Kalams letter damning Amartya Sen out in public

GN BUREAU | JUNE 19 2012

Former president APJ Abdul Kalams last July letter to foreign minister SM Krishna kept under wraps has come into public domain, slamming Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen for forcing him out of his brainchild project of the Nalanda University in Bihar, as its first visitor.

He chose not to create a public controversy even while writing to Krishna on July 4 that he was upset by the way the project was being handled and hence he could not remain associated with it any longer. He wrote how sad he was at everything going wrong in reviving a great seat of learning in Buddhist philosophy and statecraft. Revival of the first residential international educational institution which flourished between 5th and 12th centuries near Patna is in controversies even before it starts any academic courses.

The letter reads: Having (been) involved in various academic and administrative proceedings of Nalanda University since August 2007, I believe that the candidates to be selected/appointed to the post of chancellor and vice-chancellor should be of extraordinary intellect with academic and management expertise. Both have to personally involve themselves full-time in Bihar so that a robust and strong international institution is built. The ministry of external affairs had taken over the project since it was conceptualised as an international university involving the 16 ASEAN countries like China, Japan, Australia, Korea and Thailand, even while Dr Kalam kept insisting that it should better be handled by the human resources development ministry as it has the required experience in the field of education.

The government tried to suppress Dr Kalams damning letter as it was taken on record in t he governing board meeting of the university but not made public until a Patna journalist wrote to him to know the truth. Dr Kalam felt frustrated with the people at the helm of affairs and his resignation was a rebuff to prof Amartya Sen and his protg Dr Gopa Sabharwal, who was brought in as the vice-chancellor designate, without Kalams knowledge. Being chairman of the governing board, Sens position is equivalent to chancellors (the university officially has none as yet). Neither Sen nor Sabharwal could inspire the confidence of Kalam. Kalam and Sen represent the opposite ends of the spectrum. While Kalam is rooted in the Indian traditions and has worked for India's self-reliance in defence sector, Sen is one of the runaway success stories in acade mics abroad. With a mind besotted with Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard, Sen viewed Nalanda University through that prism, while Kalam felt sad at finding no efforts to re-enact the glory of ancient Nalanda University in which students from all over East Asia came and had the tutelage of Arya Dev, Silabhadra, Dharmapala, Santarakshita and Chandragomin who spent their lives here.

The academics say the fault lies in the government for entrusting the task of reviving the university to Amartya Sen as a testimony of Indias obsequiousness despite Kalam repeatedly warning the Indians against it. Kalams letter is also an indictment of Sabharwal, just a sociology reader from Lady Sri Ram College of Delhi University, who was made the rector/vice-chancellor designate by Sen despite protest that she has nothing to do with the Buddhist studies for which the university is to be set up and was running it while sitting in Delhi.

Kalams letter bared truth about Nalanda University

By a Special Correspondent

New Delhi: Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam never shared with media why exactly he left the NalandaUniversity project. The project was his brainchild whose origin could be traced back to his address to the Bihar Legislative Assembly on March 28, 2006. The Nalanda University proudly displays hisspeech on its official website. The University would, however, loath to admit why Kalam left the project despite being nominated as its first Visitor under Clause 5 (e) of the Nalanda University Act, 2010.

It was obvious that he was upset the way project had been handled. But it is for the first time that Bihar Times has accessed the complete truth in Kalams own words- his letter to the External Affairs Minister on July 4, 2011. Kalams letter to Mr. S.M. Krishna reveals why he was not in a position to become the first Visitor of the Nalanda University.

Para 3 of the letter reads-

Having involved in various academic and administrative proceedings of Nalanda University since August 2007, I believe that the candidates to be selected/appointed to the post of Chancellor and Vice Chancellor should be of extraordinary intellect with academic and management expertise. Both the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor have to personally involve themselves full-time in Bihar, so that a robust and strong international institution is built.

This letter dated July 4, 2011 was in possession of Sanjay Singh, Secretary (East), MEA when he came to attend the Governing Board meeting at Patna on July 6 & 7, 2011. He read it to the Board in the first hour of the meeting, as the minutes of the proceedings indicate. But its mention was completely suppressed while interacting with the press. The matter was concealed for more than two months when an e-mail from Patna-based journalist K.K. Singh to Dr. Kalam brought the issue to light in mid-September.

Kalam felt frustrated with the people at helm of affairs. His resignation is evidentally a rebuff to Prof. Amartya Sen and his protg Dr. Gopa Sabharwal, smuggled in as the Vice Chancellor-Designate without his knowledge. Being chairman, Governing Board, Prof. Sens position is equivalent to Chancellor (the University officially has none as yet). Neither Prof. Sen nor Dr. Sabharwal could inspire the confidence of Dr. Kalam.

Kalam and Prof. Sen represent the opposite ends of the spectrum. Dr. Kalam, though an expert in rocket science- a proverbially modern and complex discipline- is rooted in Indian tradition. He has worked for Indias self-reliance in defence sector. Prof. Amartya Sen on the other hand is one of those run away success stories in academics. He ran away from India for dreamland in the West. Even the social welfare Trust that Prof. Sen founded in 1999 named Pratichi (West). In Chairmans message on the website of Pratichi Trust Prof. Sen does not fail to remind us that he studied in Cambridge.

With a mind besotted with Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard he views Nalanda University through that prism. The glory of ancient Nalanda University was not really that students from all over East Asia came to study there. Its glory was that committed Pandits like Arya Dev, Silabhadra, Dharmapala, Santarakshita and Chandragomin spent their lives for the sake of that institution. But to Prof. Sen Nalanda University is pure exotica. Had Amartya declared, having achieved and obtained everything an

academician can dream of, building Nalanda University was his lifes mission and he wo uld settle down in Bihar for that, one could have appreciated it. But Amartya views Nalanda University as an opportunity for flying trips (at the cost of Indian taxpayers) and flowery speeches. The fault lies actually with Indian

establishment. Entrusting the task reviving Nalanda University to Amartya Sen & Co is testimony of Indias obsequiousness. This obsequiousness is what Dr. Kalam has repeatedly warned Indians against.

Kalams letter is also an indictment of Dr. Gopa Sabharwal. The Re ader from Lady Sri Ram College of Delhi University was smuggled in as Rector/Vice Chancellor-Designate by Dr. Amartya Sen.Bihar Times broke the story how Amartya Sen acted in an unauthorized fashion to recommend the name of Dr. Gopa Sabharwal for Rectors post. The governing board now complains about lack of toilet facilities in Rajgir. It is pity they never thought about it while conferring in Singapore, New York and Tokyo.