Date:19/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/19/stories/2008091954180400.htm

New Delhi

JNU plans first global gathering of its alumni

Parul Sharma

“The University will give the money for logistics”

Over 35,000 people across the world have studied at JNU
Plan to create a JNU alumni directory on web

NEW DELHI: If all goes as planned, Jawaharlal Nehru University here will organise the first “global gathering” of its alumni this November.

All these years there have been intermittent activities involving JNU alumni either on the campus or outside on a relatively smaller scale. This is the time a congregation of the alumni has been planned by the University itself.

“We want to make our association with the alumni more meaningful. The University will give the money for logistics. The alumni gathering is tentatively scheduled for November,” said Rector Rajendra Prasad.

There are over 35,000 people across the world who have studied at JNU and earned a degree since 1970-71. “There is no university in India and no major university in the world where former JNU students are not in faculty positions or are studying. But we still do not have a global network. We keep organising functions and activities but that is not enough. We are planning a big festival of the alumni including public lectures, seminars and photo exhibitions,” said faculty member Anand Kumar, also the chief adviser to the Committee on Alumni Affairs and Placement.

Initiating the process of touching base with the JNU alumni spread far and wide was not easy, as the departments had no records and the University had old addresses.

“In the past five years we have tried to reach out to as many people. Some groups started by our alumni in different parts of the world have created websites and archived pictures related to JNU and are helping us. There are eight units of JNU alumni in India that are now multiplying. We are also writing to the Vice-Chancellors of Indian universities so that they can inform their faculty members who have studied at JNU to give us their details,” Prof. Kumar explained.

As of now, 4,365 former students have registered themselves with the JNU website. The committee has also proposed creation of a JNU alumni directory on the web comprising a small bio-data, picture and the link of an interactive website of each former student.

“To maintain continuity and change, I feel that the JNU alumni should continue to be members of our library even after they leave the institution. They should also be given temporary accommodation on the campus when they visit us. An annual souvenir should also be designed to share some great success stories of our students.”