Maharaja's College @150: Time to reclaim the 'regal' glory

New Indian Express

31-05-2025

Highs & lows
There was a time when the campus was celebrated for its excellence in every sphere. 'It was a campus where healthy socio-political dialogues happened,' recalls Yusuf K A, former registrar of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady.
'Political differences used to be settled through fierce dialogues and discussions. I remember after arriving on the campus as a young student, we felt as if being beckoned by the positive energy left behind by the stalwarts who had walked the soil before us.'
Former Nabard chief general manager C P Mohan, who studied at the college from 1972 to 1975, believes he was 'fortunate' to have experienced its 'golden era'.
'Those days, it was every student's dream to study at Maharaja's. Those were the times when several literary doyens visited the campus for kavi arangus (poetry sessions) and street plays. Academics, literature, arts and culture thrived. It helped build a living society.'
Prasanna K, former principal of Manimalakunnu Government College, who studied at Maharaja's for 7 years and later taught economics there for 12 years, gushes similar views. 'The years that I spent at the college as a student and then as a teacher were the best,' she says.
'I saw raw talents blossom. They got honed and polished. The campus was not all about academic excellence, but making a better person out of the students through positive interaction among the peers.'
However, over time, the campus lost some of its sheen. Instead of headlines celebrating the college's achievements — including high ranks in the National Institutional Ranking Framework — stories of campus violence and administrative mismanagement began to dominate the media.
'Sad but true,' says Prasanna. To reclaim the glory, she suggests involving former teachers as mentors.
'I am not a big fan of politics. But that being said, it is always good for the students to have political awareness. All political parties should come together for the good of the institution and welfare of students,' she adds.
Today, many students appear more involved in furthering the interests of their political parties. Studies should not take the backseat. This applies to all colleges.' Mohan believes this is all part of a cycle.
'As times change, it brings with it a lot of changes. And when changes happen, we can say that degradation also happens along with,' he says.
'Changes are cyclic. It is just a wave. This one, too, will pass. And the onus for it lies on the government and the authorities concerned.'
According to Yusuf, political strife existed in the past as well. 'However, today, with the advent of social media, instead of the positive things happening on the campus, all the negatives are being highlighted,' he says.
'Also, you must note that, earlier, the cream of the crop used to seek admission to Maharaja's. Now, students have more options to choose from – institutions with much better infrastructure and placement opportunities.'
Filmmaker Amal Neerad, an alumnus, slams the government: 'How can an institution not undergo degradation when nothing is being done for its betterment?' he fumes.
He is particularly upset about parts of the campus being 'chopped' and allocated for other development projects. Censuring the neglect, he adds: 'This is a campus that has the potential to become the Harvard of Kerala or India.'