Ravenshaw University Bhubaneswar: Proposal to rename 156-year-old Ravenshaw University triggers controversy in Odisha

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's suggestion to rename Ravenshaw University in Odisha has triggered a heated debate. Pradhan questioned the role of TE Ravenshaw during the 1866 famine, sparking reactions from intellectuals and alumni. Some support the change for Odia pride, while others defend Ravenshaw’s contributions to education in the state.

 The call by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to rename Ravenshaw University, the oldest higher learning institution in Cuttack has sparked a major controversy in Odisha. Delivering a speech at a function on the local self-governance day, Pradhan asked about the character of TE Ravenshaw, after whom the university is named, and his involvement in the 1866 Na’ Aanka famine. 

 In his speech, Pradhan pointed out that TE Ravenshaw was the British Commissioner of Odisha during the famine in which three million people died. He pointed out that administrative negligence of the British, including Ravenshaw, was one of the major causes of the disaster. ‘What did Ravenshaw do during the famine? There is a need for a name change,’ Pradhan said and added that Odia pride could be revived by renaming the university. 

 Although Pradhan said that the idea was his own and urged people to discuss it, the proposal has already caused controversy. Several alumni and educationists have come forward to support the university’s name stating that Ravenshaw played a vital role in the propagation of education in Odisha. 

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 Those against the change of name to Ravenshaw argue that the efforts put by Ravenshaw in the establishment of the college and in the promotion of education far outweigh the condemnation that he deserves for his role in the famine. Ravenshaw is not a name but it is a history of more than hundred years,” said Hemendra Narayan Das, a former student of Ravenshaw. 

 On the other hand, the supporters of the move argue that renaming the institution would respect Odia pride and be in tune with the contemporary world. BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahatab and Odia intellectual Pradyumna Satpathy supported Pradhan’s suggestion saying that it is in tune with the self-respect and identity of the state. 

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's suggestion to rename Ravenshaw University in Odisha has triggered a heated debate. Pradhan questioned the role of TE Ravenshaw during the 1866 famine, sparking reactions from intellectuals and alumni. Some support the change for Odia pride, while others defend Ravenshaw’s contributions to education in the state.