An Interview with Dr. Ramesh Pant
Recently we have conducted an interview with the senior most faculty member of KU, Dr. Ramesh Raj Pant in USA. Dr. Pant has spent considerable time and efforts in KU in bringing KU to its present state. His contributions in KU are well appreciated by all the students and faculty members. We caught up with Dr. Pant to seek his opinion on variety of issues pertaining to KU and Dr. Pant has thrown light on rampant nepotism, favoritism and lack of credibility of the Vice-chancellor and the registrar of Kathmandu University. Dr. Pant can be contacted at rrpnt@hotmail.com. Please find the excerpts of the interview below;
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Interview
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BMC: Dr. Pant, can you please inform us about your past association with KU?
Dr. Pant: I am associated with KU since its inception. I joined KU in 1994 and I am proud to say that I have taught first batch of KU students in the School of Science and feel happy to see them around as a successful individual. When I joined KU there were only two schools existed, SOM and SOS. During that time there were no facility at Dhulikhel and School of Science was in Tangal, Kathmandu and KU headquarter was in Lazimpat that facility was made available by Mr.Rana Bahadur Shah, an industrialist and social worker, without asking any rent for years. One more interesting thing about my association about KU is that I was the first person to be selected as a permanent faculty by the KU service commission and I don’t have any temporary employment record in my credit in KU.
BMC: You have many years in KU, what is your impression about KU?
Dr. Pant: When I joined KU it was like a family, there were very few people working for KU. Vice Chancellor, registrar, dean and faculty would sit across the table and discuss all the matter and we would know everything that was going around in KU. As for teachers, they have worked very hard to get the reputation of teaching excellence thinking that if the organization grows their contribution will be recognized. But after 15 years two third of the founding faculties are shown the door out of KU in one way or other. Though we suffered a lot, I still feel our hard work is not wasted and KU is one of the prominent institutions in the country today.
BMC: What do you think of KUPA?
Dr. Pant: KUPA is the professional organizational and it is the forum for professors to discuss and identify their problems and then deal with these hurdles. It is very much needed in KU and I am glad we have it now and everywhere in the world there exist such organizations. I am very happy to learn that there is the professor’s organization in KU. As a matter of fact we were not allowed to open an organization in KU and I regularly caste my vote at Sarashowati sadan for its central committee election. There were very few people at KU who used to go to cast their vote and Prof. Puspa Raj Adhikari was one of them and I don’t know his stand about KUPA these days. I would like to congratulate those colleagues who fought for this novel cause and call upon all faculty members of different school to join KUPA.
BMC: Mr. Bhatt (TKP may 24) and Mr. S Shrestha (May 26, TKP) have pointed out some misdeeds of KU authority, the Nepotism was one of the issue. What do you think of that?
Dr. Pant:If I say there is no nepotism in KU I would be making handful of people in KU happy but would be doing injustice to the institution I am working. I am away from the university these days so I cannot exactly tell what’s going on but what Dr. Bhatta and Suresh B Shrestha has said cannot be Overwritten. As a matter of fact Prof. Sharma has himself accepted this fact and says nothing wrong with that and it is their right to work for KU and this is very unfortunate. My only question to professor Sharma is that if they really wanted to serve KU what were they doing when KU was just like an infant? They came in only when they thought KU was the future university in the country and their life and job was secured here.
BMC: KU administration, in response, to the letter has alleged that Mr. Bhatt was sent to Italy and USA and he never returned back to work. Does KU have any role in sending him abroad? In what capacity?
Dr. Pant: No, Not at all. KU did not have any role sending him to Italy or USA. I was surprised to see that claim by KU administration. He used to be a bright young faculty at that time and went to these countries for further studies on his own initiatives. KUPA is now legal authority and it should find out why this wrong information was sent to the media.
BMC: Recently this Blog has exposed the salary of the controller of the examination, is the consistent with the rest of the faculties?
Dr. Pant: This has been always an issue in KU. Teachers work hard and always underpaid. Bhadraman would always defend this and now I know why Bhadraman was doing that.
BMC: Having spent more than ten years in KU, do you think Dr. Sharma and Dr. Adhikary should remain in the office or the government should look for a suitable replacement?
