Our University: Then and Now

The following article first appeared in Media Mimansa, a quarterly journal published by Makhanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita Evam Sanchar Vishwavidyalay (Volume II Issue I , July-September 2008). References for the article are drawn from: Pune Vidyapeethacha Itihas (History of University of Pune) edited by Prof Dr Raja Dixit published in 1999, convocation addresses by Dr Narendra Jadhav, the Vice Chancellor, and web site www.unipune.ernet.in]

The Founding Fathers

Dr Mukundrao Ramrao Jayakar was the first Vice Chancellor of University of Pune (then Poona) when it was established on April 15 1948. That was the time when dedicated people in every walk of life were charged to do some thing for the country. Independence was only year old and the government and the ruling party were eager to fulfill the popular demands raised during the British regime. Formation of a separate university for Maharashtra was one such demand.

The erstwhile Bombay province had only university, the University of Bombay (UoB), for the vast region of the then Western India, spread from Sindh (now in Pakistan) to Karnataka. Social reformers, politicians, and educationists had argued at various fora that there was a need for a university for Maharashtra. The UoB, set up on June 18 1862, was not in a position to meet the aspirations of the growing number of students in such a vast region, they had pointed out since the first decade of the 20^th century.

Dr Jayakar was only 75 when he took over as the Vice Chancellor. It was not a salaried post. He set the foundation of the UoP as an honorary VC for eight years. Several professors and non-teaching staff willingly accepted less salary than they were drawing elsewhere. His successor Wrangler Dr R P Paranjpye was 80 when he took over, again as an honorary VC.

Modest Beginning

The UoP began its functioning from a guest house at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute until June 1949. Chief Minister B G Kher had tactfully managed to pass a resolution in the provincial assembly to hand over to the UoP the Raj Bhavan in Pune which was until then the monsoon abode of the Viceroy. It was a major coup of sorts as the then Governor and his family members were reluctant to let go the sprawling 411-acre scenic area.

Some people in Pune too were not happy as the campus was far away from Sadashiv Peth and other areas in the heart of the then small town. There were no roads or bus service. Few people could afford to hire horse-driven tonga. Now in 2008, the UoP is at the heart of the twin city of Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad as also the IT town of Hinjewadi and growing townships beyond.

Initially the UoP had a jurisdiction extending over 12 districts of Western Maharashtra. However, with the establishment of the Shivaji University at Kolhapur in 1964, the jurisdiction of the University was restricted to five districts, namely Pune, Ahmednagar, Nasik, Dhule, and Jalgaon. Of these, Dhule and Jalgaon districts are now with the North Maharashtra University established in Jalgaon town in August 1990.

Growth of the campus and outside

During the year 1949, there were only 18 colleges affiliated to the University carved out from the UoB, with an enrolment of over 8000 students. Now it has 41 departments in the campus, 17 schools and centres, 20 Chairs, 13 faculties and three autonomous units.

Outside the main campus, the number of colleges affiliated to the UoP have increased to 433, post-graduate centres to 107 and recognised institutes to 232. These include institutions of national importance like the National Chemical Laboratory, Central Water and Power Research Station, National Institute of Virology, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics and Deccan College.

The University has a total student population of about five lakhs including those in the colleges and those studying for external examinations. It attracts students from outside Maharashtra, notably from North and North-eastern States. A distinctive feature in recent times is the presence of over 10,000 international students from 85 countries. This makes the UoP the number one destination for international students coming to India.

Each successive Vice Chancellor has had his agenda to improve quality of education and research. Each has tried to make the education and research meaningful and examination system credible. The UoP has tried to take the fruits of its academic endeavours to the masses through its departments like continuing education, extra-mural studies, and adult education. Its efforts for Industry-Academia interaction have been well-received. A large number of universities and colleges outside India have entered into collaborations and Memoranda of Understanding with UoP.

Peaceful Atmosphere

It does not mean that the UoP did not have problems and challenges. There have been some controversies that had shaken the campus during the period. One Vice Chancellor in early seventies had to step down amid mounting pressures against his style of functioning. Meetings of Academic Council and Senate are sometimes stormy. There are organisations of students, teachers, and non-teaching employees who exert pressures to get their demands conceded.

Yet, the atmosphere in the campus has by and large been academic and peaceful compared to educational centres elsewhere in the country. Elections to students' council are not allowed and the topper in a faculty is automatically nominated to this body. With such atmosphere in the campus and as also in affiliated colleges, classes are regular, examinations are held on time, and results are declared within less than 45 days.

