Economic situation no excuse to cut funds for education

“India’s economic situation is no excuse to cut funding when it comes to institutions of knowledge,” said N Ram, Chairman, Kasturi & Sons Limited and Trustee, Madanjeet Singh Foundation and South Asia Foundation, India chapter, at the inauguration of the Green Building of the Madanjeet School of Green Energy Technologies at Pondicherry University.

He observed that in recent years funding had been cut drastically in sharp contrast to the situation in China and added that the next government needed to take a critical look at this. “Universities need to be autonomous, independent within the framework, be accountable and transparent,” he said.

Left to Right: France Marquet, trustee MSF, Prof Chandra
Krishnamurthy, VC and N. Ram, Chairman of Kasturi &
Sons Ltd,

The inauguration was also attended by chief guest France Marquet, trustee, MSF and SAF, Prof Chandra Krishnamurthy, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Shigeru Aoyagi, director and UNESCO representative to India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka, Navin Chawla, Former Chief Election Commissioner and trustee, SAF India chapter and advisor to MSF, Salima Hashmi, Chairperson, SAF Pakistan chapter, Dr Nishchal Nath Pandey, chairperson, SAF Nepal chapter and trustee, MSF, Dr Syeda Hameed, Trustee, SAF India chapter and Senior Vice-Chairperson, MSF, Dr Kamal Hossain, Former Foreign Minister, Bangladesh and chairperson, SAF Bangladesh chapter and Trustee MSF, Prof Veena Sikri, Vice-Chairperson, SAF India chapter.

The dignitaries recalled the contributions of the late diplomat-writer and founder, SAF, Madanjeet Singh. Vice-Chancellor Krishnamurthy recalled Singh quoting the Greek proverb, ‘Society is better when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall not sit in’ and said, “Our university is trying to live up to ideals and aspirations of Madanjeet Singh.” Marquet asked the students to be inspired by Singh and showed the audience a clipping of his interviews.

The Madanjeet School of Green Energy Technologies was established in 2010 in an MoU with SAF.

The Green Building has been constructed with 86 percentile compliance with GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) norms and was awarded a 4 star rating by GRIHA. The project was undertaken by public sector project consultancy organisation RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Services). The conservation of all five elements of nature was incorporated during the construction, said Dr Thilakan, head, Centre for Green Energy Technology in a presentation.. Vice-Chancellor Krishnamurthy said the building has been noted as one of a kind and the best green building in Puducherry.

Hailing the role of the school in green technology, Professor Indumathi, Registrar said, “This centre heralds the innovative research in green technology and nanoscience which is the need of the hour for the country.”

While appreciating the ‘sophisticated, state of the art building’, Shigeru Aoyagi said he would be happy to nominate the school for the status of category III given by UNESCO.

Source: The Hindu

Image Gallery




Left to Right: Mr. Shigeru Aoyagi (Addressing the Audience), Mr Navin B Chawla, Mr Nishchal N Padey, Madame France
Marquet, Prof Chandra Krishnamurthy, Mr N Ram, Prof Salima Hashmi, Dr Syeda Hameed and Prof Veena Sikri

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