Universiti Malaya's Indian Studies dept will be maintained: VC

Petaling Jaya (Malaysia), Aug. 26 (ANI): The representatives of Indian NGOs have been assured by the vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaya that the Indian Studies department in the university will be maintained.

Professor Ghauth Jasmon told Indian NGOs' coordinator K. Arumugam that the university was in the process of recruiting a person proficient in Tamil to head the department.

A controversy had erupted when a non-Indian Dr Mohammad Raduan Mohd Ariff was made head of the department after the retirement of Dr S. Kumaran, the Star reports.

The uproar reached a new height when reports of replacing the Indian Studies department with a South Asian Studies department surfaced.

On Tuesday, a three-member delegation representing 128 Indian NGOs had a one-hour discussion with Jasmon on the issue.

They handed over a memorandum demanding appointment of an Indian head of the department.The vice-chancellor has agreed to consider a member of the existing staff to head the department if they can get together and agree among themselves.

"He was very frank and patient. He assured us that his intention was only to make it better and not to destroy the department," Arumugam said. (ANI)