Month: March 2014

The Sham of a Nobel Winning Communist.

Part-4

For a long time now Amartya Sen has aired views upon everything except perhaps economics. He is a ‘historian’, ‘political scientist’, ‘philosopher’, ‘sociologist’, ‘institution builder’, ‘self-appointed non-resident Chancellor, Nalanda University’ — everything that can be accomplished with flowery speeches alone has been accomplished by him. He has been adored by Indians almost as a sage. The Nobel Laureate in Economics (1998) never had any practical solution for India’s economy in testing times. Neither his economist friend Manmohan Singh nor his student Kaushik Basu, former Chief Economic Adviser, could leave it in better shape.

Then External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee appointed Amartya Sen as Chairperson of Nalanda Mentor Group (2007). The project was wholly entrusted to him against the canons of establishing universities prevalent in India for the past 150 years. The MEA spent almost Rs 2 crore for their meetings in Singapore, Tokyo, New York as the project was formulated in virtual secrecy.

Amartya Sen never bothered to submit even in three years the detailed project report expected of him in nine months. The great economist could not even prepare a financial estimate for the project or bring any funds from abroad. Yet he was made Chairman of the Governing Board of Nalanda University. And finally the Board, chaired by him, chose him as the Chancellor in Beijing in 2011. What could be a better way to cling on to power; enjoy flying trips and luxury hospitality; and get repeated opportunities to preach to lesser mortals of India?

A courteous media never put uncomfortable questions to him when scandalous appointments and arbitrary dealings became apparent in Nalanda University. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, who originally envisioned the project, resigned in disgust. The MEA suppressed the letter until it was retrieved through an RTI application.(Enclosed copy)

Amartya Sen’s silence on corruption during the UPA’s rule is purposeful. This is because he has been a beneficiary of the UPA’s arbitrariness and distribution of favours in the form of total control over the Nalanda University project. Nalanda University has become a private estate with public money in the name of autonomy.

Amartya Sen appointed his favourite candidate Gopa Sabharwal, who has never taught at the post-graduate level, as Vice-Chancellor without any selection process. Gopa Sabharwal in turn appointed her friend and book collaborator Anjana Sharma through an equally arbitrary process with Amartya Sen’s approval. The only saving grace is that the inchoate university has failed to attract much foreign funding. Else the group would have been lording over thousands of crores of rupees. The story of the Nalanda University scandal, deserves to be told separately.

To be continued..

Source is by Priyadarshini Dutta of Niti Central

The Sham of a Nobel Winning Communist.-Amartya Sen

Part-3

It was a wholly arbitrary exercise meant to favour a particular candidate viz Dr Gopa Sabharwal. Interestingly Sabharwal, Reader, Sociology Department, Lady Sri Ram College, has never taught post-graduate level students. But she was offered a salary twice that of any Vice Chancellor in India. Amartya’s criteria of selecting a Rector were rather curious. It had nothing to do with understanding of Nalanda tradition or history. One criterion was the ability to spend time in Bihar. Dr. Gopa Sabharwal, appointed arbitrarily as the Vice Chancellor, prefers to spend time in New Delhi. However, according to the Nalanda University Act, 2010, the headquarters of the Nalanda University would be in Nalanda district, the University has been administratively functioning from New Delhi since 2010. It currently functions from 53, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi- a stone throw away distance from Vice Chancellor’s official residence at Jor Bagh. The monthly rent, just for information, is Rs 10 lakh (with annual appreciation of 10 per cent) on a five year lease.

Amartya has no fig leaves to the hide himself. Only the media is not asking him the right questions.

Source is by Priyadarshini Dutta of Niti Central

The Sham of a Nobel Winning Communist.

Part-2a

A scandalous selection of Vice Chancellor: When Pranab Mukherjee, the then External Affairs Minister, offered Amartya Sen the chairmanship of the Nalanda Mentor Group (NMG) on June 28, 2007, he was assigned an 8-point task. He was expected to submit his final recommendations in form a proper report within nine months. The NMG held meetings in Singapore, Tokyo and New York in 2007 and 2008 as per convenience of the members who lived in different parts of the world. But Amartya Sen could never file a proper report. With inordinate time overrun of three years the minutes of the NMG meetings styled as ‘executive report’ were submitted. Though the Nobel Laureate could not find time for drafting a proper report, he found time enough for indulging in an unsolicited task. He recommended three names for the post of Rector (Vice Chancellor) out of which two appear to be dummy candidates.

The Terms of Reference evidently did not empower the Nalanda Mentor Group to select or recommend candidate for any post in the yet-to-be established University.(Refer Copy 1)

How the names of the three candidates were shortlisted; how was the selection process conducted; and who were there in the search committee is a closely guarded secret. As far as one understands (a) the plump post was never advertised/publicised (b) no search committee was constituted c) there was no interview or selection process and d) Ramachandra Guha and Pratap Bhanu Mehta were never contacted for this top job. Amartya Sen never submitted any supporting papers related to the selection.(refer Copy 2)

Source is by Priyadarshini Dutta of Niti Central

The Sham of a Nobel Winning Communist.

The Sham of a Nobel Winning Communist

Part-1

A self-chosen Chancellor: Amartya Sen has mentored the Nalanda University project since 2007. His current designation is Chancellor, Nalanda University – a post he was selected to at Beijing by the Governing Board (2011) that he himself chaired. While some other names were considered like Prof Wang Gungwu and Prof Meghnad Desai (both Governing Board members) and Prof Sheldon Pollock and Prof Nobru Karashima (none of whom were informed about their inclusion) it was merely ‘statutory formality’ to help Amartya Sen to obtain the position. The minutes of the third meeting of the Governing Board of the Nalanda University at Beijing (October 14-15, 2011) make a frank admission of this fact. This elevation protected Amartya Sen from being excluded from the University project with the expiry of the Governing Board’s term. The Chancellor enjoys three year tenure and is eligible for re-appointment.

The current Governing Board is actually an interim one. It was mandated to function till a regular Governing Board was constituted as per Section 7 of the Nalanda University Act, 2010 or one year (until November 2011) which is earlier {vide Section 8(2)}. But Amartya and his friends who comprised this interim Governing Board (earlier called Nalanda Mentor Group) betrayed no intention of relinquishing power. Thus neither they nor the Ministry of External Affairs (the administrative ministry of the Nalanda University) made any effort to constitute a regular Governing Board. Rather the Section 41 of the Nalanda University Act, 2010 was invoked twice- in 2011 and 2012- to prolong the lifespan of the interim Governing Board. Now that its third life is rawing to an end in November, 2013, there is an attempt to amend the Nalanda University Act, 2010

To be continued……….

Source is by Priyadarshini Dutta of Niti Central