He was invited to serve as a Professor in IIT Kharagpur, where he taught business management courses for more than five years before joining GIM. Currently, he heads the Big Data Analytics program of GIM and has launched a post-graduation course this year, the first of its kind in the country.
After students and teachers at IIM-A, education rights activists and academicians from Canada, more than 260 Students, Faculty and Alumni from IIT Kharagpur signed a statement in solidarity with Professor Anand Teltumbde.
He was invited to serve as a Professor in IIT Kharagpur, where he taught business management courses for more than five years before joining GIM. Currently, he heads the Big Data Analytics program of GIM and has launched a post-graduation course this year, the first of its kind in the country.
The appeal for quashing the false FIR against Dr Anand, filed by the Pune Police was rejected on 14 January by the Supreme Court and gave four weeks to seek pre-arrest bail from the competent court. Until now Anand felt confident that whatever charges the Police levied could be proved as criminal fabrication once they landed before the court.
An FIR was filed against Anand Teltumbde in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Koregaon Bhima violence and for his alleged Maoist links. Teltumbe had said in his petition that he was in Pune on Dec 31 and Jan 1 but did not attend the event even though he was the co-convener.
The apex court also refused to interfere with the ongoing investigation in the case.
However, a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Ashok Bhushan and S K Kaul extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Teltumbde by the Bombay High Court by four weeks. The apex court said Teltumbde could seek regular bail from the competent trial court in the meantime.
The statement by people at IIT Kharagpur added that for a person who has devoted almost four decades of his professional life in serving this state apparatus and advocating justice for the marginalized, such criminalization is utterly unjust.
“With all his intellectual contributions, Prof. Teltumbde has lived his life as an honest truth seeker and has questioned any injustice throughout his life. Whatever criticisms he made, and whatever questions he placed, he has made it with utmost scholastic discipline. Keeping all his activities and credentials in mind, it is quite unfortunate that a scholar like him is having to face such police actions without any iota of wrongdoing,” they said.
Full text of the statement:
Statement to stand against the threat of imminent arrest of Prof. Anand Teltumbde – Students, Faculty and Alumni of IIT Kharagpur
We, the undersigned students, faculty, alumni and others from IIT Kharagpur are shocked by the threat of imminent arrest of our ex-colleague, Prof. Anand Teltumbde. This comes in the aftermath of rejection of the appeal he filed at the Supreme Court regarding the baseless FIR lodged against him by the Pune police under the pretext of the Bhima-Koregaon incident. He has currently been granted a period of four weeks for seeking pre-arrest bail from the competent Court.
Details of the charges can be viewed in the following link: http://bit.ly/chargesonanand.
Prof. Teltumbde has been known as a renowned management professional and a scholar.
He graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from VNIT Nagpur and pursued a degree in Management from IIM Ahmedabad. He did his doctorate in Cybernetics and has held responsible positions in the corporate sector such as Executive Director of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. and Managing Director & CEO of Petronet India Ltd. Even while being in the corporate sector, unusually, he published over 20 research papers in prestigious journals.
Later, he was invited to serve as a Professor in IIT Kharagpur, where he taught business management courses for more than five years before joining GIM. Currently, he heads the Big Data Analytics program of GIM and has launched a post-graduation course this year, the first of its kind in the country.
Despite his highly active professional life, he has always been intent on giving back to society. His intellectual contribution encompasses studying of various social issues and publishing of hundreds of articles along with a regular column, “Margin Speak” in the prestigious Economic and Political Weekly (EPW). He has authored 26 books which have been well received and widely read in India and abroad by prestigious publishing houses such as Zed books, Routledge, and Penguin Random House. Besides this he has also delivered hundreds of lectures across India and abroad for the past three decades thereby carrying out the role of a public intellectual. Various universities have conferred upon him several laurels, awards and honorary doctorates.
Coming from the poorest of the poor family, Prof. Teltumbde passed through the best institutes in the country with scholastic achievements. Just being an alumnus of hallowed IIM Ahmedabad, he could have easily lived a luxurious life only if he had chosen to ignore social oddities around him. However, with a sense of contributing to better the lives of people, he decided to just make enough to sustain his family at a reasonable living standard and devote time to make intellectual contribution, the only thing possible, towards making the world a little more just. Informed by this instinct, the residue of activism during his school and college days naturally landed him in organizations like Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) of which he is today the General Secretary and All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) of which he is a presidium member.
He has selflessly fought against caste-based discrimination and human rights violation of the marginalized. Moreover, he has been vocal about the education sector which is adversely affected by the neoliberal policies adopted by successive governments. By closing down primary schools, severely cutting funds in higher education institutes, encouraging private investments on education, funding private institutes by tax-payers’ money, forcing institutes to generate their own funds through fee hikes or corporate funded research etc., the ruling dispensation has continually tried to push forth their monstrous neoliberal agenda of liberalisation and privatisation.
