Vice-President Hamid Ansari on Friday told universities to play a larger, long-term and transformative role besides the role of ‘growth engines of the society’. The transformative potential of universities is needed in societies like India where there is struggle against societal inequalities and deep-seated prejudices, he observed.
Delivering his address at the valedictory of the centenary celebrations of the University of Mysore at Manasagangotri, Mr. Ansari said universities can be agents of social justice and mobility, and contribute to build an egalitarian society. “A university that moulds itself only to present demands is one that is not listening to its historians.” He said varsities are the forums of free speech and debate, and explained that it can act as weather vanes and safety-valves of political dissent and direction. Suppression of such discourse only breeds mistrust, and begets social malcontent, he said.
The inculcation of general knowledge and ‘learnedness’, which are the classical roles of the university, have strong and long-term economic impacts on our societies in the form of increased trust, transparency, ability to handle change and social cohesion. Erosion of social cohesion can have massive personal, social, as also economic costs.
Mr. Ansari said he was confident that the University of Mysore would continue to play its role as a neutral assembler of talent; that of an unmatched idea factory where the passion, creativity and idealism of young minds can be applied to meeting the transitional needs of our society, polity and economy.
On the occasion, he unveiled the bronze statue of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the founder of the university; two new buildings, and released over a dozen Kannada and English books.
He conferred the Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya Centenary award for Innovation in Technology on ISRO chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar; Bharat Ratna Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Centenary Award for Social Science on former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, and the Bharat Ratna Prof. C.N.R. Rao Centenary Award for Science on scientist H. Sharat Chandra. Governor Vajubhai R. Vala called upon universities to build courage and character among the young minds for national development.
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who was the special guest of honour, said the focus on education should be undivided and the country can achieve only through education. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and UGC chairman Ved Prakash also spoke. Ministers H.C. Mahadevappa and Basavaraj Rayareddi, Vice-Chancellor K.S. Rangappa, and Registrar C. Basavaraju were present.
