected over time. Apathetic administration, callous citizenry and poor maintenance have turned it into an eyesore. It’s no exaggeration to say that the grass there is not just green, but one can easily find white plastics, yellow fruit peels, and a palette of many such colours spread all over the garden area. Anyway, thanks to the national festivals or special occasions have retained its last drop of life from just being another place to litter.
permanent home. Yes, we are talking about scores of pigeons. They flutter about freely from their safe and secluded places. The typical “crooning” breaks the silence in the corridors which are not without the fur and pigeon poop . Pigeons are known to carry messages over long distances in the yore. In both the first and second World Wars the pigeon saved hundreds of thousands of human lives by carrying messages across enemy lines. Pigeons were carried on ships in convoys and in the event of a U-boat attack a messenger pigeon was released with details of the location of the sinking ship .The earliest large scale communication network using pigeons as messengers was established in Syria and Persia about 5th Century BC. Much later in the 12th Century AD the city of Baghdad and all the main towns and cities in Syria and Egypt were linked by messages carried by pigeon Recall, Kabuthar, Ja, Ja , ia one of the popular Salman Khan films,. can no longer be called winged visitors. Outside the college one can witness people feeding pigoens as many religious groups including Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs feed pigeons for hoing such good deeds would pay them dividends. Pigeons are also known to be life savers .Although pigeons are one of the most intelligent of all the bird species man has found limited uses for the birds other than for the purposes of sport, food and as a message carrier. A team of navy researchers, however, has found that pigeons can be trained to save human lives at sea with high success rates. Is the influx of the pigeons in the recent past into the college , any indication that they have arrived to save an edifice and its mission??
Comments and feedback are welcome at courier.ou@gnail.com