On Return From LSE Dr.K.rajaratam joined the University of Madras : On successful completion of his Ph.D, research studies at the famous London School of Economics, Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam returned to Chennai and joined his Alma Mater Madras Christian College as a Lecturer in the Economics Department . After having worked in the Economics department of the Madras Christian College for some period of time Dr. Kunjala Rajaratnam joined the Indian Economics Department of the University of Madras and at that time the famous Dr. Lakshamanswami Mudaliar was serving as the Vice Chancellor of the Madras University. As an erudite scholar Dr.A.L. Mudaliar was very keen to select Teachers who were trained in the best Universities of the world. Dr K. Rajaratnam's application for Job in the Madras University attracted the attention of Dr. A.L Mudaliar and Dr. K .Rajaratnam was selected and appointed as an Economics Lecturer in the Department of Indian Economics, the University of Madras in the 1960s. So Dr.K. Rajaratnam resigned from the Madras Christian College and joined the Madras University as an Economics University Lecturer .At this time Prof Dr. R. Balakrishnan was serving as H.O.D of this department , and he was an alumnus of Dr. Vera Anstey in the prestigious London School of Economics, U.K. Dr. kunjala Rajaratnam was a Teacher Par excellence and students longed and loved to hear his thought provoking lectures delivered in impeccable English. Dr. K. Rajaratnam also had the privilege to serve as the Chair Person of the Board of Studies, Post Graduate Economics, Madras University. . Dr. K. Rajaratnam introduced the Gandhian Economics and Environmental Economics in M.Phil . He was also responsible to introduce a separate M.A degree course in Environmental Economics in Madras University.[ Ed. Prasanna kumari, Empowering Society p.p. xxiv &..xxv] . Dr. K. Rajaratnam was appointed by the then honourable Governor of Tamil Nadu as a Member of the Syndicate of the Madras University. . Dr. Kunjala Rajaratnam also had the honour of serving as Acting Vice Chancellor of the Madras University for some period of time . Really he was a Teacher of Par Excellence
Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam, M.A,{ Eco],, PhD [L.S.E ]
Dr. K. Rajaratnam Played a Dynamic and Deciding Role in the Church : Dr. kunchala Rajaratnam loved the Church and Society so much than anything else and through Church he wanted to bring spiritual , social , economic and intellectual development in the society and so he devoted major portion of his life for this cause. He very actively and enthusiastically participated in the affairs and activities of the Church specially in the Lutheran Christian Church. Dr. K. Rajaratnam was elected as the Secretary of the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India in the year 1968 which is now called as United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India [ UELCI ] . He had the privilege to serve as the Executive Secretary of the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India for more than two decades. He played a dynamic and deciding role in the affairs of the UELCI.. Dr. K. Rajaratnam was elected as a Member of the Executive Committee of the World Lutheran Federation in 1970 at the World Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation ,held in Evian , France. Dr. Rajaratnam was elected to serve as the President of the National Council of Churches in India and he served as a fearless and dynamic President of NCCI .
Dr. K. Rajaratnam and the Gurukul LutheranTheological College and Research Institute : The Gurukul Lutheran Theological college and Research Institute has reached the present growth and status through some process over the years. The years 1927, 1931, 1953, 1984 and 1985 stand as milestone years in the development history of the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute Chennai . With great positive vision Dr. K. Rajaratnam reopened the Gurukul Theological College and Research Institute and assumed charge as the Director of the Gurukul Theological College Chennai. He implemented his brilliant theological visions wisely and became the corner stone of the academic pursuits and activities of the college ..He with visionary grit introduced some unconventional subjects like Women Studies , Dalit Studies, Theology of Human Development etc in the the Gurukul Theological College and Research Institute. Moreover he introduced an innovative system of Management of the academic affairs of the college by staff and student Committees [ Ed.Dr. K.P. Krishna Shetty , op.cit , p.p 22&23 ]. In 1987, M.Th was introduced in two branches namely Christian Theology and Religion . Doctor of Theology [D.Th ] course was introduced in 1997 due to the efforts taken by Dr.K. Rajaratnam. By his hard and devoted work he transformed Gurukul Theological College and Research Institute Chennai as one of the best Theological Colleges in India . Even after his retirement Dr. K. Rajaratnam served as a Director Emeritus of the Gurukal Theological College and Research Institute till his death with great distinction
He had the Privilege to serve as the Master of the Senate of the Serampore College [ University ] The innovative reforms introduced in the Management of the College and the new unconventional Subjects introduced in the Curriculum of the Gurukukul Theological College Chennai ,by Dr. K. Rajaratnam made him very popular and famous among the theologians and in the theological Colleges in India . No wonder Dr. Kunjala Rajaratnam was elected , Master of the Senate of Serampore college [ University]. Nearly 40 Seminaries of the Protestant and Orthodox churches in India are affiliated with the Serampore College [ University ] The position .Master of the Serampore college[ University] in fact is the position of the Chancellor of the Serampore Univesity. .As Master of the Serampore University Dr. K. Rajaratnam took many initiatives to introduce welfare schemes for the Teaching and Non Teaching staff in all the 40 Seminaries affiliated to the Serampore University .The Senate of Serampore College [ University ] honoured Dr. K Rajaratnam by conferring Doctor of Divinity degree [Honoris Causa ] on Dr. K. Rajaratnam in the year 1989.
