‘There Should Be No Issue…’: Bhartruhari Mahtab Adds Fuel To Ravenshaw Name Change Row

Bhubaneswar: After a series of editorials, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab on Friday pitched for changing the name of Ravenshaw University while corroborating his earlier claims with demands he had made at different times since 1977.

“It has been 77 years since India gained Independence. Efforts have been made for changing the name of the varsity since 1949 when several princely states, including Mayurbhanj, were integrated into Odisha. Mayurbhanj became a part of the state on January 1. The issue was raised in Vidhan Sabha when Pandit Lingaraj Mishra was the Higher Education Minister. From time to time, students have taken up the cudgels for renaming of the institution and they have been supported by political parties,” he told reporters.

Bhartruhari said that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had only suggested for a debate on renaming of the 156-year-old institution. “But a controversy erupted and soon it snowballed into personal attacks. Are we not intellectually capable for engaging in a debate?” he asked while attending a seminar titled, “Role of Thomas Ravenshaw During Famine Nine, in Bhubaneswar.

Dharmendra had opined that the name of Ravenshaw University should be changed considering the role its founder T E Ravenshaw in escalating the famine situation in 1866.

The Cuttack MP further said that he has been writing about it since 1980s. It was for the state government to decide on the issue, he said, while refusing to respond to the personal comments made against him.

“Why should the institution created with the grant of people of Odisha be named after an English man? Is there any institution in the name of Odia people outside Odisha? Then why are we showing so much love and support for outsiders? There should be no problem if we change the name of Ravenshaw,” Bhartruhari argued.

Speaking to the media, eminent litterateur Haraprasad Das suggested that the university be renamed after Gajapati Kapilendra Deva. “I support the name change proposal. We have not given enough credit to the Gajapati for giving an identity to Odias and Odisha,” he said.

BJD leader Sudhir Samal said Ravenshaw University is an identity for students, who are studying and have graduated from the institution. “The Union Minister had called for a discussion and it is on,” he added.