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Patna,(BiharTimes): Noted columnist, historian and author, Ramachandra Guha, and renowned academic and head of Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research Pratap Bhanu Mehta have shunned offers for the post of Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda International University (NIU), a brainchild of former President, A P J Abdul Kalam.
Guha, who often praises Bihar chief minister in his writings, refused to accept the offer though the University is being opened by the central government in his home district, Nalanda.
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Guha, who often praises Bihar chief minister in his writings, refused to accept the offer though the University is being opened by the central government in his home district, Nalanda.
According to a report in the Telegraph Guha, whose name was suggested to Sen by filmmaker Shyam Benegal, is believed to have pleaded preoccupation with his formidable book writing obligations and argued that the NIU should ideally be headed by an expert on ancient history, not his core competence. Guha suggested the name of Delhi University ancient history professors Nayanjot Lahiri and Upinder Singh, the daughter of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Mehta, on the other hand, is believed to have been less than convinced by the ambitions the NIU project was embracing. Mehta reportedly said that for a university to be cutting-edge, it needed to leverage more than mere academic or faculty excellence. It had to, for instance, look at larger ideas like new ecosystems and communities around them. Such vision Mehta found missing.
Though nobody is prepared to say anything the news of decline by Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Ramachandra Guha came as a blow to the image of Bihar, which is yet to attract any big investor notwithstanding tall claims by the Nitish Kumar government.
Delhi-based Sociologist Gopa Sabharwal has been selected for this job now.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will on February 5 formally hand over charge of the NIU to Nobel Laureate and chairperson of the NIU Mentor Group, Amartya Sen.
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