Dr. Pant: It’s been a while people are talking about them and their involvement in KU. Nobody can deny their contribution in the initial stage of KU but University is in a good shape now and they have had enough contribution in KU. They should now look for a very respectable exit from KU so that they will be remembered for ever. Otherwise history is very cruel and forgives nobody and even a single day in chair will be too late for them as they are loosing their credibility everyday.
BMC: What about Jalan Sharma and his involvement in KU, is the justified?
Dr. Pant: Nobody can justify such act in academia.
BMC: What do you think of the protest that Dr. Sameer Mani Dixit, Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire and others started in KU, why didn't that happen in the past?
Dr. Pant: I would congratulate them for their fight that has helped KU in getting a step further in the course of making an institution from a private limited. But their fight is not over yet it’s just started and I wish every faculty and staff should support them in building KU an institution if they want to see their future secured in KU. Regarding your question why not this happened this before, I would say it was there, no body was happy with what was going on in KU and this year they crossed the limit. We have spoken number of times against their irregularities and our voice got low key at that time but it accumulated and brusted this year that good in one way. Had they been fulfilling those small demands put forward by teachers this change never would have happened and people would not have known their sin.
BMC: It has been openly claimed that there exists proofs of the corruption of Suresh Raj and Sitaram? Should not Suresh Raj disclose his personal property?
Dr. Pant: This is again a question of morality. People in academic institution should maintain high value and if he had so there would not be any strike at KU. Even in TU, Vice Chancellors have resigned after they were labeled such charges. I am surprised that why he still wants to be VC as he has already achieved what he wanted to and these days he is in his downfall and he should quit before being overthrown.
BMC: The blog team has learnt that KU issued a letter to your professor saying not to help you in finding jobs. Is that true? Can you put some light on who issued such a letter and what could be the motive?
Dr. Pant: Yes, that’s true. This is a personal letter to my Professor by registrar of KU and it says I am a full time faculty at KU and he should not help me getting job in the United States. I was not surprised with that as everybody knows Registrar is not an academic person and he thinks all the professors at KU are clerks. The language was so crude and rude that my professor did not understand whether he was requesting him or ordering him. Thank god, he had not written himself as professor otherwise it would have been a disaster, since here in USA they consider registrar a kind of head clerk only. I have saved that letter for future and I will talk to them about it when I come back to KU.
BMC: Do you agree that some faculties in KU are privileged, Brijesh being the top one on the list?
Dr. Pant: Well this is as clear as broad day light. Where were their competent relatives when KU was in a rented house? At that time we were the one who suffered and worked hard. Believe me; I have taught 34 periods in a week for nearly 2 years. Not only me, many of us worked there like that and when slowly KU started getting in shape they came in and started to rule. Had their parents were not in the senior position of institution most of them would be job less today.
BMC: Any message to blog readers.
Dr. Pant: Well, thank you for giving this opportunity to share my views and I will always be grateful for this. I hope all the KU well wishers come forward and stand firmly for the safe future of KU. I remember during initial days at KU, Prof Sharma would call us in a dinner meeting and request us to devote our life for KU and he will look after not only our future and career but our family as well. Now after 12 years of service if I look back and remember those words I find him as a two faced personality. So guys, if you want to live in KU fight for your right and it is the only thing that will make you survive. KU is nobody’s property it’s yours, including all faculties, staff and students.
I wish you a very happy Vijaya Dashami and Dipawali 2063.
Thank you.
#################
Interview
#################
BMC: Dr. Pant, can you please inform us about your past association with KU?
Dr. Pant: I am associated with KU since its inception. I joined KU in 1994 and I am proud to say that I have taught first batch of KU students in the School of Science and feel happy to see them around as a successful individual. When I joined KU there were only two schools existed, SOM and SOS. During that time there were no facility at Dhulikhel and School of Science was in Tangal, Kathmandu and KU headquarter was in Lazimpat that facility was made available by Mr.Rana Bahadur Shah, an industrialist and social worker, without asking any rent for years. One more interesting thing about my association about KU is that I was the first person to be selected as a permanent faculty by the KU service commission and I don’t have any temporary employment record in my credit in KU.
BMC: You have many years in KU, what is your impression about KU?
