Assam: State Government Signed MoU with Visva Bharati University on Sankardev Chair

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government signed an MoU with Vishva Bharati University in Guwahati on Thursday to institute a chair in the name Srimanta Sankardev. With this, the number of university chairs on Sankardev is three. JNU and Punjab University have Sankardev chairs.

Secretary, Higher Education, Madhu Sudan Nath, signed the understanding on behalf of the state government, while Registrar, Visva Bharati University, Ashok Kumar Mahato, signed the same in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at a function held at Janata Bhawan here today.

As a part of the MoU, a chair in the name of Srimanta Sankardeva will be established with an objective to promote the study and research of Srimanta Sankardeva and his Bhakti Movement beyond the borders of Assam and India.

 Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma thanked Visva Bharati University, its Vice Chancellor, and other fraternities for partnering with the Government of Assam in furthering the studies and research of Srimanta Sankardeva’s Bhakti Movement. Paying obeisance to the Vaisnavite giant, Dr. Sarma said, “Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev’s teachings have illuminated Assam through centuries and united Sanatan Dharma by relegating individual caste identities. The MoU will help the academic fraternity to utilise the opportunity to study and undertake research of the teachings and philosophies of Gurujona and his contribution to Indian society.”.

The Chief Minister also said that the chair at Visva Bharati University will be a boost to doctoral and post-doctoral research on the Bhakti Movement. He also hailed the initiative of Visva Bharati University for taking the step in supporting Assam’s endeavour of giving to the world the ethos of Sankardeva’s teachings, which are embedded with the spirit of cultural nationalism. He further said that in the period of the 15th and 16th centuries, Sankardeva was the only scholar who taught the people the essence of unity and rose above the narrow considerations of caste and creed. He also said that the society of Assam has subsequently taken the form that truly reflects the ethos of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva’s philosophy. The MoU will augur well in the collaborative approach of the Assam Government and Visva Bharati University to promote cultural nationalism propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva, Sarma added.

The Chief Minister also said that as a part of the MoU, the Government of Assam would provide a one-time grant of Rs. 5 crore for the establishment of the Chair. He said that along with Bisva Bharati University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Punjab University, where the chair has already been set up, the Srimanta Sankardeva chair will also be set up at two other prominent universities across the country, taking the total to five. For the chairs established at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Punjab University, the Assam government had previously allocated Rs. 10 crore and Rs. 5 crore, respectively.

 Also read: West Bengal CM Mamata stands by Amartya Sen in land issue tussle with Visva Bharati University (sentinelassam.com)

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