These incidents are not be treated as stray incidents, rather they aim towards dissociating the marginalized masses from the fruits of education. These issues of national concern have been constantly brought to the fore by activists and students under the banner of AIFRTE.
Prof. Anand Teltumbde has been a guiding force behind this nationwide movement to save the education sector in India.
There is not an iota of unlawful in either his voluminous writings or selfless activism. Rather, his entire academic career and corporate career of nearly four decades have been without a single blemish and exemplar of the integrity of highest degree. Despite all these, the danger of being arrested looms large over him. Moreover, as in insinuation of his connection with Bhima-Koregaon or Elgar Parishad, he has been a critique of the episode and his criticism has been published in The Wire [https://thewire.in/caste/myth-bhima-koregaon-reinforces-identities-seeks-transcend].
Under the preposterous charges slapped against him, Dr. Teltumbde can only be arrested under the draconian UAPA which can mean years of incarceration. Even a hardened criminal can get away with his crime with a metered punishment of a year or two but an innocent person merely for the police, invariably acting at the behest of political bosses, claim that they have evidence against him could keep for years in jail. The arrest for him is not simply the hardship of prison life, it is keeping him away from his laptop which has been integral with his body, from his library which has been part of his life, half-written manuscripts of books committed to various publishers, his research papers which are in various stages of completion, his students who staked their future on his professional reputation, his institute that invested so much resources in his name and recently took him on its Board of Governors, and his numerous friends and of course his family—his wife, who, as the granddaughter of Babasaheb Ambedkar hardly bargained for this fate and daughters who are already disturbed not knowing whatever that has been happening to him since August last year.
For a person who has devoted almost four decades of his professional life in serving this state apparatus and advocating justice for the marginalized, such criminalization is utterly unjust.
With all his intellectual contributions, Prof. Teltumbde has lived his life as an honest truth seeker and has questioned any injustice throughout his life. Whatever criticisms he made, and whatever questions he placed, he has made it with utmost scholastic discipline.
Keeping all his activities and credentials in mind, it is quite unfortunate that a scholar like him is having to face such police actions without any iota of wrongdoing. We stand by Prof. Teltumbde and demand quashing of the baseless FIR against him not only to lend him and his family strength to endure this torture but also to do our part as responsible citizens in protecting the democratic ethos of our country.
Signatories:
Ayan Chandra, Research scholar
Aratrika Dey, Student
Rajesh S, Student
Selva Balaji M, Research Scholar
Shuvodip Majumdar, RS
Akash Chakraborty, JPA
MARXIM RAHULA BHARATHI B, Student
Rajdeep Sarkar, Student
anirban goswami, junior Research fellow
Jigar Solanki, Student
Sabyasachi Sengupta , Ex Professor
Soumen Moulik, Alumnus, Assistant Professor (Ph.D. from IIT KGP)
Pritam Bhattacharya, Research Scholar
Niloy Ganguly, Professor
Shitanshu Shekhar Chakraborty , Alumni
Arun babu k, PhD scholar
Arnab Poddar, Research Scholar
Dipannita Podder, Student
Debolina Chatterjee, Student
M N Goswami, Assistant Professor
Mirwaiz Rahaman, Assistant Professor
Dipshikha Podder, Student
Saurav Dash, Ex-Ph.D. scholar IIT Kharagpur
Shailendra Patel, M.Tech 2nd year Rubber Technology
Parveen Sahni, Student
AMIT BISWAS, Student
Shailendra Patel, M.Tech 2nd year Rubber Technology
Utkarsh, M. Tech Student
Arunava Bandyopadhyay , Research Scholar
Deepak verma, Student
Susila, Student
Lavanya V, M Tech from agricultural and food engineering department
vivek singh, IIT KGP