The beginning of the new millennium saw introduction of the credit and semester system in the university departments. This was an effort to bring parity of systems between the universities in developed countries. In spite of lack of adequate teaching staff, the departments in the campus managed the credit and semester system fairly well. The affiliated colleges are expected to follow suit in the near future.

Five Star Status

The UoP was accorded five-star status by NAAC, UGC has granted it the honour of University with Potential for Excellence. It has been placed second in the country by the Composite Quality Index criteria based on research activities. A list of such accolades is almost endless. Yet, as every recent vice chancellor points out while taking charge of the post, UoP is not among the first 300 top universities in the world listed by http://www.topuniversities.com/. The vice chancellor appeals to everyone concerned with the UoP to join hands with him to take it to the coveted list of the top 100, and not remain content with its description, Oxford of the East.

Dr Narendra Jadhav, noted economist and author, who took over as Vice Chancellor two years ago, has initiated several innovative programmes for improvement of quality of education and research. Annual competition for research for college and university students has been well received. Similarly, teachers have responded enthusiastically for a similar competition for them. The UoP which does not any more face resource crunch has liberally provided funds for research to teachers in the university departments and in the affiliated college. During the last academic year, 347 college lecturers and Readers have undertaken research under this scheme, which by itself is a record among the university education system in India. These are in addition to the research proposals funded by UGC, DST and other agencies.

Dr Narendra Jadhav's Agenda

Samarth Bharat Abhiyan, which Dr Jadhav describes as a flagship programme of the university, will go down in the history as a model project to involve students in constructive programme in villages. Every college affiliated to the UoP has adopted one village in its vicinity for implementation of a 12-point programme. It includes education for all, sanitation and hygiene, water, energy, and environment management, women empowerment, social harmony, and eradication of addiction, besides leadership in development.

Launched in June 2007, the programme, if it succeeds, will have achieved a great deal. Just to give an example, five lakhs saplings planted in three districts under its jurisdiction, namely Pune, Nashik, and Ahmednagar, will offer much-needed green cover to the barren land. The twelve-point programme is to be executed in tandem with government departments, NGOs and senior citizens with participation from the people in every village.

The UoP now boasts of new academic activities such as School of Social Justice, School of Professional Excellence. Every faculty is expected to introduce revised curricula that would be relevant to social and academic needs. Students who seek jobs as assistanceship during their studies get work against financial reward.

If the tempo continues, the dream to be among the top 100 world universities will be realised.

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Satish Alekar's 12 years in our campus

It has been a delight to read about Satish Alekar during the last two/three days. First it was about a documentary being produced on him, which is a rare honour that he rightfully deserves as a playwright, actor and director. Now Sakal carries a feature today on completion of twelve years as Professor and Head, Centre for Performing Arts, in our University. A trained biochemist, theatre person, a teacher, and a good administrator: he is all rolled in one. For me, he is a good neighbour in Patrakar Nagar.

He says he has a sense of satisfaction working as the Head as he could see boys and girls trained at the Centre blossoming into theatre persons in the competitive world outside. I know as a peer how he is instrumental in setting up of the Bhimsen Joshi Chair, roping in Ratan Tata Trust and a host of activities he carried out at the Centre housed in an old structure close to the main building. I also know how difficult it is to work one's way in the bureaucratic set up of a university.

I was a journalist working as a professor (part time) at the Department of Communication and Journalism (DoCJ) in 1996 when the then Vice Chancellor Vasant Gowarikar inducted professionals as teachers in the University system. Alekar was one; veteran journalist and author Arun Sadhu (Professor and Head, DoCJ) and television film director Vinay Dhumale (Director, Educational Media Research Centre) were others who were expected to bring professionalism into academia. While Vinay returned to his profession, Alekar and Sadhu brought in dynamism and freshness into the departments they served. At around the same time, another creative soul, Mohan Agashe, was inducted as Director of the Film and Television Institute of India.

I am not a theatre buff to evaluate the performance of Alekar as an artiste, but I am happy that as a Professor, he brought more recognition and laurels to the Centre of our dear University. Like his fans, fellow artistes and students, I am anxious to watch the documentary Atul Pethe is making. I am confident that Alekar will bring in more laurels to the Centre during the remaining period of his association with the University.

