Ram Krishna Mission appoints Muslim Sanskrit Professor on 'merit'

Amidst a lot of controversial debates and protest over the appointment of a 'Muslim' professor at the Banaras Hindu University, Ram Krishna Mission shows the way by doing the same in its Ram Krishna Vidya Mandir at Belur in West Bengal. At Banaras Hindu University, a Sanskrit professor had been facing resistance from a section of students because he is a Muslim. Last week, while these students were engaged in a sit-in protest against the appointment of Professor Firoze Khan to teach Sanskrit,on the  bank of river Ganges, another Muslim professor Ramjan Ali was welcomed at the Ram Krishna Mission Vidyamandira in Belur.

Ramjan Ali's comment

Ramjan Ali who has been appointed as a professor of Sanskrit at the eminent college affiliated with the University of Calcutta said that he did not face any discrimination ever. "The students and Maharaj have welcomed me with open arms. I have never faced any kind of discrimination from anyone for teaching Sanskrit in my life. Not even here. I have been teaching the language for a long time. Joined here recently," said the professor.

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Terming the incident at Banaras Hindu University as something that cannot be shown as an example, Prof. Ali said that a certain incident here and there should not be hailed as a crisis or notion for the entire country. "Sanskrit is a very old language, it is the language of the people of this country. What has religion got to do with Sanskrit or any other language? It is the culture of our country. It is our duty to study it", said Professor Ali.

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About Ramkrishna Mission Vidyamandira

Ramkrishna Mission Vidyamandira is a college founded in 1941 and is a part of Ram Krishna Mission, a worldwide spiritual movement known as the Ramakrishna Movement. The mission is named after and inspired by the Indian saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and  was founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on 1 May 1897. The institute has 700 students and is affiliated with Calcutta University. "It's very natural to our college, I don't think it is astonishing. College service commission has recommended him. We have appointed him on merit. Several Muslim teachers have worked here. Nothing new. Vivekananda spoke about unity. The world is one," he said.

"Sanathan dharma believes that everyone has God in him or her. We believe in this. So it is  very natural. It is not surprising at all. There is no question of any discrimination on the basis of religion," said Swami Shashtrajnanananda on the appointment of the Sanskrit professor.

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