Pradhan’s demand to rename 156-year-old Odisha University sparks controversy

The proposal by Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to rename the 156-year-old Ravenshaw University in Cuttack has sparked a political dispute. The opposition parties Biju Janata Dal and Congress are demanding an apology from him.

IMAGE: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan arrives for the BJP Central Election Committee meeting for the Haryana assembly elections on August 29, 2024 at the party headquarters in New Delhi. Photo: ANI Photo

Pradhan had suggested changing the name to Ravenshaw University while attending a programme in Cuttack on Saturday.

“A name change is necessary. What did Ravenshaw, after whom the university is named, do during the famine?” the minister had asked, adding that this was his personal opinion and was up for debate.

BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty came down heavily on Pradhan at a press conference here, saying the Union Education Minister lacked knowledge about the history of the state and Ravenshaw’s contribution to higher education in Odisha.

“This is a very unfortunate statement by Pradhan under the guise of Odisha’s ‘asmita’ (pride). He should have studied the history a little before,” Mohanty said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party reacted immediately and asked the opposition party not to make this a political issue.

“The remark on Ravenshaw was the personal opinion of the Union minister. He is free to express his opinion on issues,” said Deputy Chief Minister KV Singhdeo and Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.

BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said, “The BJD has a habit of campaigning for non-Odia officers. Now they have crossed all boundaries and are fighting for a British officer. The Union minister has taken a democratic approach by seeking a debate on the issue. The BJD has not handed over even an inch of land in the name of Ravenshaw University during its 24-year rule despite professing its love for the institute.

Congress MP from Barabati-Cuttack constituency Sofia Firdous said Ravenshaw was an emotion and instead of getting upset over trivial things like renaming, steps should be taken to develop the university into a world-class one.

In a statement, the Congress asked the BJP to change its mindset and refrain from changing the names and colour of institutions.

The prestigious institution in the city of Cuttack was named after British bureaucrat Thomas Edward Ravenshaw. He was instrumental in establishing the institute in 1868, just a few years after the Great Odisha Famine (Na Anka Durbhikshya).

The institute became a full-fledged university in 2006 and currently comprises nine schools and 33 departments with nearly 8,000 students. It is the only public university in the state to have received NAAC A++ rating.

Former MP Soumya Ranjan Patnaik said he was against the renaming of Raveshaw University and was ready for a debate on the issue. “Changing the name of Ravenshaw University neither changes the character nor improves the quality of education. The Union Education Minister should take steps to improve the quality of education,” Patnaik said.