Nalanda University seeks unconditional apology from visiting US faculty
Patna,(BiharTimes): In a rare development Nalanda University has directed a former visiting faculty Patricia Sauthoff, an American national, to tender an unconditional apology for her critical comments to the media about the varsity’s decision to discontinue a course on yoga taught by her.
According to a Telegraph report from New Delhi the University’s officiating registrar, Pankaj Mohan, served a memo to Patricia Sauthoff on Wednesday, warning her of “appropriate action” for failing to comply.
However, Sauthoff said she had no intention of apologising”.
She was teaching the course “History and Politics of Yoga” which has been stopped from this academic session.
The daily reported that last month, BJP leader Ram Madhav tweeted that he was “stunned” to hear that the “Amartya Sen regime” has a “course on politics of yoga” taught by a “foreigner”.
Sauthoff had then told The Telegraph “I think this an example of how the academic atmosphere at Nalanda is dissipating...”
The memo sent to her says: “It has been observed that you are approaching the media to damage the image and undermine the integrity and reputation of the university you served. You are directed to tender an unconditional apology....”
Sauthoff wrote to The Telegraph: “Clearly such coverage has ruffled the feathers of those at the university as I received the attached letter issuing a vague threat regarding my discussions with all of you. Clearly I have no intention of apologising.”
