The 194th Rashtramata Savitribai Phule Jayanti was celebrated by Dr. Ambedkar Chair (sponsored by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India) at the KISS-DU Campus -3, Administrative Building, Conference Hall, Ground Floor, on December 03, 2024.
The celebration of the 194th Rashtramata Savitribai Phule Jayanti was initiated by the lightning of the lamp and paying floral tribute to Rashtramata Savitribai Phule and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. A distinguished invited lecture was organised by Dr. Ambedkar, Chair at Conference Hall – 1, KISS-DU. The distinguished speaker – Prof. Nagaraju Gundemeda (HoD Sociology, University of Hyderabad) delivered the lecture. The invited lecture was attended by the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Esteemed Registrar, Chair Professors, Deans, Faculties, Research Scholars and PG students of Social Sciences and Humanities. The Registrar, KISS-DU, Dr. Prashanta Kumar Routray, gave the welcome address by associating the vision of our Hon’ble Founder Sir, Prof. Achyuta Samanta, with the ideology put forward by Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Rashtramata Savitribai Phule, and the Vice-Chancellor, KISS-DU, Prof. Deepak Kumar Behera, gave an introductory speech to the invited lecture by showcasing Rashtramata Savitribai’s literary side which marked the initiation of the invited talk. The Editor, DAF, had sent a formal message for this occasion, which was read out by Dr. Ambedkar Chair Professor, Sthabir Khora. Dr. Ambedkar Chair Assistant Professor, Shri Satyaki Pal, introduced the speaker to the audience by sharing the achievements of the distinguished speaker.
Prof. Nagaraju Gundemeda, HoD Sociology, University of Hyderabad, presented “Education and Sociology – Reflection on Rashtramata Savitribai Phule”. He began the invited lecture by emphasising on Rashtramata Savitribai Phule’s philosophy of equality, humanity, and education through “Samata se Mamata”. She believed in the universal right to education and that learning was for every child. She also opposed the traditional education system based on caste, gender, and religion. Rashtramata Savitribai Phule and her husband, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, were pioneers of women’s education in India. In 1873, they founded Satyashodhak Samaj, a reformational society that worked for the promotion of education and social justice for the marginalised sections. Prof. Nagaraju also highlighted “Educate, Empower and Enable”, which has been the “3E” formula that Prof. Achyuta Samanta, Hon’ble Founder of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), follows to circumvent tribal alienation, poverty and illiteracy through the tool of Inclusive Education. Prof. Nagaraju also linked such philosophy with Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s message of “Educate, Agitate and Organise”.
To conclude, the invited talk on the eve of the celebration of the 194th Rashtramata Savitribai Phule Jayanti showcased education as a necessary tool for breaking the shackles of casteism. The thoughts of Rashtramata Savitribai Phule and Mahatma Phule, who were spearheading the movement of ‘education for all’ in the 1850s and its link with the mode of implementation at the KISS-DU premises, were specially highlighted. A formal vote of thanks was given by Dr. Ambedkar Chair Professor, Prof. Sthabir Khora.
