Annual Report 2017 – 2018
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CENTRE FOR GANDHIAN STUDIES ALPHONSA COLLEGE PALA, KERALA Annual Report 2017 – 2018 Introduction Established in 2008 with the assistance of the University Grants Commission, the Centre for Gandhian Studies in Alphonsa College continued its efforts to promote the study and dissemination of the thought, values and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. It organized various academic, student support and extension programmes based on different aspects of Gandhian thought and values. Advisory Committee The following are the members of the Advisory Committee of the Centre: Dr. Alice Jose, Principal, Alphonsa College. Dr. M. S. John, Professor of International Relations, Centre for Global Studies, Central University of Kerala, Kasargod and Editor, Gandhi Marg. Dr. M.P.Mathai, Professor, Gujarat Vidyapith and former Professor and Director, School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University. Ms. Alleymol Sebastian, Associate Professor, Department of English, Alphonsa College. Ms. Rosmy Kattoor, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Alphonsa College. Dr. Teresa Joseph, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science; and Director, Centre for Gandhian Studies, Alphonsa College. A meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Centre was held on 2 June 2017. Detailed discussions were held on the programmes to be organised during the year. Another meeting of the Advisory Committee held on 13 March 2018 evaluated the activities of the Centre over the last one year. The programmes were well appreciated. The Annual Report as well as the financial statement of accounts of the Centre were also perused and approved. 2 Gandhi Forum Gandhi Forum, an organization of students functioning under the auspices of the Centre for Gandhian Studies, strives to promote an understanding of the values and ideals upheld by Mahatma Gandhi, and spearheads all the activities of the Centre. It provides an avenue for the all-round development of members, with their active participation in all the activities of the Centre. Members of the forum are also encouraged and deputed to participate in programmes organized by other institutions that promote an understanding of Mahatma Gandhi. 71 students joined the Gandhi Forum during 2017-18. The Executive Committee of the Forum was reconstituted and the following office bearers were elected for the academic year 2017-18: President: Sneha George, II DC Economics Vice President: Anakha Saji, II DC English Secretary: Reshma Mariam Santhosh, II DC Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Library and Reading Room The library and reading room maintained by the Centre has total collection of 1300 books, 150 of which were purchased during 2017-18. This collection covers diverse themes that are relevant to the ideas and philosophy of the father of the nation. Besides books written on and by Mahatma Gandhi the collection includes books on Indian history, polity and society, international peace and security, women‟s studies, environmental studies, human rights, etc. The Centre also has a collection of audio-visual CDs on Mahatma Gandhi, his speeches, collected works, favourite music, etc. Several documentary as well as feature films in both English and Malayalam on Mahatma Gandhi and issues of concern to him such as communalism, international conflict, militarisation, etc. are also available at the Centre. 3 ACTIVITIES 2017-18 National Workshop on Gandhian Leadership Acknowledging the fact that the Gandhian model of leadership and Gandhi‟s philosophy are of increasing relevance today, the Centre organized a National Workshop on Gandhian Leadership on 14 and 15 December 2017. The programme was envisaged to provide students the opportunity to develop leadership qualities that can in the long term pave the way towards a just, egalitarian, sustainable society. It drew on Mahatma Gandhi‟s multifaceted leadership skills as well as the values that he espoused, and provided an opportunity for students to listen to distinguished leaders in various fields who could provide insights on leadership skills, drawing from their own life experiences. Dr. Cyriac Thomas, former Vice Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi University inaugurated the programme. Resource persons included Dr. M.P.Mathai, Professor, Gujarat Vidyapith and Editor, Gandhi Marg; Sri. John Samuel, Executive Director, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development; Smt. 4 Sajini Mathews, Director, Snehibhavan; and Dr. S.P.Udayakumar, Co-ordinator, People‟s Movement Against Nuclear Energy. Dr. M.P.Mathai spoke on the theme of Mahatma Gandhi and Leadership for Peace, while Sri. John Samuel discussed the Ethics of Leadership: Learning from the Past and Shaping the Future. Ms. Sajini Mathews gave a moving account of her life experiences and the circumstances that led her to work for children and the marginalised. Her presentation on Seventeen Years of Snehibhavan evoked an emotional response from the audience. In his presentation on The Three M Leadership: Mohandas, Martin and Malcolm, Dr. S.P.Udayakumar, spoke about the leadership of Malcom X, Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, highlighting the fact that they all fought for justice and equality. A student presentation competition was also organized as part of the programme on the theme: Translating Ideas Into Action: Gandhian Leadership and Contemporary Social Issues. Meera Rajan and team of UC College, Aluva won the first prize with a cash award of Rs. 5000/-, Alka Maria Simon of Alphonsa College won the second prize with a cash award of Rs.3000/- and Aleena Vinoy and team of UC College, Aluva won the third prize with a cash award of Rs.1500/-. The progamme concluded with the planting of saplings on campus. 