Seriously discussed walking away, Ashoka University co-founder says amid row
Addressing the row over Ashoka University Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad's controversial social media post on Operation Sindoor, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, co-founder of the institute, in an email to alumnus stated that he and his fellow co-founders had 'seriously discussed' the option of walking away from it.
He was responding to an email from an anonymous alumnus, who had questioned the co-founder's stand on the row triggered by Mr. Mahmudabad's post and his subsequent arrest.
Referring to the university's co-founders Pramath Raj Sinha and Ashish Dhawan in an internal email, Mr. Bhikchandani stated, 'Why don't you and other alumni offer to step in and take over? Pramath, Ashish, and I have seriously discussed the option of walking away. Ashoka is too much of a headache. Is it worth the effort? And you may not believe this, but money, even in this day and age, does not grow on trees but it still makes the world go round. Every rupee has to be sweated for.'
Mr. Bhikchandani stated he was down with COVID-19 and further wrote, 'A political opinion expressed on Facebook or Twitter (X) or Instagram is not academic scholarship. Consequently, any public outcry about a political opinion an academic may express on social media is not an attack on academic freedom, even if the person expressing that opinion has a day job as an academic.'
Had been feeling out of sorts for the last three days. Tested positive for Covid last evening. Went into isolation. A Sindhi friend in Mumbai had sent some Lolas. Feeling peckish at 5am I had half a Lola. I could not taste anything.
Key learning - you know it is Covid when a… — Sanjeev Bikhchandani (@sbikh) June 1, 2025
Mr. Bhikchandani stated that the university is not obliged to support a person for the political opinions they express in their personal capacity.
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