Sports Leadership

JNU Sports Office organized a two day workshop on Sports Leadership for JNU Students on 14-15 September, 2007. The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Charanjit Singh, Chairman, University Sports Committee. Ms. Damayanti V. Tambay, Deputy Director, PE, threw light on the history and the present scenario of sports in JNU and what necessitated the workshop. Dr. Vikram Singh, Assistant Director, PE, organised different activities and interactive games during the sessions. Former students Ms. Kamala Kumari and Dr. Sowesh Pattanaik also shared their views regarding their experiences in JNU as sports club conveners and how they excelled in their respective sport during their stay in JNU. Sh. Umesh Babu of Yoga Kendra highlighted the role of yoga and meditation for the development of an integrated personality followed by a brief meditation session. Sh. Ajay Shastri gave a few Ayurvedic tips for general wellbeing. Distinguished speakers Prof. Anand Kumar of JNU, Dr. G.P. Gautam from Amity University, Ms. Indu Puri, Arjuna Awardee in Table Tennis, Sh. Bishen Singh Bedi, former ace cricketer and former Indian cricket team captain, enlightened the gathering with their experiences and motivated the young participants. The programme was well attended by the students and was also attended by some of faculty members.

The special feature of the workshop was hands on activities and thematic games which were organized during the sessions. These games and activities were selected to develop the skills among the participants that are necessary to be successful leaders. Apart from the sessions there was a photo exhibition on display highlighting the activities and achievements of different sports clubs of JNU. The students enjoyed the interactive sessions and shared their views enthusiastically during the deliberations. In the valediction ceremony the participants were addressed by Prof. R.K. Kale, Dean of Students. The first ever workshop organized by the sports office had more than 55 participants who were awarded participation certificates in the valediction ceremony on 15 September, 2007 by Sh. Bishen Singh Bedi.

Damayanti V. Tambay, Deputy Director, PE

JNU Badminton Team Wins in the LSR Sports Meet 2007

JNU Badminton team, both men’s and women’s won the recently concluded LSR (DU) Sports meet 2007 where JNU bagged one gold and two silvers. In order to give the young players a chance for exposure of playing in a tournament outside the University it was decided to send two teams (Senior and Junior) in the boys section. The senior team was ranked second after Hindu College considering their performance in previous years. The players practiced well for the tournament and performed on the court on 23 October. The matches were being conducted at the Siri Fort Sports Complex which is the venue of 2010 Commonwealth Games for Badminton. So it was a privilege for the team to play matches at this venue. All three teams reached Siri Fort Indoor Badminton Hall at 9 am. The main women players backed out due to their academic commitments, but the remaining team did not let this affect them by and were focused on the game. Both boys and girls ties were being played simultaneously on different courts. Our teams cleared the first round without any trouble and this boosted their confidence. In the Semi Final the junior team consisting of young players from School of Languages, led by Javed, Bhupender and Rishi made an upset by beating the number one seeded strong Hindu College (DU) team. The senior team had already reached the finals defeating Sri Venkateshwara, and PGDAV teams. So it turned out a friendly final in which the senior team using their experience won the championship. So the boys team were Winners and Runners Up. On the other hand the girls team after clearing the first round won a tough semi final - after losing the first singles won the doubles and second singles in a close contest made it to the final. In the final they had to play with the top seeded host team, the Lady Sri Ram College, in which they lost gracefully after giving a good fight.

The organizers of the Delhi State Tournament were present at the Siri Fort and were impressed by the performance and encouraged us to participate in the Delhi State championship to be held at the coming week.

We dedicate the victory to all the sports loving students of the university who despite the discouraging atmosphere for sports in university continue their love for the game.

(Uma Uttam,Convenor, JNU Badminton Club)

Teachers’ Day Function

Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) had a unique Teachers Day function this year. It was after a very long period that JNUTA held a function to mark this day. JNUTA honoured the very first Professor of JNU-84 year old respected scholar of International Studies, Professor M.S. Rajan. Incidentally Professor Rajan also happens to be the first Professor Emeritus of JNU. Author of many scholarly books, Professor Rajan joined School of International Studies as Professor on 14 March, 1962. SIS and the Centre for Russian Studies became the first constituents of JNU when it started functioning in year 1969. To honour the first Professor of JNU, the Chancellor of the University Professor Yashpal came especially. Prof. Chaman Lal, President JNUTA, welcomed both the great scholars and hoped that JNUTA would continue honouring its senior and respected faculty on such occasions. He welcomed the newly recruited members of JNU Faculty on behalf of JNUTA. Prof. Purshotam Aggarwal, Chairman, Centre of Indian Languages till recently, who took voluntary retirement to become member of UPSC, was also presented with JNUTA token of affection on this occasion. 

Professor Rajan spoke about the earliest days of JNU, when one had to ’walk half a mille to get even a match box’. He remembered those warm days, when every member of JNU community, particularly faculty and students knew each other personally. Professor Yashpal spoke about ’the enjoyment of teaching profession’ and underlined the fact that the prestige of JNU had been built by teachers like Professor M.S. Rajan. He said that he feels very happy in joining the occasion to honour such scholars of repute and he complimented JNUTA for this. Earlier, Professor C.S.R. Murthy introduced Professor Rajan as a great Indian scholar of non-aligned movement in a truly non aligned way’.

JNUTA organized a discussion on the theme- ’The need to strengthen teacher movement and democratic organizations in Universities on this occasion. Dr. Tabrez Alam Khan, Secretary, FEDCUTA (Federation of Central Universities Teachers Associations) initiated the discussion by focusing upon ’the ailing system of education’ in India. He underlined the dangers posed by liberalization and WTO regime to education and he felt that teachers associations of the universities were being ignored in the matter of taking policy decisions in regard to educational reforms. Mr. C.S. Kalra, Editor ’University Today’, spoke about the danger being posed to class room teaching by adopting new technologies like CBT. He said the ’Deemed to be universities’ were actually, doomed to be universities’. In this context he gave example of Vedanta University, being established in Orissa by some NRI’s, and so many other private universities, which were threatening the whole gamut of higher education in India. On this occasion a message from Dr. V.K. Tiwari, Secretary AIFUCTO, was read, in which he expressed the hope that FEDCUTA and AIFUCTO would work together for the well being of teaching community.

Professor Arun Kumar from JNUTA spoke about the importance of teacher movements in universities and he also emphasised the need of having strong student and staff unions. Professor Anand Kumar, in his presiding remarks, expressed the hope that country having a teacher as Prime Minister will pay more attention to the teaching profession. He said that it was a shame that a technocrat like Sam Pitroda was deciding the fate of higher education in India. Professor A.K. Pasha, in his presiding remarks, underlined the need to make FEDCUTA a more active body to work for teachers interests. Prof. Charanjit Singh, Vice President, JNUTA presented a vote of thanks.

(Chaman Lal, President, JNUTA)