Kozhikode: More than two years after its ‘inauguration’, the Central University of Kerala (CUK) is getting the much awaited Mahatma Ayyankali Chair, named after the eminent Dalit social reformer.
This time it is for real. Soon after the Assembly elections, the university will approach the UGC for permission. The UGC approval is expected soon as the HRD minister has recommended inclusion of Ayyankali’s name in the UGC list of eminent people for naming various Central varsity chairs. The chair would come up at CUK’s Thiruvananthapuram campus.
In February 2014, even though the then Union minister of state for labour Kodikunnil Suresh inaugurated the Chair in the name of eminent social reformer, it was later revealed that the UGC had not sanctioned it. “In 2012, even though the university requested for this chair, the UGC didn’t give sanction. When I took charge as the VC and contacted the UGC, I got to know that no such name was on the UGC list, nor did they approve the idea for such a chair,” said CUK vice-chancellor Dr G. Gopakumar. “As per UGC norms, chairs should be named after eminent national personalities including nation builders, social reformers etc. Later, we were successful in convincing the HRD minister about the importance of Ayyankali and his contributions and thus moved a step forward to make the Chair a reality,” he added.
“Once the Chair is established, it will be the first in the name of a South Indian among Central varsities. The chair will boost the research on Ayyankali,” the VC added.
