Bengaluru Univeristy vice-chancellor realises the value of Mohandas Pai
Dr N Prabhu Dev has requested the former Infosys Technologies human resource director to co-chair the Bengaluru School of Economics, which the Bengaluru varsity plans to establish.
In an open letter to TV Mohandas Pai, who recently resigned from Infosys Technologies as director in charge of human resource, Bangalore University vice-chancellor Dr N Prabhu Dev has requested Pai to co-chair the Bengaluru School of Economics (BSE) which the varsity is planning to establish.Empathising with Pai’s “painful decision... to come out of Infosys after a highly distinguished service”, the V-C, in the letter, stated that Pai had now a “bigger horizon, a bigger canvas” to articulate his nation building programme.Citing Pai’s decision to spend 30-35% time on corporate world and as much time on education, the V-C, in his letter, said that he had read about Pai’s desire to help reform higher education system. “We want to be a university with difference, with a national perspective of social justice. Right now, we need to transform education, relate it to life, needs and aspirations of people and make it a tool for cultural and socio-economic transformation,” stated Prabhu Dev in his letter.The V-C cited the issue of quality in higher education as the reason for planning to set-up the institute. “The issue of quality is not being addressed. The syllabi are not industry-friendly,” the letter said.And the reason for choosing Pai? “The issue of reforms needs a visionary. You are an alumnus of Bengaluru University,” said the letter.Emphasising that the BSE would be a research centre dedicated to the discipline of economics for carrying out research for the benefit of the public, the V-C, in his letter, stated that it would pursue excellence in research and would be accountable to the public by placing itself under appropriate scrutiny.