Take university to newer heights: Governor
RONO HILLS, Feb 4: Governor BD Mishra called for concerted efforts by all the stakeholders to make Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) one of the best in the country.
“For a university to progress and succeed there must be an academic atmosphere that is conducive to teaching and learning,” the governor said, addressing the 36th foundation day of the university here in Papum Pare district on Monday.
Mishra emphasized on transparency, accountability, honesty and correct utilization of fund in infrastructure development.
“The campus must be maintained and no encroachment must be allowed. There must be discipline and safety and security in the premises,” he said.
The governor advised the faculty members to ensure thorough preparation of their lessons, to take classes regularly, and to “interact with the students as a coach, friend, philosopher and guide.”
He advised the students to “give cent percent attendance, conduct research and innovative activities and paper writings and presentations.”
Mishra also advised the students to be entrepreneurs and job providers by availing startup programmes.
He said the placement review committee for ensuring high campus placement of the students – comprising professors of RGU, the NERIST and the NIT and senior government officials – and the institutional ranking improvement set up by him have finalized their report and it would soon be presented to the state government to streamline and finalize it.
The governor also assured commissioning of a National Cadet Corps unit in the university.
Extending his greetings to the university fraternity on the occasion, Mishra commended the administration, faculties, staff and students on their achievements, and for initiatives taken up by RGU.
He commended the university administration for felicitating its dedicated and sincere employees and the gaon burahs of nearby villages, and officially felicitated the employees on the occasion.
RGU Vice Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha presented a briefed on the challenges and achievements of the university in the last 35 years.
The university, which was founded on 4 February, 1984, became academically functional in 1988-89 with only three departments. The university was converted to a central university on 9 April, 2007, he informed.
“The university currently offers 26 postgraduate, nine diploma and certificate courses with enrollment of 2331 students in the current academic year,” the VC informed.
Hyderabad-based Gandhi Darshan’s secretary GVVSDS Prasad gave a talk on ‘Nai Talim’ and ‘Gandhi Darshan on education’.
“India is a country which has the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and there is a need to take it forward,” he said.
Stating that Gandhian thoughts touch every aspect of human life, he said Gandhi had proposed the idea of ‘Nai Talim’, or basic education, and experimented with it in South Africa.
“Mahatma Gandhi’s greatest gift to humankind is ‘Satyagraha’ and basic education. The central concept of Gandhi’s ‘Nai Talim’ is building the individual through the three dimensions of human being – the body, the mind and the spirit,” Prasad said.
Founder of New Delhi-based Sulabh International Social Service Organization (SISSO), Bindeshwar Pathak, illustrated how SISSO’s social, educational and sanitation works, spanning over five decades, have made a significant contribution to social renewal and nation-building.
He said Sulabh International pioneered the production of biogas and bio-fertilizer from excreta-based plants, thereby showing that human waste can be disposed of in an affordable and a socially acceptable manner.
He said Sulabh International has constructed a cluster of eight “mega toilet complexes,” comprising 1,417 toilet units, in the vicinity of the temple in Pandharpur, Maharashtra.
The longest serving employee of RGU, Nathu Ram Joshi, recounted how the university had begun with barely five staff members and just three departments. He reminisced how the staff had to cross the Dikrong river by boat to reach the campus, and how, in spite of the fear of the many elephants that roamed the campus those days, the employees and students stood their ground and contributed to the university’s growth.
Joshi expressed hope that even after his retirement (due in a year’s time), the university would grow and reach newer heights.
Registrar (in-charge) Prof Tomo Riba, Joint Registrar (Academic) Dr David Pertin and Hindi Officer Gumpi Nguso also spoke.
Other highlights of the foundation day celebration were the employee awards, which were presented after a gap of 15 years, a friendly football match between VC-XI and Registrar-XI, a blind hit and musical chair competition for female employees, and a ‘cultural nite’ programme staged by the RGU community.
Among others,former RGU VC Prof Tamo Mibang, gaon burahs of Doimukh and nearby villages, officers, deans, faculty members, administrative employees and students the university were present on the occasion. (With inputs from Raj Bhavan & Mitinam Siram)