Dr. Pant: When I joined KU it was like a family, there were very few people working for KU. Vice Chancellor, registrar, dean and faculty would sit across the table and discuss all the matter and we would know everything that was going around in KU. As for teachers, they have worked very hard to get the reputation of teaching excellence thinking that if the organization grows their contribution will be recognized. But after 15 years two third of the founding faculties are shown the door out of KU in one way or other. Though we suffered a lot, I still feel our hard work is not wasted and KU is one of the prominent institutions in the country today.
BMC: What do you think of KUPA?
Dr. Pant: KUPA is the professional organizational and it is the forum for professors to discuss and identify their problems and then deal with these hurdles. It is very much needed in KU and I am glad we have it now and everywhere in the world there exist such organizations. I am very happy to learn that there is the professor’s organization in KU. As a matter of fact we were not allowed to open an organization in KU and I regularly caste my vote at Sarashowati sadan for its central committee election. There were very few people at KU who used to go to cast their vote and Prof. Puspa Raj Adhikari was one of them and I don’t know his stand about KUPA these days. I would like to congratulate those colleagues who fought for this novel cause and call upon all faculty members of different school to join KUPA.
BMC: Mr. Bhatt (TKP may 24) and Mr. S Shrestha (May 26, TKP) have pointed out some misdeeds of KU authority, the Nepotism was one of the issue. What do you think of that?
Dr. Pant:If I say there is no nepotism in KU I would be making handful of people in KU happy but would be doing injustice to the institution I am working. I am away from the university these days so I cannot exactly tell what’s going on but what Dr. Bhatta and Suresh B Shrestha has said cannot be Overwritten. As a matter of fact Prof. Sharma has himself accepted this fact and says nothing wrong with that and it is their right to work for KU and this is very unfortunate. My only question to professor Sharma is that if they really wanted to serve KU what were they doing when KU was just like an infant? They came in only when they thought KU was the future university in the country and their life and job was secured here.
BMC: KU administration, in response, to the letter has alleged that Mr. Bhatt was sent to Italy and USA and he never returned back to work. Does KU have any role in sending him abroad? In what capacity?
Dr. Pant: No, Not at all. KU did not have any role sending him to Italy or USA. I was surprised to see that claim by KU administration. He used to be a bright young faculty at that time and went to these countries for further studies on his own initiatives. KUPA is now legal authority and it should find out why this wrong information was sent to the media.
BMC: Recently this Blog has exposed the salary of the controller of the examination, is the consistent with the rest of the faculties?
Dr. Pant: This has been always an issue in KU. Teachers work hard and always underpaid. Bhadraman would always defend this and now I know why Bhadraman was doing that.
BMC: Having spent more than ten years in KU, do you think Dr. Sharma and Dr. Adhikary should remain in the office or the government should look for a suitable replacement?
Dr. Pant: It’s been a while people are talking about them and their involvement in KU. Nobody can deny their contribution in the initial stage of KU but University is in a good shape now and they have had enough contribution in KU. They should now look for a very respectable exit from KU so that they will be remembered for ever. Otherwise history is very cruel and forgives nobody and even a single day in chair will be too late for them as they are loosing their credibility everyday.
BMC: What about Jalan Sharma and his involvement in KU, is the justified?
Dr. Pant: Nobody can justify such act in academia.
BMC: What do you think of the protest that Dr. Sameer Mani Dixit, Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire and others started in KU, why didn't that happen in the past?
Dr. Pant: I would congratulate them for their fight that has helped KU in getting a step further in the course of making an institution from a private limited. But their fight is not over yet it’s just started and I wish every faculty and staff should support them in building KU an institution if they want to see their future secured in KU. Regarding your question why not this happened this before, I would say it was there, no body was happy with what was going on in KU and this year they crossed the limit. We have spoken number of times against their irregularities and our voice got low key at that time but it accumulated and brusted this year that good in one way. Had they been fulfilling those small demands put forward by teachers this change never would have happened and people would not have known their sin.
BMC: It has been openly claimed that there exists proofs of the corruption of Suresh Raj and Sitaram? Should not Suresh Raj disclose his personal property?
Dr. Pant: This is again a question of morality. People in academic institution should maintain high value and if he had so there would not be any strike at KU. Even in TU, Vice Chancellors have resigned after they were labeled such charges. I am surprised that why he still wants to be VC as he has already achieved what he wanted to and these days he is in his downfall and he should quit before being overthrown.
