Patanjali Lecture Series of the Center for Indic Studies - May 4, 7:30 PM; May 5, 12 noon

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends and Colleagues,Keeping up with the tradition of inviting a

prominent scholar for our Patanjali Lecture series, we have arranged for a

visit by Professor Vishwanath Patil, former Vice Chancellor (equivalent to

Chancellor position in USA) of the University of Pondicherry, India, to speak

on two very current and relevant topics - the higher education in India, and

Indo-US relations in global affairs.The higher education in India is being

examined in view of the recent success stories of information technology boom

and business process outsourcing. Dr. Patil as someone who has led an academic

institution of higher learning will have an insight rarely available in the

USA.Indo-US relations in the changing paradigms in the world seem to be at a

critical point. With much commonality in their democratic institutions, India

and USA are still quite far apart in their strategic partnership. Vestiges of

cold war era still loom large in the minds of policy makers. However, with

India as the fourth largest economy and second largest country in the world,

and with US need to find a counterbalance to China's global ambitions, the two

countries are inching towards their natural instincts of democratic

fraternity.Dr. Patil is a scholar with publications of over 15 books, including

on topics of Gandhian thoughts and Human rights. He has been recipient of

several national and international awards.I hope to see many of you at his

presentations.Bal RamCenter for Indic StudiesPatanjali Lecture SeriesDr.

Vishwanath Patil, Ph. D. Former Vice Chancellor, University of

Pondicherry**************************************************************************Date:

May 4, 2005Location: Violette Bldg., Room 201, Conference

RoomTime: 7:30PM 9:00 PM (Refreshments @ 7:00PM)

Topic: “Higher Education in India”

Higher education has undergone many significant changes in India in the last

five decades in terms of its philosophy and practice. Academic and financial

autonomy, choice between quality and quantity (elitist versus mass based

education), English versus regional language as medium of instruction,

routinization, bureaucratization and ad-hocisation are some of the ongoing

issues of concern to policy makers and the public at large. The gut issues in

higher education in India today are quality, excellence, equity, social justice

and relevance. Fresh thinking and major changes in higher education are called

for to meet the challenges of the Third Millennium

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Date:

May 5, 2005Location: Library Browsing AreaTime:

12:30PM 01:30PM (Pizza @ 12:00PM)

Topic: “India’s Role in World Affairs with Special Reference to USA: Recent Trends”

The discourse is based on the assumption that India as the most populous

democracy and USA as the most powerful democracy in the world will make major

Civilizational contribution to the rest of the world in the 21st Century. The

many points of convergence are fundamental in nature, though different

perspectives, viewpoints and positions are inevitable in the course of this

historical engagement between these two democracies. These issues of ongoing

concern to all of us and will be examined and evaluated in a dispassionate

manner.

Bal Ram Singh, Ph.D.Director, Center for Indic StudiesUniversity of

Massachusetts Dartmouth285 Old Westport RoadDartmouth, MA 02747Phone:

508-999-8588Fax: 508-999-8451Email: bsingh (AT) umassd (DOT) edu

>Bal Ram Singh <bsingh (AT) umassd (DOT) edu>

>bsingh (AT) UMassD (DOT) Edu

>Patanjali Lecture Series of the Center for Indic Studies - May 4,

7:30 PM; May 5, 12 noon

>Tue, 03 May 2005 11:46:39 -0400

>

>

>

>Dear Friends and Colleagues,

>

>Keeping up with the tradition of inviting a prominent scholar for

>our Patanjali Lecture series, we have arranged for a visit by

>Professor Vishwanath Patil, former Vice Chancellor (equivalent to

>Chancellor position in USA) of the University of Pondicherry, India,

>to speak on two very current and relevant topics - the higher

>education in India, and Indo-US relations in global affairs.

>

>The higher education in India is being examined in view of the

>recent success stories of information technology boom and business

>process outsourcing. Dr. Patil as someone who has led an academic

>institution of higher learning will have an insight rarely available

>in the USA.

>

>Indo-US relations in the changing paradigms in the world seem to be

>at a critical point. With much commonality in their democratic

>institutions, India and USA are still quite far apart in their

>strategic partnership. Vestiges of cold war era still loom large in

>the minds of policy makers. However, with India as the fourth

>largest economy and second largest country in the world, and with US

>need to find a counterbalance to China's global ambitions, the two

>countries are inching towards their natural instincts of democratic

>fraternity.

>

>Dr. Patil is a scholar with publications of over 15 books, including

>on topics of Gandhian thoughts and Human rights. He has been

>recipient of several national and international awards.

>

>I hope to see many of you at his presentations.

>

>Bal Ram

>

>

>

>Center for Indic Studies

>

>Patanjali Lecture Series

>

>Dr. Vishwanath Patil, Ph. D.

> Former Vice Chancellor, University of Pondicherry

>**************************************************************************

>

>

> May 4, 2005

>Location: Violette Bldg., Room 201, Conference Room

>Time: 7:30PM 9:00 PM (Refreshments @ 7:00PM)

>

>

>Topic: "Higher Education in India"

>Higher education has undergone many significant changes in India in

>the last five decades in terms of its philosophy and practice.

>Academic and financial autonomy, choice between quality and quantity

>(elitist versus mass based education), English versus regional

>language as medium of instruction, routinization, bureaucratization

>and ad-hocisation are some of the ongoing issues of concern to

>policy makers and the public at large. The gut issues in higher

>education in India today are quality, excellence, equity, social

>justice and relevance. Fresh thinking and major changes in higher

>education are called for to meet the challenges of the Third

>Millennium

>

>

>

>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>

>

>

> May 5, 2005

>Location: Library Browsing Area

>Time: 12:30PM 01:30PM (Pizza @ 12:00PM)

>

>Topic: "India's Role in World Affairs with Special Reference to USA:

> Recent Trends"

>The discourse is based on the assumption that India as the most

>populous democracy and USA as the most powerful democracy in the

>world will make major Civilizational contribution to the rest of the

>world in the 21st Century. The many points of convergence are

>fundamental in nature, though different perspectives, viewpoints and

>positions are inevitable in the course of this historical engagement

>between these two democracies. These issues of ongoing concern to

>all of us and will be examined and evaluated in a dispassionate

>manner.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>Bal Ram Singh, Ph.D.

>Director, Center for Indic Studies

>University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

>285 Old Westport Road

>Dartmouth, MA 02747

>

>Phone: 508-999-8588

>Fax: 508-999-8451

>Email: bsingh (AT) umassd (DOT) edu

>

>Internet address: http://www.umassd.edu/indic