Former VC, educationist V Vasanthi Devi passes away

Time of India

4 days ago

Chennai: Former vice-chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, and human rights activist V Vasanthi Devi, who contested against J Jayalalithaa from R K Nagar in 2016, passed away following cardiac arrest at her native place Vilachery, Madurai, on Friday.
She was 87.
Born in 1938 in Dindigul, Vasanthi Devi moved to the then Madras at the age of 15 to complete her higher secondary education. She graduated in history from Presidency College, Chennai, and moved to Philippines in the 1970s for her PhD at the University of the Philippines.
After returning to India in the 1980s, she worked as a professor at Queen Mary's College, Chennai, and was subsequently appointed principal of Govt College for Women, Kumbakonam, between 1988 and 1990.
In 1992, she became the first vice-chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, a post she held till 1998. She was the first woman vice-chancellor of any state university (barring Mother Teresa Women's University).
Between 2002 and 2005, she served as chairperson of the
Tamil Nadu
state commission for women.
Her father P V Das was a freedom fighter and ardent follower of Chittaranjan Das; he named her Vasanthi Devi, Tamil version of Basanti Devi, wife of Chittaranjan Das.
Vasanthi Devi was attracted to Marxism during her college days and was known for playing a vital role in many demonstrations for education and human rights.
She wrote half-a-dozen books including 'Sakthi Pirakkum Kalvi', 'Kalvi Or Arasiyal' and 'Makkal Mayamaagum Kalvi'. She is survived by a son Narendra Subramanian, a political scientist and professor at McGrill University, Canada, and a daughter Ajantha Subramaniam, professor of anthropology and south Asian studies, Harvard University.
"While this is an immense loss to all of us, we remember her as a remarkable person who was deeply engaged in various fields — the teachers' movement to start with, the movement for the right to education and the broader struggle for human rights," said human rights activist Henri Thiphagne in his condolence message.
Chief minister in his condolence message said, "Vasanthi Devi continuously fought against communalising and commercialising of education and against Union govt's centeralisation of powers." Other political leaders also condoled Vasanthi Devi's death.