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OU teachers were on par with best in world
The very mention of Osmania University teachers lightens up the face of Dr S Chandrasekhar, director CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT). “If it was not for the inspiring lectures by Prof Siddanthi and Prof C V Ratnam, I would not have reached the position that I have. I owe it to Osmania University,” he says.
Dr Chandrasekhar, Director CSIR-IICT, reminisces his days spent as a student of Osmania University
Hyderabad: The very mention of Osmania University teachers lightens up the face of Dr S Chandrasekhar, director CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT). “If it was not for the inspiring lectures by Prof Siddanthi and Prof C V Ratnam, I would not have reached the position that I have. I owe it to Osmania University,” he says.
The professors who were on par with anyone in the world made OU special but over the years, retirement and no recruitment policy had derailed the effect. OU was always known for research and teaching, he said, adding any university would prosper only when a fine balance was maintained between research and teaching. He further added, “Sadly, it has now reduced to a predominant teaching university.”
Reminiscing his days at the Chemistry department, between the years 1983 and 1985, Chandrasekhar said, in a batch of 40, there were just two male day scholars - he and Shekharam, who is now his colleague at IICT and heads the Polymers and Functional division.
“The boycott call would usually start after 11 am and we would never miss the first hour. Luckily OU was far more peaceful during our stay as the rough and tumble of the Telangana agitation of late 60s had subsided to a great extent.”
Like every other Science scholar, who made it to the USA, Chandrasekhar attended the University of Texas and could have easily settled in the USA as the process for his Green Card was underway. But he decided to come back and join IICT as Scientist ‘C’ and has remained there. It took him 22 years to become the Director.
A hardcore supporter of Osmania University, he wished to see OU faculty compete nationally and internationally to get laurels. He would be willing to open the IICT labs to OU faculty.
On the State of Indian Universities and OU in particular Dr Chandrasekhar had clear views, he says, “There is no need to build new universities but to blood the existing ones with fresh talent and funds.”
Citing an example of IIT Bombay he adds, “There is facility for 300 students to sit in a class and that model could be replicated. During our time we did not even have an overhead projector. Now that we have technology we just need to innovate.”
