Prof Nandakumar removed as IIUCNN director following Deepa Mohanan’s protest

Seven days after the hunger strike by Deepa P Mohanan, the dalit scholar at Mahatma Gandhi University, Nandakumar Kalarickal, who served as the director of the International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IIUCNN), has been removed from the center following. A notice issued by the MG University Vice Chancellor Sabu Thomas mentioned that the post will be taken over by the Vice Chancellor himself from Nandakumar.

Deepa has been on a strike outside the university asking that Nandakumar Kalarickal be removed from the institute. She had alleged that it is because of caste descrimination by Nandakumar that her PhD, which was supposed to be completed in 2015, got extended till now. From preventing her from accessing the lab to denying her a seat at the workplace and even going to the extent of blocking her stipend, Nandakumar has made life really hard for her, Deepa alleged. Apart from this, Nandukumar had been rude and abusive towards her, Deepa said, and she believes it is because she was the only Dalit scholar in her batch.

The university’s decision came after state higher education minister R Bindu on October 6, Saturday promised Deepa that all measures to remove the professor from the centre will be taken. Minister had said that if the university delays the procedure, the government will directly interfere to remove Nandakumar.

Deepa started the hunger strike a week ago demanding that the institute provide her an environment to complete her research, provide her lab facilities and chemicals and remove her guide Radhakrishnan EK. The university had earlier agreed to all demands except removal of Nandakumar from the center. In the recent release the VC has informed, “To complete the student’s (Deepa) research, we will give fees exemptions, will provide hostel and laboratory facilities and also provide a new guide for her research. Her research centre's authority will be taken from Dr Nandakumar  Kalarickal by the VC.”

However, Deepa and the organisation Bhim Army Kerala that has been assisting her strike said that they will not end the protest as it is a decision to misguide them. “Nandakumar is currently in a foreign country, so they temporarily took away his position. When he is back the position will be given back to him. The Vice Chancellor is protecting him. In the notification given to us his (Nandakumar’s) name is not even mentioned,” Mansoor Konchukadavu, Bhim Army Kerala state vice president told TNM.

The MG University VC in his statement removing Nandakumar as IIUCNN director also said that there were allegations against Deepa that she had not been following the regular academic procedures at the center. “As per PhD regulations every student has to submit a half yearly research development report. But since 2014 no such reports were received from Deepa…..Her research guide Radhakrishnan KE had informed university that he cannot be her guide anymore as she neither followed his instructions nor was her research progressing,” the Vice Chancellor’s note alleges.

The note says that the university had probed allegations raised by Deepa against Nandakumar. “Nandakumar has also complained that Deepa was making false allegations and she behaved in a way no research student should have behaved,” the statement said.

It was also said in the note that Deepa had two times asked to extend her research period. However Deepa had alleged that she couldn’t finish it on time as she was denied facilities.

Deepa joined the MG University 10 years ago to do her MPhil after doing a Masters in Medical Microbiology.  

Read : Kerala Min urges Deepa Mohanan to end hunger strike, promises to fulfil demands