Bharath University – 28th Convocation
06.03.2016
Presidential Speech By
Padmasri Dr.Avvai Natarajan 3
May I, in this connection venture to express my personal conviction
that the success of the teaching will depend on the extent to which
the teacher keeps himself aloof from all controversial political
issues.
I hold that during the active practice of two of the noblest
professions, Teaching and Medicine, no one who is true devotee of
either can afford to get entangled in acute controversial politics of
the day.
This does not mean and should not be interpreted as a desire
to see that the teacher or the student should be secluded from the
reverberations of society or the country and should lead a cloistered
life.
The student should not be kept in ignorance and suddenly
thrown into an inhospitable world and asked to face the acute problems
of life.
A free and frank discussion of current problems, of political and
social ideologies, of men and matters carried in a spirit of mutual
tolerance and in an atmosphere of academic freedom, guided and
encouraged by the teacher is not only welcome but is desirable and
necessary.
But the present tendency for the formation of groups and
associations based on political, communal, or religious differences
outside and the encouragement of party loyalties in educational
institutions by teachers of political parties spell danger and
disaster of such magnitude, that we shall be failing in our duty if we
do not issue a note of stern warning to all and more particularly to
political parties in this country.
Whatever be their justification in other countries more
homogeneously situated and with established traditions, India today
cannot afford to allow anyone to sow the seeds of dissension in her
educational institutions and to let the youth of the nation be divided
into hostile camps at an age and a state when the greatest amount of
unity, harmony and good will should prevail.
And if this catastrophe should be avoided, the teacher who is and
should be the friend, philosopher and guide of the students, should
not only be above all political parties, but should, like Caesar’s
wife, be above all suspicion of partisan leanings.
If we cannot all succeed in our endeavour and free ourselves
completely from such active partisanship, let us at least keep the
ideal before us and strive towards that objective.
We need Doctors for healing this malady inside and outside of the humanity.
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