Manipur Sports University in UP ?

Free Thinker *

One gentleman, who is not always so gentle after two pegs, told me in an evening encounter that "it is not the National Sports University (NSU), Manipur, actually it is the National Sports University, either Mainpuri or Manipal ; there was a typo in the draft , in the final Act it will be completely corrected".

Even though he was not in his complete senses, he was talking sense. Later I spoke to the concerned authorities and confirmed that the University is going to have Outlying Campuses, Regional Centers and Off Campus courses. Then I realized why our students had broken the furniture.

Violence and destruction is unacceptable even if our cause is valid, justifiable and justiciable.

Our youths and students have a genuine reason to be agitated and angry about when they have learnt that some crucial institutions or centers of the National Sports University ( Manipur) are going to be established in Utter Pradesh.

Earlier I thought that they might have acted on the basis of some hearsay and rumours. Now some facts have come out from the horse's mouth (pony type) , but quite reliable.

The President of India on Jyaistha 10, 1940 , Saka ( the 31st May, 2018 ) – promulgated an Ordinance to establish and incorporate a National Sports University in the State of Manipur, a specialized University first of its kind, to promote sports education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management and sports coaching besides functioning as the national training centre for select sports disciplines by adopting best international practices and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

People of Manipur are so happy that finally the Sports University is now got the de jure status. And the pending Bill in Parliament on the same subject shall be passed in the near future, most probably in the coming Monsoon session of Parliament.

My contention is, can Manipur University, Canchipur, be operated from Kashi (Vanarasi) because the present location is quite often affected by incessant weather, unfavorable law and order, hyper sensitive students plus teachers and also very remote from the mainland.

Some people may think that such an approach is reasonable?

For the simple reasons that it is now a central university and it should be centrally acceptable; the number of students should be more and varied; more talented people should join the teaching faculty; it has a solemn ambiance of Kashi-Viswanath with mother Ganges and on top of it, this is the constituency of our honorable Prime Minister Shri Narender Modiji.

But the pertinent issue is whether the students of Manipur will be able to come there for studies.

We don't know but they must come as it is now a Central University. It is really unfortunate if some people have such kind of thinking.

If the number of off-campus courses is more than the in-campus courses, it is better to change the name of the University appropriately and accordingly in national interest.

Suppose out of 50 courses/ institutions/centers of the National Sports University, if 30 are to be operated from Northern India then what is the legitimacy of calling it the National Sports University, Manipur?

Rather it should be renamed as the National Sports University, Uttar Pradesh or so. Otherwise the 'NSU, Manipur' may sound a misnomer.

Even if the NSU is set up in a remote corner of the country the law ensures that it shall be open to persons of any sex and of whatever caste, creed, race or class, and it shall not be lawful for the University to adopt or impose on any person any test which is illegal or unconstitutional.

Moreover admission of students and recruitment of faculty shall be made on all India basis through appropriate procedures approved by the Executive Council of the University.

My simple suggestion is that 'Manipur is recognized as the powerhouse of Indian sports' and the Government of India has rightly set up a National Sports University in Manipur.

Let us ensure that the University is mainly run and operated from Manipur itself.

Finally, we must warn our students to rake up such important issues again and again (fines/penalties on damages may kindly be borne by our Honourables).

Now everyone including the Hon. CM ought to write to Modiji and Rathorji to maintain the sanctity of the National Sports University, 'Manipur' by running each and every institute/course/college/study centre under NSU, in and around Haraothel, as far as practicable. Oxford University running at Oslo does not make sense.