By Nandkumar Kamat
THE first vice chancellor of Goa University, historian Prof B Sheik Ali created a culture of novel initiatives. He wasn’t bogged down by protocols, formalities and red tapism. He knew that within the UGC’s framework the new state university was meant to fulfil the aspirations of Goa and Goans.
He initiated the four volume, ‘Goa through the ages’ project. He founded the ‘Konkani Encyclopaedia project’ even before the language got official status. Along with the director of archives, Dr Prakashchandra Shirodkar and the director of newly founded Xavier Centre for Historical Research, Porvorim, noted Indo-Portuguese historian, Dr Teotonio De Souza, he launched the annual series of local history seminars and saw to it that the seminars papers get peer reviewed, edited and published.
New Ideas and Infrastructure
When suggested to him that in memory of former director of CPIR, economist Dr Kamat Helekar, the University could begin an annual lecture series he readily agreed. This was followed by another suggestion to start an annual lecture series, the first in India in the name of mathematician-historian, Dr Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi. As long as he continued as VC, these lectures were held regularly. After his departure the interest waned inexplicably in the continuation of these initiatives.
After 4 volumes, the Konkani encyclopaedia project was wound up. Before he left Goa, Prof B Sheikh Ali had become very emotional. He had been completely successful in identifying himself with local cultural and social ethos. He mixed easily with Konkani and Marathi writers, artists and scholars. He rightly deserves the felicitation organised by the University on June 30 at Kala academy. As a man of ideas and initiatives, a fine erudite scholar and an eloquent orator, he was matchless.
Unfortunately many controversies were raised on quality of physical infrastructure. The government was later compelled to appoint a house committee to go into these aspects. When the next vice chancellor, a respected and efficient officer of IAS cadre, Dr Padmakar Dubhashi was appointed in 1990, he did not expect the issues which he would have to face. His determination saw to it that finally the GU moved from the medical college campus to its’ new premises. The vice chancellor occupied his new, beautiful residence and made it a hospitable centre for writers, scholars and artists, a tradition which the successors, Prof B S Sonde and Prof Deobagkar have continued uninterrupted.
Prof Dubhashi loved art and literature and the new campus became vibrant with poetry, music and dance. He accompanied us on nature trails in the forests of the Western Ghats. He faced a violent students’ agitation. He gave top priority for the new library building and ensured that it would be spacious and modern. Later Prof Sonde and Prof Deobagkar created more facilities and infrastructure to make the GU library one of the best in India. The philatelist-librarian, Mr Navelkar and later the new librarian Dr Pandurang Konnur took a lot of pains to bring the University library to its’ present level of modernisation.
A Four-Star Rating
Goa University began facing real financial crunch during the tenure of Dr Dubhashi. The uncertain political scenario in the state during 1991-6 was partly responsible for the same. Unlike many new state universities, the Goa government did not give special funds to the university to buy expensive scientific research equipments and design modern laboratories. This shortfall has seriously hampered university’s research initiatives. After the brief tenure of VC Prof Nigam who recruited talented young people and tried to bring IIT equivalent academic discipline in the campus, the university got another dynamic personality in Dr Balkrishna Sonde. An expert in microelectronics, Prof Sonde established a modern studio in the campus which aimed to serve as nerve centre for university’s distance learning programmes. Its’ full potential is yet to be realised.
Prof Sonde’s vice-chancellorship witnessed the first accreditation of the university by NAAC. It was an absolutely new experience for the academic community and university administration. In the old system, NAAC used to rank the universities on a scale of one to five stars. Everyone expected Goa University to get three stars. But finally the university got a four star rank–all due to the efforts made by Prof Sonde. NAAC system is not without its’ inconsistencies. Independent reviews have placed Goa University recently among top 35 universities in India.
Unnecessary Political Intrusion
The political scenario in Goa had changed once again when Prof Prakash Zacharias became the new vice chancellor in 2002. He was a chemical technologist. The BJP government came into conflict with GU during his tenure. Suddenly the age of retirement was reduced to 58. The financial powers of the university were drastically curbed. When various departments of the government were overflowing with surplus employees, GU was targeted by appointment of a committee to look into the manpower status. There was unnecessary political intrusion.
Prof Zacharias had a difficult time when under political patronage, contractors building the Community hall in Taleigao landed in the campus and started illegal quarrying of rubbles and murum. Then a global hotel MNC tied with a real estate giant in New Delhi and sold the idea of a seven star resort project with convention centre and food court to Congress party-led Goa government. The bait was of Rs 160 crore revenue to the government after signing the deal for land valued at Rs 300 crore. The government began pressurising the VC to part with the land earmarked by the Quasim committee. This was followed by interest shown by a Bangalore based reputed IT giant in locating its’ IT hub on prime land to be acquired from the University.
The entire teaching and non-teaching community along with the post graduate students closed ranks against this mischievous land grab proposal. They approached the HC for justice. The government has now lost interest in both the proposals. This showed that very few politicians were really interested in helping the University but showed extraordinary enthusiasm to eye the precious land in an area rapidly developing as Panaji’s high class suburb.
GU belongs to the whole state. People need to identify themselves with this university and the university needs to provide the intellectual leadership they demand. With a well spruced and prettier campus, new facilities, a new credit system and constant appeals to faculty and students to excel in every sphere, under the present hard working scientist vice chancellor Prof Dilip Deobagkar, GU has made tangible progress. It needs spontaneous, whole hearted support of people, society, the mass media, well placed alumni and local industries to prepare itself for next 25 challenging years. Send your greetings to the vice chancellor on June 30. (Concluded)
