Why Amartya Sen wants to quit Nalanda University

To Be or Not To Be

Any academicians when he Heads the institution, whether educational or not, undergoes an intellectual dilemma to prove his excellence in converting a vision into reality. His mind is conditioned to focus on micro issues and not on solving the riddles created by  nexus between bureaucrats and politicians.

If that person is an academician by chance or by manipulation he would find ways to circumvent and fulfill personal ambitions while pampering inflated egos of powerful touts.

But a true academician would truly feel relieved when the top brass who neither have any understanding or practical experience to run an institution of Higher Education of international stature would spend hours, days, weeks and months to take a decision on the issue on which some of the best brains of the world have opinioned anonymously.

This is not unfortunate, we had been doing it for last 68 years  shamelessly, and being head of a whole redundant fleet of the executives we are able to send a message to this rotten white elephant to go as slow as possible. The unfortunate part is making a mess of the whole situation and not allowing any honorable retreat.

This reflects on the value system of the whole society. The selfish motives, the vested political interest and a false pride dominate the voice of conscience. The fiscal aspect overshadows ultimate aim of the welfare of mankind. The Bureaucrats are baffled by a handsome package of salary offered to higher dignities to run the university  in the best possible manner and want to avenge by letting them down at every possible opportunity.

The scholars are more sentimental than anybody else. They know their genius is an Act of God. So, they want to serve their country. They sacrifice best offers, best working conditions, unlimited financial grant at their disposal which would only need a two line certificate from them that the grant has been used for public purposes. They opt for assignment to serve their motherland, despite the warnings of the peers and  well-wishers. While silently and meticulously they fulfills their long cherished dreams, they also await the day when their well earned reputation will be jeopardized by some shallow accusations or  constraints would be created to hinder their work and tarnish image.

The non intellectuals have this inborn jealousy with intellectuals and they manipulate to win the race to prove their superiority. (Detailed theory in Tall Man Small Shadow) . Intellectuals have no grudge, they happily retreat, since they need not to prove themselves before petty people.

In Disgrace J.M. Coetzee says “He continues to teach because it provides him with a livelihood; also because it teaches him humility, brings it home with him who he is in the world. The irony does not escape him: that the one who comes to teach learns the keenest of lessons, while those who come to learn learn nothing.”

The only thing that matters is what is the cost you are ready to pay for those lessons. Best lessons don't come cheap.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching funded study of race relations provided funds to to Gunnar Myrdal  a Swedish Nobel Laureate in Economics  for conducting his monumental work An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy. His work was quoted in many Judgments by Judiciary of United States of America.

 When the option is to quit or to Act, to Act is definitely the right way.

© Vipin Behari Goyal

Author of  World is Conical'