One of the country’s premier institutions for higher education, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), will now have a chair in the name of Srimanta Sankardev, Assam’s iconic 15th-16th century reformer and preacher.
An MoU to this effect was signed between the Government of Assam and the New Delhi-based JNU recently.
The chair will be set up at the School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies of the University. A one-time fund of ₹ 10 crore for the current financial year has been earmarked by the Government of Assam for instituting the chair.
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma who attended the MoU signing ceremony at NEDFi House in Guwahati said that the MoU is a defining moment for Assam and would prove to be a milestone in the Government’s aim to propagate the teachings and ideologies of Srimanta Sankardev, the great medieval-era neo-Vaishnavite saint.
He exuded confidence that the Chair would give a traction to the study and research on the Bhakti movements with special references to their influence on the Assamese society.
Dr. Sarma referred to Srimanta Sankardev’s ‘Ekasarana Dharma’ as a civilisational gift of the saint. “Sadly, discussions related to ‘Ekasarana Dharma’ have been limited to the boundaries of the State, he remarked. “The Chair would prove to be important in attracting dedicated research and discussions on the subject,” he added.
Referring to Sankardev as one of the “greatest nationalists”, the Assam Chief Minister spoke about the deep influence Indian civilisation and identity had on the philosopher and cultural icon. “The influence of Indian civilisation on Sankardev can be gauged from the fact that in his works, India (Bharat) has been mentioned 46 times. It is important to ensure that someone as patriotic as Srimanta Sankardev is accorded the due recognition that he deserves,” he said.
Thanking the Assam Government for instituting a Chair in her University, JNU Vice Chancellor Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit said, “It is very important for the rest of the country to know the great contributions that Assam and North East have made towards the civilisational heritage of the country.”
Asom Satra Mahasabha (ASM), a socio-cultural organisation, that serves as the umbrella body for the Sattra (Vaishnavite Monasteries) of Assam, which aims at preserving and propagating the religious and socio-cultural teachings of Sankardev, welcomed the Government initiative.
Secretary general of ASM, Kusum Mahanta, told Asom Barta that the State Government’s move will have a positive impact in spreading the ethos of ‘Ekasarana Dharma’ (Shelter-in-One Religion), the neo-Vaishnavite monolithic religion propagated by Sankardev in Assam.
“JNU is a leading academic platform where a Chair on him will draw attention of leading scholars of the globe towards his cultural and religious contribution. For a long time, we have been demanding from the Assam Government that a Chair in his name be instituted in leading universities of the country. With this as a first step, I think the process has been set in motion,” Mahanta told this newsletter.
Dr Pradeep Jyoti Mahanta, a leading scholar on Sankari culture and a former professor of Gauhati and Tezpur universities also welcomed the State Government initiativew. He was of the opinion that this action will open new possibilities for research on the study of Sankardev and the Bhakti movement of Assam.
“It will establish a connection between the teachings of Gurujona and the broader Indian philosophical traditions, thereby showcasing the profoundness of his creations. This initiative will certainly extend its influence on other parts of the world,” he told this reporter.
Dr. Basanta Goswami, a lexicographer and a leading scholar and former general secretary of Asam Sahitya Sabha, had words of appreciation for the State Government. “This will offer scholars from Assam an opportunity to spread the greatness of Sankardev and his philosophy,” he said.
Dr Sunil Kumar Goswami, Xatradhikar of Laiati Satra in Morigaon district of the State said that this move will give an opportunity to academciaibns in 130 countries of the world where Hinduism exists asa religion and philosophy to know about the man, his works and his mission.
