Respond effectively, Kerala Governor tells varsities

Kochi: Governor P. Sathasivam on Tuesday said that a university has the duty of responding effectively to the socio-cultural environment in which it functions even as it discharges the mission of discovering, improving and disseminating knowledge.

Conferring DLitt on Kalamandalam Gopi, Prof M.K. Sanu and Dr N.V.P. Unithiri, bestowed by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kalady, he said that a university that professes to further the growth of a classical language must also respond to how global phenomena like globalisation affect the diversity of our languages.

“The death of some dialects is now a reality. Effective academic involvement of universities is required to respond to such losses. Sanskrit, which had once influenced populations beyond national boundaries and received contributions even from faraway lands, also deserves to regain its popularity through wider, global interactions. It is the duty of every university to ensure that such wider cultural interactions become a part of its functioning,” Justice (retd) Sathasivam said. “Kerala’s educational, cultural, political and literary spheres have been brightened by the different roles played by Dr. M.K. Sanu, who is well known as a Teacher of the Teachers. Conferment of this honorary doctorate would be an emotional moment for Dr. N.V.P. Unithiri, who has served this university as its first Principal Dean.  If the image of a Kathakali artiste projects a picture of Kerala in the minds of people all over the world, the credit goes to gifted artistes like Dr. Kalamandalam Gopi. As the last link of the glorious Kalluvazhi Chitta of Kathakali, his masterful performances and innovation remind us of the famous poetic utterance: “How can we know the dancer from the dance?,” the Governor said.

“Since all the three scholars honoured today have been teachers in their respective fields, I feel that this gesture of the university also extends to the hundreds of students who were fortunate to be guided by them. After all, the students also contribute to the real worth of a teacher,” Justice (retd) Sathasivam added. The function was attended, among others, by Dr. K.T. Jaleel, Pro-Chancellor, Dr Dharmaraj Adat, Vice Chancellor and Dr. K.S. Ravikumar, Pro-Vice Chancellor.