Dharmendra Pradhan pitches for change of 156-yr-old Ravenshaw University; intellectuals oppose idea

By Dr Rama Chandra Behera

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 31: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday pleaded for change of the name of Ravenshaw University in Odisha, drawing mixed reactions from educationists and alumni of the 156-year-old premiere educational institution. 

The minister questioned the contribution of Thomas Edward Ravenshaw, famously known as Ravenshaw Saheb, after whom the university has been named, to the development of Odia people during his period as the Commissioner of Odisha.

“What did Thomas Edward Ravenshaw, the then Commissioner of Odisha, do during the 1866 great famine in the state? Is the person who was found tormenting Odia people a matter of pride for us?” asked Pradhan during an event in Cuttack city.

Pradhan said his observation was “purely personal” and there should be debates on the matter.

“Let me make it clear that it is my personal opinion. Intellectuals in Odisha should think over it. There should be debates and discussions over the matter,” said the minister.

The 1866 great famine, more known as ‘Na-Anka Durbiksha’ as it happened in the ninth regnal year of Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, the calamity claimed over a million lives. Many blamed Ravenshaw for the calamity saying he could not foresee the imminent calamity and failed to handle the situation as the devastation struck.

The minister’s observation did not find favour with certain former students of the institution.

“I don’t support the name change suggestion. Ravenshaw is not a name. It is a way of life. It has more than 100 years of history behind it. It can’t be related to ‘Asmita’ (pride and identity). Asmita cannot exist without tradition. I think the minister’s statement is unrealistic and I differ with him,” said Hemendra Narayan Das, a former student of Ravenshaw University.

“Those who know about the contribution of Ravenshaw will never say that the university named after him should be changed. If our students have read Odia, it’s because of Ravenshaw only. When there was a conspiracy not to teach the students in Odia medium in schools, Ravenshaw was strongly against it. He has written many letters in this regard,” said Satyakam Mishra, a former student and ex-administrator of Ravenshaw University.

“Those who don’t know about Ravenshaw’s contributions will talk about famine. The famine didn’t occur due to Ravenshaw, rather it happened due to wrong information given by the then administration that enough food stuff was available. Ravenshaw played a great role in spreading education in Odisha,” said Mishra.

Former Odisha chief secretary Sahadev Sahoo said, “Ravenshaw never tormented people. He played a great role in the spread of education in Odisha. People honoured him by naming the prestigious college after him. There is no need to change the name of Ravenshaw University.”