BMC: The blog team has learnt that KU issued a letter to your professor saying not to help you in finding jobs. Is that true? Can you put some light on who issued such a letter and what could be the motive?
Dr. Pant: Yes, that’s true. This is a personal letter to my Professor by registrar of KU and it says I am a full time faculty at KU and he should not help me getting job in the United States. I was not surprised with that as everybody knows Registrar is not an academic person and he thinks all the professors at KU are clerks. The language was so crude and rude that my professor did not understand whether he was requesting him or ordering him. Thank god, he had not written himself as professor otherwise it would have been a disaster, since here in USA they consider registrar a kind of head clerk only. I have saved that letter for future and I will talk to them about it when I come back to KU.
BMC: Do you agree that some faculties in KU are privileged, Brijesh being the top one on the list?
Dr. Pant: Well this is as clear as broad day light. Where were their competent relatives when KU was in a rented house? At that time we were the one who suffered and worked hard. Believe me; I have taught 34 periods in a week for nearly 2 years. Not only me, many of us worked there like that and when slowly KU started getting in shape they came in and started to rule. Had their parents were not in the senior position of institution most of them would be job less today.
BMC: Any message to blog readers.
Dr. Pant: Well, thank you for giving this opportunity to share my views and I will always be grateful for this. I hope all the KU well wishers come forward and stand firmly for the safe future of KU. I remember during initial days at KU, Prof Sharma would call us in a dinner meeting and request us to devote our life for KU and he will look after not only our future and career but our family as well. Now after 12 years of service if I look back and remember those words I find him as a two faced personality. So guys, if you want to live in KU fight for your right and it is the only thing that will make you survive. KU is nobody’s property it’s yours, including all faculties, staff and students.
I wish you a very happy Vijaya Dashami and Dipawali 2063.
Thank you.
6 comments:
Dr. Pant
Thanks for the excellent and informative interview. You have shown that you have done great job for KU and still doing it. What else could be the better Dashain gift for Dr. Sharma and Dr. Adhikary?
In appreciation of your 15 years of service at KU, Dr. Adhikary wrote such a letter for you? Shame on him. KU is probably the only institution in the world that appreciates this way.
I wish you a good luck again Dr. Pant
your colleague
We know Dr Pant had been a good faculty in KU. As his student, I still appreciate and respect him. Also I regard this blog is good and is bringing issues of KU outside to the real world. KU does need a systematic change, a good replacements on nepotistic positions starting from branches up to the root. However, anyone can see, half of the KU tree tightly binds with the heads, and bringing all of them down will be a chaotic re-start. The egotistic mastermind have made KU structurally vulnerable to drastic change. Bright minded people like Dr Pant, Dr Bhatta, SBS and many others who are inside and outside should think, suggest and pursue a better plan. The interview presented here just claims about what has been done before, so I request BMC to get into depth of how better picture can be painted, instead of just posting blames in one way or the other.
Ramesh Sir,
Thanks for nice interview. Though away from us in US, your wisdom and support has really enthused us. You are right that it is the time for the graceful exit for both Suresh Sir and Sitaram Sir.
A KUPA member
"Head Clerk" chanhi malai man paryo. Yo hamro Sitaram sir lai ekdum suhaunchha.
Brijesh Jee sorry hai!
Nice insight into the founding days of KU. Suresh Raj managed to got support by talking nicely with everyone over the dinner. After firmly rooting his position, he started ignoring everyone who helped him. Instead he started to promote his incompetent relatives. Suresh Raj is not different from politicians.
Suresh Raj step down!
Thanks Ramesh Ji for nice interview. There is saying in Nepali "Khola Taryo Lauro Birsyo" applies to cheater Suresh Sharma. University is now established he claims all credits and fills with all his relatives. Had it been posssible there would be no teaching staff outside of his relatives.
He is a successful "educational business man". So he is able to employ his relatives, earn money by making other fool,stay luxary life, buy many houses, ride pajero.
Do you know his house in Dhulikhel was made by Sharma and Company as a gift for getting big contract of KU construction. Sharma and Company wanted to make a bulding for KU but it was erected in Dhulikhel. See the face of Saint.
Shame ! Shame !!
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