President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday described the last Nizam of Hyderabad State, Mir Osman Ali Khan, as a visionary, who founded Osmania University 100 years ago.
Inaugurating the centenary celebrations of the university, the president said the Nizam had a dream of establishing a world class institution of higher learning in Hyderabad.
“A hundred years ago on this day, a visionary Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad had a vision, had a dream to establish an institution in Hyderabad which will be world-standard,” Mukherjee said while launching the three-day celebrations.
He said the university witnessed momentous changes in these 100 years, including the two world wars, India’s independence and the formation of Telangana.
The president said Osmania University was established with the dream that it will be a place where free minds will meet, there will be freely exchanged ideas and views and they will live in peaceful co-existence.
Mukherjee voiced concern that universities in India were lagging far behind in basic research and innovation.
“We cannot achieve excellence in education if basic research and innovation is neglected. I don’t blame the academic institutions alone because substantially it required uninterrupted flow of funds and it come either from government or from industries.”
Stating that state funding is not possible to the extent required, he said industries must come forward and there must be an interface between industry and academic institutions.
“Chairs should be created, special research projects should be endowed by the industry. It should develop vested interest in education, in research, in advancement of science and development, then only we will not only be able to occupy our rightful place in the map of education system but also economically being advanced we will occupy the rightful place in the international community.”
Mukherjee said that at every educational congregation, he underlined the need for excellence.
“In many capacity as the ex-officio visitor of more than 100 central institutions and for last five years when I assumed this office almost like a parrot in every education congregation, I emphasise on having excellence, on achieving international standard, finding universities of India, institutions of higher learning in India occupying rightful place in the world list brought out by internationally reputed agencies.”
Stating that there has been a huge development of higher educational institutions, the president said building a few IITs, NITs and ICARs will not be enough.