Dr. K.. Rajaratnam and Martin Luther University in Shillong : Dr. K. Rajaratnam as the Chairman of the National Lutheran Health and Medical Board played a leading and pivotal role in the establishment of the Martin Luther Christian University in Shillong. Martin Luther Christian University in Shillong , Meghalaya is the first Christian University in India and it is named after Martin Luther, the father of Christian Reformation. Martin Luther Christian University has committed itself to render service to the community and provide students with high quality education that will enable them to become duly qualified graduates and talented and competent professionals, .so that they can work and serve community throughout the world with professional proficiency and competence.
Dr. K. Rajaratnam was an Economist Par Excellence ; According to Dr. K. Rajaratnam , " End of Economics is the beginning of a New Social Order" and finally he had said, "true Development is a package of several elements of quality of life, physical [ food, clothing, housing, health and employment], cultural[ education, family and socio life] and spiritual needs" .His conception of Development is seasoned with Justice. Dr. K. Rajaratnam's contribution to the methodology of Rural Development and Action Research Programs deserve our attention and appreciation. As a Gandhian Economist Dr. K. Rajaratnam had authored a thought provoking book, " Development and Environmental Economics--Relevance of Gandhi " Dr, k,. Rajaratnam was a down to earth Scholar and Economist. He fully believed in the Gandhian concept of ,"Unity of Theory and Action ". In order to realise this concept in action , he established in 1979 the "Centre for Research on New International Economic Order [ CReNIEO ] This brain child of Dr. K. Rajaratnam has been recognised by the University Grants Commission as a Research Institution for Ph.D research studies, and has been affiliated to the University of Madras for the M.Phil and Ph.D Courses in Economics and History and to the Bharathidasan University, Trichy for Ph.D course in History . The most vital ideology of CReNIEO as set out by Dr. K. Rajaratnam is determination of the priorities for development and evolving a sound strategy to ensure a New Economic Order sans exploitative trauma. So CReNIEO took up socially relevant research, used research results for social action programmes and trained young men and women in research and oriented their academic research to social development to help the poor in India [ Ed. Dr. K.P. Krishna Shetty , " A Life's Journey Towards a Just Society," Op.Cit, pp.16 & 17]. Three major projects successfully launched by CReNIEO are Koraput Project in Orissa , Integrated Fishfolk Development Project [IFDP ] and Servarayan Hills Tribal and Community Development Project , Yercaud. [ Ibid, p. 18 ]. CReNIEO had entered the scene with well planned "Integrated Fisherfolk Development Project" with great positive hope. for the all round improvement in the life style of fishermen in Pulicat lake. The landmark Projects are , 'Pulicat National Matriculation School, a Co-education School started in 1988 by CreNIEO and Lake Women's Education Project started in 1990. for the upliftment of women in such areas as informal education, skills training, health, hygiene and sanitation, nutrition, and campaign against liquor [ Ibid ]. The Servarayan Hills Tribal and Community Development Project which covers 67 villages located below the coffee plantations at Yercaud near Salem . This Project had made an excellent impact on the lives of the Hill people in important aspects like comprehensive leadership , medical and functional literacy, etc,.[ Ibid ]
Conclusion :Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam loved Christ, Church and the fellow human beings . He had a spontaneous special concern for the social ,cultural, economic and spiritual development of the marginalised poor people. He dedicated his life to social concerns through his religious faith represented by the Church . He wanted education to reach all people specially the marginalised sections of the society. Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam Christian Degree College,Chittor and Dr Kunchala Rajaratnam Christian College of Education , Renigunta, will speak volumes about the educational vision and service of Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam for many centuries. He was an eloquent and convincing speaker in English, and he had the privilege to deliver thought provoking lectures on Economics and Ethics in some foreign countries and places like Rome , Sweden and Germany. According to Dr. Prasanna Kumari, " Dr. Rajaratnam was an Institution. His life had inspired many other lives and was instrumental in initiating many programmes and institutions of services to the Church and Community" . His colleague Mr Vedagiri Shanmugasundarm calls Dr. K. Rajaratnam as a determined Development Activist among Economists. Even though Dr K. Rajaratnam decorated many envious positions like the Chancellor [ Master ] of the Senate of Serampore College [ University] and President of NCCI he always kept his head and mind cool and balanced He was an Economist Par Excellence, Teacher Par Excellence and Visionary Par Excellence . Dr. Kunchala Rajaretnam passed away from this world on the 7th April, 2010. It is not at all possible to cover all the chapters and aspects of his fertile life story and accomplishment within the space of this Article . I will end this Article with the following sentence, "Dear and respected Dr. K. Rajaratnam, really you were a Retnam [ precious stone] among human-beings, I am proud of you and thank God for your meaningful life I salute you for the life-long service you had rendered for the cause of Church and Society and for the common man "
END
By P. Babu Manoharan,. [ All rights are reserved. this Article will be enlarged, modified, or corrected later if needed ].
.
Sir,
ReplyDeleteYou have brought to the world the services of a great educationist with multiple roles. Continue your good work.
P.Christu Dhas
Greetings to you. Thanks for your reading and encouraging comments.
Delete