The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has cancelled a scheduled lecture by scholar Ganesh Devy, a prominent cultural activist and former professor of English at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
The lecture, titled `The crisis within: On Knowledge and Education in India,` was part of the `Institute Lecture` series and was initially planned for January 31.
While students and faculty were informed a month in advance about the lecture, the cancellation notice was issued on January 30, citing “unforeseen circumstances.” The decision, made by the committee overseeing lectures at IIT Bombay, has sparked concerns among students about the institute`s practice of calling off lectures.
A disappointed student said that they were excited to hear Professor Devy, an intellectual who shares insights on history and present society.
A news report quoted Professor Devy expressing his disappointment, “I have never been previously associated with IIT Bombay. A day before I was leaving, the same person who invited me informed about the cancellation. I did not inquire about the reason as it is not my basic right. Such last-minute cancellations do leave a bitter taste.”
Despite speculation, Professor Devy refrained from attributing the cancellation to the content of his lecture, emphasizing the scientific nature of the institute. “They are a scientific organization, and I would like to believe that the reasons are not irrational,” he added, according to the news report.
This incident is not the first of its kind at IIT Bombay. In November last year, a lecture on `Israel-Palestine: The Historical Context` by Professor Achin Vanaik was canceled, raising concerns about academic freedom. Additionally, a two-day conference on Left politics titled ‘Cultures of the Political Left in Modern India’ was canceled in 2022.
Following the cancellation of the lecture on the Israel-Palestine conflict, over 50 students wrote a letter to the authorities, expressing concerns about the loss of academic freedom on the campus. The letter stated, “To restrict us from inviting academicians or to allow the administration to intimidate us is tantamount to destroying our academic freedom.”
In response to the cancellation, students from Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle at IIT-B organized a reading of Professor Devy’s book at the same time and venue, drawing attendance from around 25 residents on the campus, including some faculty members.
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