I have always been a great admirer of Minister Ramesh, even though I realise it should not matter one bit to him what I think of him. I admire the fact that he got through successfully one of the more academically challenging institutions of India, IIT Bombay. As if that was not enough he went on to prove his mettle at GSB Stanford of the Snapshots from Hell fame. His wit is sparkling. His nationalist sentiments are beyond reproach, in site of his occasional remarks in places like China. And above all he earned his political spurs working under a boss who despite his flawed statemanship, is reputed to be a demanding taskmaster. To say that he is not a man of straw would be a ridiculous understatement.
I also do not want to take the Minister on the correctness of his views. That is a fight you cannot win. However good we academicinas might think we are there is always scope for improvement on some dimension that will bear the Minister right. Honesty demands that we admit that may be the Minister's remarks require us to sit back and ask if we can really take umbrage at his remarks.
Why would Minister Ramesh then stir a hornet's nest in an atmosphere that many academics seem to think has been vitiated by the recent administrative goings-on beats me. Minister Ramesh is no stranger to controversy although as a political understudy he was known for his astute silence. There are only two possible reasons. He is either being possibly naive and reckless. Or it is a carefully orchestrated strategy. From what I have observed of the man I would go with the latter theory. What that strategy is something that I would leave to those men and women in Delhi who spend a lifetime tracking the likes of Minister Ramesh to figure out.
That said there are a few questions that occur to my mind as I reflect on what to me at the end of the day is a non-issue. A little later why I think it is a non issue. How many times has the Minister visited his alma mater since he graduated? In the world where there are schools of excellence that wow the Minister with their accomplishments it is customary for successful and well placed alumni to give back. But for generous alumni I wonder where Stanford might be today. Second, given his incisive mind, has the Minister consulted any material for facts that allow him to go beyond mere impressions in forming an opinion? If he has done so what do those materials tell him about why these institutions are what they are today? Finally, having realised as indeed he seems to have how poorly these instituions are faring does he have any plans for redeeming these institutions out of their current state.
I also do not want to take the Minister on the correctness of his views. That is a fight you cannot win. However good we academicinas might think we are there is always scope for improvement on some dimension that will bear the Minister right. Honesty demands that we admit that may be the Minister's remarks require us to sit back and ask if we can really take umbrage at his remarks.
Why would Minister Ramesh then stir a hornet's nest in an atmosphere that many academics seem to think has been vitiated by the recent administrative goings-on beats me. Minister Ramesh is no stranger to controversy although as a political understudy he was known for his astute silence. There are only two possible reasons. He is either being possibly naive and reckless. Or it is a carefully orchestrated strategy. From what I have observed of the man I would go with the latter theory. What that strategy is something that I would leave to those men and women in Delhi who spend a lifetime tracking the likes of Minister Ramesh to figure out.
That said there are a few questions that occur to my mind as I reflect on what to me at the end of the day is a non-issue. A little later why I think it is a non issue. How many times has the Minister visited his alma mater since he graduated? In the world where there are schools of excellence that wow the Minister with their accomplishments it is customary for successful and well placed alumni to give back. But for generous alumni I wonder where Stanford might be today. Second, given his incisive mind, has the Minister consulted any material for facts that allow him to go beyond mere impressions in forming an opinion? If he has done so what do those materials tell him about why these institutions are what they are today? Finally, having realised as indeed he seems to have how poorly these instituions are faring does he have any plans for redeeming these institutions out of their current state.
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