On A Stromy Course

Valson Thampu

 

For four decades, Reverend Valson Thampu served St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, first as a member of the faculty and then as principal, significantly impacting the stature of this prestigious educational institution. In On a Stormy Course, he lays bare the truth behind the tumult and controversy that characterized the last nine years of his tenure as principal of the college. Against the backdrop of the vision and ideals of the founding fathers of the institution that, in turn, shaped his own principles and professional ethics, he reveals how he stayed steadfast and committed to the betterment of his alma mater in the face of hostile peers, media trials and public scorn.

His thought-provoking account offers a ringside view of the inner life of higher academics in India, mired as it is in disruptive institutional politics and unfortunate compromise. Equally, it reveals how rejuvenating and reforming India’s higher education system could well enable the country’s venerated institutions to serve their purpose of shaping young minds and thus, ultimately, the nation itself.