Prof. Ramadhikari Kumar
RectorII
interviewed by Bhoomika Meiling

Bhoomika: First of all, I would like to congratulate you for your appointment as the Rector.

Prof. Kumar: Thank you.

Bhoomika: You have been associated with JNU for almost four decades. Tell us something about your earliest days in this University.

Prof. Kumar: I joined as a faculty member in the Institute Centre for Russian Studies on the 5th of December, 1969. As you might know, CRS was the first Centre to be shifted to the New Campus. At that time, it used to be in the present-day School of Physical Sciences building. Those were very vibrant days, both in terms of students’ activities and the pupil-teacher relationship. Students used to visit their teachers very frequently. Almost every day, after dinner, the students would organize discussions and talks, and invite people from all walks of life to speak on topics of local, national and international relevance. Such productive sessions were a regular feature. In a way, the composition of the students’ community was also quite different then. The best students would join JNU with academic excellence as their goal. Now the best students go to other kinds of professional institutions. Those who fail to get in there, come to the academic field. I do not say that good students don’t come here. They definitely do and they bring good name to JNU too! Yet, with the passage of time, goals of students seem to have changed in general. Even in case of politics, the Progressive and Left Movements were very strong then. But over the years, policy changes in economy and other fields have brought about changes in our attitude and perspective. People have to live with times. Yet our students are different from others…..

Bhoomika: What do you have to say about the Russian Centre specifically?

Prof. Kumar: CRS is a large Centre where two generations of Russian scholars are working simultaneously now. Our generation had better opportunities. The best teachers from USSR taught us and we were fortunate enough to be able to go to USSR and reinforce our knowledge of the language. But after the fall of USSR, there have been almost no exchange programmes. At the moment, CRS has only one MoU with Moscow State University for facilitating exchange of students and teachers. We are trying our best to improve the situation and create opportunities for this generation to visit the target area because such activities are of immense importance for language students. There have been some positive developments. For instance, the Russian Federation Embassy has started organizing events which are of use for our students. Film shows, talks by visiting scholars and seminars organized there, have been very beneficial. They have also promised to provide some opportunity to our students to visit institutions in Moscow and elsewhere in the Russian Federation. But all this is at a very nascent stage still.
At the University level, we are trying to establish contacts with some important universities in Russia for students’ advanced training.

Bhoomika: What is your area of specialization?

Prof. Kumar: Russian Grammar, Interpretation and Translation. I am a practicing interpreter. Till date, I have worked for almost twenty-five International Conferences and several Inter-Governmental meetings.

Bhoomika: Apart from your academic achievements, you have played an important role in the administration of the University too. What are the various administrative posts you have held over the year?

Prof. Kumar: I began with the post of Warden of Jhelum Hostel in 1977. I commissioned the East wing of Jhelum which then used to be a mixed hostel. Later, when Sutlej was going through some administrative problems, I was sent there as a Warden. Probably, Prof. Talgeri was impressed by my job in Jhelum. Sutlej was a very peaceful hostel in those days.
Next, in 1993, I was appointed as the Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor on issues relating to SC and ST students. In 1995, I was the Co-ordinator of the Language Lab Complex, and then, the Provost of Dakshinapuram. My next appointment was as the Proctor of the University and later, as the Chief Proctor. I’ve also been the Chairperson of CRS. Rectorship is the latest responsibility. I’ve also been a member of various Committees such as Department of Promotion Committee, Selection Committee, Telephone Advisory Committee, House Allotment Committee and so on…

Bhoomika: As our new Rector, what are your immediate plans?

Prof. Kumar: Nothing specific….. the one thing I can surely say at the moment my goal is to strengthen cordial relationship between all communities in JNU. Also, our VC’s dream is to place JNU at the top. We aspire to be the best in the world in future. I would do my best to realize this dream. We are constantly trying to provide better and better facilities to the students. And the students also must behave like responsible citizens, observe discipline and benefit from the student-friendly environment of JNU.
We are constantly augmenting the hostel facility. Recently, foundation stone for another hostel was laid. It is still to be named. Repair work is on in the older hostels. Yamuna will soon have a dining hall. We have also arranged for extra water supply. We are always aware of our students’ problems and try to solve them at a faster pace.

Bhoomika: What do you think about students’ politics on campus and about the latest techniques adopted by students for protest?

Prof. Kumar: I wish there was only students’ politics in JNU. Students’ groups have political parties as patrons. So the students’ groups follow the protest practices of the parent parties….. I personally feel that in JNU, we can solve all problems through talks and negotiations. There is no communication gap as such. But I also feel that students often resort to such protests only to train themselves as political leaders! The facilities we give to our students, are unparalleled. Still, young people do protest. But they must remember that while protesting, they must not cross limits. Violence and abusive language have no place in this University. I am sure our students realize that. After all, our students are the best lot.

Bhoomika: Recently, breach of security on the campus has become an oft-discussed issue. What do you have to say about that?

Prof. Kumar: We have done our best to take care of the security problem. The University spends a significant amount of money on that. Further improvements can be achieved through the joint efforts of the University and the JNU community. Token system and patrolling have been in place for quite some time now. But we ourselves need to be vigilant too. We take corrective measures immediately in case of any breach. Yet, we are open to constructive suggestions for the betterment of security on the campus.

Bhoomika: Moving on to the admission process, what stand is JNU likely to take on the OBC Reservation issue?

Prof. Kumar: Admission policy of JNU has always been inclusive. Deprivation points have always been given to students from backward areas, displaced communities, girls from OBCs and deprived regions etc. In fact, if you go into the statistics of the JNU admissions, you would find that we have already reached almost 50% quota. We have all sorts of quota. About 20% seats already go to OBCs. Let us see what happens when the question is resolved by the Supreme Court. We are waiting for the Supreme Court decision. And of course we will continue with our inclusive policy…..

Bhoomika: What message would you like to give to the JNU students?

Prof. Kumar: In JNU our students have a golden opportunity for an all-round personality development. They can not only polish their personalities but also benefit from the intellectual reservoir of JNU. While going out of JNU, they should go as an asset to the society. With our infrastructure, it is not too difficult a goal to achieve. Students can excel in their fields of research, develop leadership qualities and contribute to the development of the country as a whole. They should also continue protesting against any injustice they notice. We will welcome that…..