5 Special Lecture: Environment and the Future of Mankind The Centre commemorated Environment Day on 5 June 2017 with a talk on Environment and the Future of Mankind by Rev. Dr. K.M.George, incumbent of the Paulos Mar Gregorios Chair, Mahatma Gandhi University and former Principal, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam. Dr. George stressed the point that the earth needs to be loved and respected. How much a person should consume is something determined by one‟s personal experiences. He introduced several books and poems on the environment and spoke in depth on the Gaia hypothesis, eco- spirituality, Arne Naess‟ concept of deep ecology, and Schumacher‟s „small is beautiful‟. He also spoke of the politics of sustainable development. A few saplings were also planted in the campus on the occasion. Special Lecture: Colonial Modernity and Gandhi A Special Lecture on Colonial Modernity and Gandhi by Dr. Mathew Joseph, Associate Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi was organized by the Centre on 6 June 2017. Dr. Mathew Joseph emphasised the fact that Gandhi was one of the first people to highlight the problems of modernity. While most other national leaders of the time saw modernity as based on the western model, Gandhi felt that modernity has a natural development in any society. It was something that should develop/emerge from within not outside. Gandhi did not oppose modernity per se, but the constructed modernity of the British. Special Lectures in Collaboration with Other Departments In collaboration with the Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics a special lecture on the Importance of Adolescent Nutrition by Dr. Gayathri Ashokan, Consultant Dietician and Nutritionist and Founder of Nutrisolutions Health Care Clinic, Cochin was organised for students on 15 December 2017. A special lecture on Career Orientation by Michael Thomas, Assistant 6 Professor, St. Dominic‟s College, Kanjirappally was organised in collaboration with the Department of Botany on 23 February 2018. Sr. Pushpa Jose, former Principal, Teacher Training Institute, Mutholy, delivered a special lecture on the Problems of Adolescence. The programme was organized in collaboration with the Department of Physics on 12 March 2018. Book: Deliberative Democracy: Understanding the Indian Experience A feather in the cap for the Centre is the international publication of the book Deliberative Democracy: Understanding the Indian Experience. Edited by Dr. Teresa Joseph, Director, Centre for Gandhian Studies and Dr. Siby K. Joseph, Dean, Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha, the book is the outcome of the National Seminar on Deliberative Democracy and the Politics of Alternatives in India organized by the Centre in collaboration with the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha. The international edition of the book is published by Routledge, London and New York, and the South Asian edition by Manohar Publishers, New Delhi. Intercollegiate Short Film Competition: Be the Change You Want to See in the World The Centre organized an intercollegiate short film competition on the theme: Be the Change You Want to See in the World. Ananthu K.Krishnan of St. Thomas College, Pala won the first prize with a cash award of Rs. 5000/- for the film – „Transforming Thought into Action‟, Sreehari Haridas of Yuvakshetra Institute of Management Studies, Palakkad won the second 7 prize with a cash award of Rs. 3000/- for the film „Hashtag‟, and George Thomas of KE College, Mannanam won the third prize of Rs. 1500/- for the film „Be the Change You Want to see in the World‟. One Step – The Newsletter with a Difference The fifth volume of One Step, the newsletter with a difference was published by the Centre in March 2018. It brings together the major programmes and activities of the Centre. It also highlights some important writings and quotations of Mahatma Gandhi, besides providing interesting anecdotes from Gandhi‟s life. One Step reinforces the efforts of the Centre to promote an awareness of Mahatma Gandhi‟s life as well as his philosophy and ideals, particularly among the student community. Deputation of Gandhi Forum Members to All India University Students Camp in Wardha Three members of the Gandhi Forum – Sneha George of II DC Economics, Anakha Saji of II DC English and Surya Janardhanan of II DC Botany were deputed to participate in the eight day All India University Students Camp organized by the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha, Maharashtra from 23rd to 30th December 2017.