SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, July 12: Ranchi University celebrated its 63rd foundation day on Tuesday under the Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative. Guest speakers on the occasion were Tribal Research Institute director and revered writer Ranendra Kumar and archaeologist and former vice director of Department of Art Culture, Government of Jharkhand Dr Harendra P Sinha who talked of the unsung heroes of the tribal freedom movements.
Vice-Chancellor Ajit Kumar Sinha, while addressing the audience talked of the history and achievements of the university. He talked of the several lives the university had touched, many of whom were famous and had achieved great heights in their careers. He further spoke about his personal experience as a former student of the university.
Furthermore, the VC said, “The University is such a big institution that if I begin discussing what I have learnt of it as its VC, it would take a few hours. The university became such a proud institution due to the hard work of its teachers and their sacrifices.”
He also compared the past and present of the university and said that the university had produced several officials including IPS, IAS, and several that worked with ISRO, DRDO, BHABHA Research Institute, CCL, and CMPDI, among several others.
Speaker Ranendra Kumar on the occasion talked of several unsung heroes that played leading roles in several important freedom struggles even before 1857 and said that several of these heroes and their movements were given derogatory names, while others’ names never saw the light of day apart from becoming small footnotes in the chapters of history. “Some even didn’t get that,” he added.
He further discussed how his team at TRI were researching the history and trying to find out sources and stories of such heroes including leaders of the Chuhar movement and Kol movement among others. He also talked of how tea and then opium led the British to India. The director further claimed that the British were initially drug peddlers here.
Dr Harendra P Sinha also talked of the unsung heroes; however, he talked of the movements before the Sultanate period.
Jharkhand Open University VC T N Sahu, Pro-Vice Chancellor Kamini Kumar, Registrar MC Mehta, DSW Rajkumar Singh, Exam Controller A K Jha along with teachers, non-teaching staff and students were present on the occasion.
