New Delhi, Sept. 26 -- Higher Education minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay on Saturday called for restoring Bengal's higher education legacy and developing Vidyasagar University as a mentor institution.
Speaking at the university's programme marking the 207th birth anniversary of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Chattopadhyay said Bengal had historically played a major role in the country's educational development but needed to regain its position.
He alleged that political interference had become entrenched in educational institutions over the past five decades.
He urged teachers and students to restore the university's prestige and tradition and said it could play a larger role in strengthening higher education in Medinipur and neighbouring areas.
"Develop Vidyasagar University as a mentor university for several nearby universities and as a guiding force for many colleges," he said.
Indian Museum director Sayan Bhattacharya urged Vidyasagar University to sign MoUs with the Indian Museum and Victoria Memorial and invited students to visit the two institutions. He said museums could play an important role in advancing the National Education Policy's emphasis on experiential learning, Indian languages, Indian knowledge systems and culture.
The programme also saw the inauguration of the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Readers' Park and Vidyasagar Museum.
Professor Gopalchandra Mishra and poet Binayak Banerjee were awarded the Vidyasagar Award. Chitta Panda, retired professor of Burdwan University and former curator of Victoria Memorial, received the Annapurna Chattopadhyay Award.
The programme was attended by Medinipur MLA Dr Shankar Kumar Guchhait, Vidyasagar University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dipak Kumar Kar, university officials, teachers and students.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.