Renowned Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Amit Banerjee, who has achieved a pride of place in the Limca Book of Records for conducting the first Maze III procedure for atrial fibrillation in 1994, took over as the Vice-Chancellor of Siksha O Anusandhan (SoA) University in Bhubaneswar in January this year. He has served as the Director-Professor of Cardiothoracic surgery at the GB Pant Hospital in New Delhi, was the VC of the West Bengal University of Health and Medical Superintendent of the Janakpuri Superspeciality Hospital and Lok Nayak Hospital of Delhi Government. A graduate from the Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi in 1971, he did his MS in general surgery and MCh in Cardiothoracic surgery from the same institution in 1977.
A former head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at JIPMER, Puducherry, Dr Banerjee was also a member of the team selected by the Medical Council of India for revision of curriculum in cardiothoracic surgery at the national level. He was invited to deliver the keynote lecture at the World Congress of Cardiac Surgery in Greece in 2008 and as a faculty at the World Valve Congress at New York in 2010. Excerpts from an interview:
How has the experience been so far as SoA’s VC? What are your plans for the University?
It has been exciting. In fact, it has been a delectable combination of fear of the unknown superceded by the urge to survive and boosted by the motivation to be leader of a winning team. I joined with the determination to familiarise myself with variegated components of the three campuses of the University, with particular emphasis on eliminating negativity. My plan is to establish a culture of cooperative synergism where every stakeholder aims at attainment of excellence as a journey rather than a goal.
What challenges have you faced and what do you foresee?
My personal challenges would be in exercising authority appropriately with regard to using my experience; perceived wisdom; expected influence; administrative credibility; and strategising capability. My hopes and expectations rest on my efforts to give my ears and eyes to all, and tongue to few!
Where does SoA stand in comparison with the other institutions where you have had a stint as the highest authority or maybe a teacher?
I have headed a number of organisations in the capacity of a teacher-administrator. I have also served as the Vice-Chancellor of the West Bengal University of Health Sciences. I find in SoA University a kaleidoscopic concept, which can be best described as an educational system, that aims at producing professionally accomplished and holistically fostered young men and women, who can compete with the best anywhere.
How would you describe the current education scenario?
The present state suffers a common malady: the temptation to chase success by overtaking the triumvirate of diligence, perseverance and integrity. A decade or two ago, education was a systematic teaching-learning process where the transfer of knowledge was reinforced by an assurance and knowledge acquired was appropriately cultivated. Transfer of skill was a hand-holding exercise, enforced through stringent pedagogy and methodical cross-validation. Today, the whole business of education has become an affair of tubular vision under the “able” tutelage of YouTube and the like. I feel that a strong knowledge base is a necessary foundation for any profession. Nevertheless, the need for skill-oriented training is much more relevant today than ever before. We need smartly drawn curricula in all streams and disciplines wherein adequate weightage is allotted to practical or clinical training. This calls for careful trimming of portions in the syllabus. Chasing quality is the most fool-proof ‘mantra’ to reap the benefits of quantity.
How content are you as an educationist?
I am very happy to call myself an evolving educational reformist. Everyday throws up a new riddle to solve. Every solved riddle opens up new vistas of uncertainty, possibility and excitement. Where is the time to feel contented?
Has the process of teaching or mentoring undergone changes over time?
The process has been affected by several factors. The encroachment on teaching techniques by the regimentation enforced by regulatory authorities has affected the freedom to innovate or customise one’s teaching approach. The more recent irritants: ever-changing compulsions of time and energy lost in commutation, longer time spent for mundane chores, and other socio-political factors have taken a heavy toll on the pleasure of teaching. Competition within the temples of learning — amongst peers within the institution, or inter-institutional rivalry — have seriously affected the academic schedules and quality. Proctorship is no longer the erstwhile pleasurable exercise of adopting and fine-tuning a set of pupils. It is now just another burden that needs to be shaken off rather than shouldered.
kasturi@newindianexpress.com