Latest news with #Kattimani
The Hindu
31-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Universities must lead educational revolution, says former vice-chancellor
Highlighting the transformative role of universities in society, the former Vice-Chancellor of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh Tejaswi V. Kattimani has said that universities must lead the way in educational revolution and help students succeed through higher learning. He was delivering the inaugural address at the 16th Foundation Day celebrations of Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University (VSKU) held at the university's open-air auditorium in Ballari on Wednesday. 'Education is the cornerstone of progress. It is heartening that India's education system has evolved to attract international students, a sign of growing global recognition,' Prof. Kattimani said and noted that innovation and reform in the academic space are drawing attention worldwide. He added that the success of a university lies in the commitment of its teachers and students. 'Only teachers have the power to shape the future of their students. Today's youth must understand the true purpose of education. It is not merely about marks but about honing one's skills and setting ambitious goals,' he said and encouraged students to embrace multiple languages and skillsets to realise their full potential. Chief Administrative Officer of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd. and the former Registrar of VSKU S.N. Rudresh recalled his tenure at the university and praised the discipline of the student community. 'In my 18 years of service, no role has given me as much fulfilment as my time in this university,' he said. Mr. Rudresh observed that while significant changes have taken place in the education sector, the future challenge lies in steering these reforms meaningfully. He called for coordinated efforts between teachers and students to elevate the university's stature further. Presiding over the event, VSKU Vice-Chancellor M. Muniraju emphasised the importance of delivering quality education in a competitive academic environment. 'Universities must focus on capability-based learning, embracing digital platforms, while promoting innovation that supports the academic growth of students. The university, founded in honour of Vijayanagara emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya, is proud to mark its 16th year,' Prof. Muniraju said and announced that the university is planning to expand from to 45 departments from 29 and introduce more skill-based courses to enhance employability. Ahead of the formal event, cultural performances by various student teams showcased the university's rich artistic talent. University Registrar C. Nagaraju, Registrar (Evaluation) N.M. Saali, Finance Officer Nagaraj and programme convener N. Shantanayak were present along with members of the Syndicate, Academic Council, department heads, teaching and non-teaching staff and students.
The Hindu
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Literary critics have been unfair to writers with a social consciousness , says Baragur Ramachandrappa
Writer Baragur Ramachandrappa said, literary critics have been unfair to writers with a social consciousness. They tend to think that such writers are less creative than others. He was speaking at an event where he was presented with an award, instituted by the Basavaraj Kattimani Trust, on Monday by Minister for Public Works Satish Jarkiholi. 'The progressive writers, women novelists and popular writers were looked down by critics. Writers like A.N. Kru, Basavaraj Kattimani, and Niranjana were discarded for decades. They were branded as popular literature and not creative literature. But they fail to see that they had fuelled a massive growth of readers. Serious theatre can not an identity that is isolated from professional theatre. Mr. Kattimani and Niranjan's novels were recognised decades after their death. It does not mean they were writers of low quality. But it was because the critics did not have the required sensibilities. But then, things changed over time. Kannada has produced a rich harvest of great critics,' he said. He said he was very happy to receive an award in the name of Basavaraj Kattimani. 'Mr Kattimani produced one of the boldest works in Kannada as he was fearless. That courage came from his personal integrity. It is very difficult to write such novels again,' he said. He called for continued friendship among writers, despite ideological differences. 'Nowadays, we have forgotten that. We tend to turn our friends into enemies just because they follow ideologies different from ours. Conversation should go on among people of different ideological groups,' he said. He gave examples of Ram Manohar Lohia and Jawaharlal Nehru. 'They were strong critics of each other. But they were never enemies. They continued to be friends,'' he said. Several years ago, B.S. Yediyurappa, who was in the opposition, strongly opposed a Bill about displacing forest dwellers and sat on dharna. The Bill was moved by Forest Minister B. Rachaiah who came around and agreed to the points raised by Mr. Yediyurappa. But in the last decade, we have lost this art of agreeing to disagree. We are trying to use language rooted in feudal mindset, he said. He said there was a lot of prejudice against people like him, but he rose above it. 'I never thought I would be a writer. The insults suffered in childhood due to my caste and my poverty made me a writer. I became a socialist before studying sociology, due to the prejudice and insults I suffered,' he said. Ravindranath Tagore inspired me through his works and paintings. I began to read and write only to get recognition from teachers and classmates. I took it as a challenge and began wide reading and writing. I copied a song from the film Ohileshwara of Dr. Rajkumar and wrote a poem about a classmate who dropped out of school. That became very popular in school, he said. He recalled all his teachers from middle school to university, like M. Nagabhushan, H.S. Biligiri Chidambar Dixit, H. Narasimhaiah and Satyanarayan. If not for them, I would never be a reader, let alone a writer, he said. Trust chairman Yallappa Himmadi, members, Rani Channamma university Vice-Chancellor, C.M. Tyagaraj, Kiran Gajanur of Central university of Karnataka and others were present.
The Hindu
01-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
President Murmu to attend first convocation of Central Tribal University: VC
VIZIANAGARAM The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh, South India's first of its kind, is set to hold its first convocation on June 10, 2025 at the Convention Centre of Andhra University in Visakhapatnam. President of India Droupadi Murmu, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and other dignitaries will be attending the convocation. A total of 197 students from five batches will receive their degrees during the ceremony. Although the university is located in Vizianagaram, the convocation is being held in Visakhapatnam due to security, accommodation, and other logistic concerns. The university's Vice Chancellor T.V. Kattimani recently met Ms. Draupadi in New Delhi and thanked her for accepting to be the Chief Guest. 'It will be a memorable moment for students as they receive their certificates from the President of India. This event will further enhance the reputation of the university and inspire many students to pursue higher education at our institution,' said Dr. Kattimani while speaking to The Hindu. Established in 2019 under the AP Reorganisation Act, the university currently operates from the old AU buildings in Vizianagaram. The university's permanent campus is being readied at Chinamedapalli village in Mentada mandal of Vizianagaram district. For the academic year 2025-26, the university plans to introduce more courses and provide on-campus accommodation for students. Dr. Kattimani said: 'Both the Union and State governments have been extending full support for the speedy construction of the new campus, which will have state-of-the-art facilities. We have requested the government to sanction additional faculty positions in accordance with the proposed new courses. We hope the government will accept our proposal before the beginning of the new academic year.'
