ROBSON'S 'THEY' & SURI'S 'WE'

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ROBSON'S  'THEY'  &  SURI'S  'WE'

Dr. RAJENDRA PANDIAN

Former Governing Council Member

This rainy evening reminds me of a similar time a couple of years ago when a team of us set out to visit the homes of some of our colleagues [who were part of the new administration] to discuss certain pressing issues and possible ways out. It was about 8 pm; after a long obnoxious day. We were with Dr. Robson Benjamin discussing the one last chance we had to mount a combined resistance to save the college. The meeting lasted for about forty minutes. Prof. Suryakumar, Dr. Navaneetha Kannan and Dr. Barnabas did most of the talking, as I remember. The rest were so involved: either in the talks that they forgot the snacks or with the snacks that they ignored the talks. I was with the latter. I was sipping the coffee absolutely enjoying the coziness of the space and watching outside the swaying trees in the windy showers. 

I was interrupted by Dr. Benjamin’s outburst: “You know what? They think they can do any damn thing and get away with it in the name of ‘minorities’. The best way to save the American College is to persuade and help the government to take it over”. One could see an honest resentment; leave alone the height of frustration in his statement. Prof. Suryakumar, with his characteristic politeness, replied: “Oh Robson! I’m afraid you are wrong. How can we forego our legitimate rights [given by the governments] just because a few unscrupulous people are misusing that? We cannot and should not think on those lines”. 

Dr. Robson Benjamin and Prof. Suryakumar were fully entitled to have just the opposite views and they might have been equally right even then. But the ‘beauty’ one could see in this exchange was moving and redeeming. We found for once where this great institution lived. It suddenly felt like I had understood the Nehruvian assertion that Indian secularism is not an intellectual conception but an emotional experience.  

Well, I think, I’m not particularly averse to the idea of a possible government takeover of the college, as the last resort, to save it from being ‘stolen’ by some professional robbers and rogues in the garb of religion. However, I do believe, desire and pray that the American College, as a Christian institution with secular traditions, may continue to be so—strengthened by the ideals of introspection and compassion as embodied in Robson’s “THEY” and Suri’s “WE”.

DARK STORY CONTINUES ..........

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The next issue of Netrikann talks about Mrs. Christober’s  appointment as the Principal of the Dental college of C.S.I.  Since the whole article is fully  ‘devoted’ to her, I thought the blog better be off without a copy of it. 

However the article claims that her posting is questionable. It appears that it is a family trait, achieving the ends thru improper means.

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 This week's artilce in NETRIKANN

 

This week’s article has charted these following things:

*         Since there is an option for the TamilNadu Govt to take over the college, chrisober is even planning to run off from the country.

 

   *  Alagappa University, where from christober got his Ph.D. is to have a new Vice-Chancellor. Christober is vying to help the aspirants with money ( one crore rupees )so that he can later get his degree problem solved. The article gives even two names of the aspirants.

      

 *  The first accusation the college administration had against the bishop – trying to sell college property for some outsiders – is cropping up again. 

*  Christober is trying to sell some shops that the college has and trying to fill his coffers.

       Without the permission of the TN Govt christober has gone abroad twice.

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DARK STORY STINKS MORE

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நெற்றிக் கண் 4-வது வாரம் ....

There are two major accusations here. Christober has got some mercenaries in the college - just to threaten faculty. They are paid from the college, though they do not 'work' in the campus.

Appointments here in the college are going for a very high price 'under the table'!



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A-MUST-READ-POST

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 Hope YOU read at least this post. 

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 Folks

The above is the page in the dashboard of my blog. This gives details of the posts that have been loaded in the blog - date-wise.    It also gives the number of people who have read the respective posts and also the number of comments, if any.

A REAL SAD STORY. Just look at the number of readers. So few - though I have been posting it for some hundreds of alumni and faculty, present and past. Just shows the INTEREST  for your ALMA MATER !!

Among this sorry state of affair, I was happy to receive comments from my two old students, Dr.  SRINIVASA PERUMAL and Dr.VENMATHI. I felt that their message should reach the present staff of our college. In addition another usual 'guest' of this blog Prof. V. SRINIVASAN's few lines also are included.

Hope all receivers of this blog read at least this post. 




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Prof. V.SRINIVASAN writes ....

This web site was created to SAVE AMERICAN COLLEGE. Look at the number of persons posting their views - a Samuel Lawrence, a Rajendra Pandian and Dharumi, who maintains the blog. I am sure many follow the blog but don't take time to respond. This silence could be the reason that gives our Netrikan hero to act the way he does. Silence is not golden in matters like this. People who want to save the college should SHOUT. Wake up before it is too late.


Dr. SRINIVASA PERUMAL writes ....I strongly feel though, we are discussing a lot, the people who are all currently working and studying in the college only can bring the change in reality. ...To achieve any tangible success, the likeminded teaching staff and non-teaching staff should join together and protest aggressively. 


 Dr.VENMATHI writes ...

How and why "most of the Academic Community of the College with him" that becomes Puriyatha Puthir for me!

(Mathi, you statement proves the high esteem you had for  the faculty, developed during your student days long time back here. All those old times ....! It is no more like that !!)



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