Just for the record, here is what our website says about Satish (http://www.unipune.ernet.in/dept/lalitkala/sa2.htm)

Satish Alekar author of Marathi plays like Mahanirvan (1974), Micky ani Memsahib (1973), Mahapoor-(The deluge-1975), Doosra Samana (1989), Begum Barve (1979), and Shaniwar - Raviwar (1980), etc. is practicing theatre in Maharashtra since 1971. He is one of the founder members of India's best-known theatre group THEATER ACADEMY, PUNE that he administered from 1973 to 1992. Many of his plays have been translated and produced in several regional languages all over India.

With his plays like MAHANIRVAN (1974) and BEGUM BARVE (1979) he created new idiom in Marathi theatre by his unique use of black humour, language, and absurdity to convey the oblique sense of reality. He also authored several short plays that are extensively staged by the experimental theatre groups all over Maharashtra for past thirty years.

He recently completed his new full-length play "PIDHIJAT" (DYNASTS) which was staged in Bengali in Calcutta (April 2003) and in Marathi in Pune, (May 2003.)

Satish Alekar conceived and successfully implemented programmes like Playwrights Development Scheme and Regional Theatre Group Development, which were supported by the Ford Foundation for Theatre Academy, Pune since 1985 to 1994.

He has extensively travelled abroad and during January-May 2003 he was adjunct professor at Performance Studies, Tisch School of Arts, New York University as a Fulbright Scholar. He also was at the Duke University, N.C., U.S.A. on adjunct teaching assignment during spring 1995 semester. He lectured on CONTEMPORARY INDIAN THEATRE at the several universities in U.S.

Satish Alekar is the recipient of several National and State awards since 1973 for his contribution to the field of Theatre and Literature. He received Nandikar Sanman at Calcutta in 1992 and fellowships from the Asian Cultural Council, New York in 1983 to study Theatre in U. S. and from the Ford Foundation to study Theatre of South Asia in 1988. He received National Award for the playwriting in 1994-95 from Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi.

He scripted the national award winning Marathi feature film Jait Re Jait in 1977 and directed a Hindi T.V. Serial in 13 parts Dekho Magar Pyarse for Doordarshan in 1985. He also scripted the dialogues for Marathi feature film Katha Don Ganpatravanchi produced by N.F.D.C. in 1995-96. He was invited to participate in ODIN THEATRE week by Eugenio Barba at Odin Teatret, Holstebro, Denmark in August 2002.

He participated in the 12th ISTA's International Theatre workshop conducted by Eugenio Barba in Germany in September 2001 and in Eugene O'Neill Theatre Centre's Playwrights Conference in Connecticut (U.S.) in 1992. He participated in the World Theatre Congress of I.T.I. (UNESCO, Paris) held in Berlin in 1983 and Athens (Greece) in 2002 where he is nominated as a board member of the International Playwrights Forum.

His published plays are available with Neelkanth Prakashan, Pune (in Marathi) and Seagull Book, Calcutta (in English). Many of his plays have been translated, produced and published in several Indian regional languages like: Hindi, Tamil, Dogri, Kannada, Gujarathi, Rajasthani, Punjabi, and Konkni. His plays also included in the National Anthologies published by the National School of Drama and Sahitya Akademi, Delhi published in 2000-1.

Satish Alekar has also collaborated in several international translation projects. He freely translated and directed short plays by German Playwright Tänkred Dörst (for Goethe Institute, Pune) in 1980; play "The Flood" by Günter Grass in 1980 (for Goethe Institute, Pune), Two short plays by Egyptian playwright Dr. Alfred Farag, Cairo (in association with American University in Cairo) in 2001.

Prof. Alekar served many cultural organizations, institutes and universities like Bharat Bhavan, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi, National School of Drama, University Grants Commission, Delhi, S.N.D.T. University, Shivaji University as advisor member of the committees. He is Govt. of India nominee on the society for the National School of Drama, Delhi and also nominated as the Vice Chairman, NSD. (2001-5). He is also a member of the Theatre Advisory committee of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi since 2001.

Satish Alekar is working as Professor and Head of the Centre for Performing Arts (Lalit Kala Kendra) at University of Pune since July 1996. He also worked as Research Officer at B.J. Medical College, Pune being a trained Biochemist. Satish Alekar M.Sc. (Biochemistry), University of Pune (1972).