Anamika, Student
Rajdeep Biswas, Student
Karri Chandra Sekhara Sai Unmesh, Alumni, IIT Kharagpur (2018)
Sandeep, Intern
Harsh Deshmukh, Alumnus
lakshya, student
Murali Karthik, Student
Ravi Shaw, Research Scholar
Shivam Meena , Student IIT kharagpur
Rajneesh, Student
Charan Reddy, Alumnus, Software engineer
RajarajanS, Alumni
Rahul Kranti Kiran, Student
Dileeppavansurya, Student
Vivek Wandile, Student
Arindam Roy, Research scholar
Kalyani , Alumni,iit kgp
Pratik banka, Student
Kunal Singha, Research scholar
Chandramani kumar, Coral Mtech, iit kgp
Kssr, Student
Jagadish Patra , Student
Saurabh Nayak, Student
Saurabh Nayak, Student
Vivek shirode, Student
Shree narayan , Student
Smayukta Nanda, Alumnus,Chief strategic officer, TRC
Billa Rakesh, student
Subrata Ghosh, Research Scholar
Vikas Nimesh, Research Scholar
Amit Kumar, Kharagpur
Mridupon kutum, Student at IITKGP
Neelanjan Akuli, Student
Navami T S, Research Scholar
Debabrata Dutta, Senior reserach fellow
Pratik Hirekhan, Student
Siri, Student
sanjeevi kumar Uppu, Alumnus, SME
Ranajoy Sadhukhan, Student
Kumar Rishav, Student
Prathmesh Deshmukh , B.Tech student IIT KGP
Chakit Chawda, student
M.Sreelekha, Student
Kshitij Saraogi, Student
Likhit Pilli, B.Tech Student
Priyanka Bhaskar, Student
shambhavi dhote, student
Anand Azad, M.TECH STUDENT
Prashant Jeph, Alumnus, Ex- Hall president ,R.k hall
Priyank Yadav, Alumnus, Associate Consultant
Chiranjivee saksham , Alumnus, Electrical engineer
Sayan Das, Student
Yashasvi, Student
vinay kumar, Student
Sunny kumar, M.tech
Darun Prakash, Student
Siddhant Gupta , Student
SARVOTTAM KUMAR MODI, Student
Sandeep, Student
ravi teja, Student
Tina, 1st year UG student
Tanay Jagani, Student
Ishita , Student
Paritosh Jawalikar, Student
SUMIT SEN, 2nd year UG
Anand Raj, B.Tech Student
Paras Prateek, Student, IIT Kharagpur
Amrita Biswas, Student
Saswata Banerjee, Student
RADHAKRISHNA , Student
Ritesh kumar, student
Komal Thawrani, Alumnus, Urban Planner
Siba Smarak Panigrahi, UG (1st Year, B.Tech) Student
Diya Guha Roy, Senior Lecturer
Himanshu, Student
Mohidul Alam Mallick, Phd Research Scholar
Satyam Sevanya, UG student IIT Kharagpur
Amit kumar , Student
Prashant Singh, Student
Ranjeet kumar, Student
sibsankar Rahut, Research scholar
Thomas A Vempiliyath, Phd Scholar
VANKNAVATH SHOBHAN NAIK, Alumni
Abhinav Kumar, Student
Asheesh, Student
Atluri Balachandar, B.Tech 4th year student
Mahesh Singh, PhD Scholar
kovvuri lova sri koutilya varma, graduate
Saswat Dash, Student
Bhaskar Neog, Doctoral Scholar
Shashwat Dixit , Student
Bhart Singh, Alumnus
Shreya Jajodia, MBA 2nd Year Student
Ankur Garg, Student
KARANAM GNANA DEEPIKA, student
Subhadip Bouri, 4th year undergraduate
Akshat Suwalka, Student in IIT KHARAGPUR
Srinu Manikala, Student
Amar Mallick, Student
Bishakha Bera, Student
Sagar, Student
DAMINI SAHU, Student
shalini singh, research scholar
shalini singh, research scholar
Sanket Ramteke, Student
Suraj Kumar, Student
Rohit Yerramsetty, Student
Hima Swetha, Student
TABAN SALAM, student
P MEHENDI, STUDENT
shravan kumar singh, phd student
Sujit Ghosh, Research Scholar
Anubhav saboth, Student
Nikhil Yadav, Student
Tapas Mishra, Assistant Professor, NIT, Rourkela
Abhirup Roy Karmakar, Research Scholar
Aysha Jennath, Student
Giri Bhushan Sharma, PhD Scholar
Jayanta Mukhopadhyay, Professor
Shailesh Kanojiya, Student
Nokku Prudhvi , Engineer(alumini of IIT Kharagpur)
Tuhin Maparu, Alumnus, IIT Kharagpur
sushmita sharma, student
Anjana S, Student
PRIANKA PAUL, research scholar
Ankit Gaurav, Student
Ayan Saha, STUDENT
Karan Sushilkumar, Student(UG)
Ayush chandra, M.sc
Parth Paradkar, Student
Sidharth V, Student
Nishant Labhane, Alumnus, Assistant Professor
Aman Batra, Student, IITKGP
Nikhil Gupta, Student
Jana Ammaji Sadhana, student
Akshit Kumar, Student
D Kalyan Kumar, Student
Diana Bokinala, Student
Abhishek Kumar, Alumnus, Technical Executive UIDAI
Sindhu Thati, Student
Ambati Srujitha Reddy, Student
vaibhav dhiman, student @ IIT kgp
Sharbani Roy, Student
R Sai Aravind Naik, Student
Jatin Chhapola, Student
Ayush Jaiswal, Student
Dhrubajyoti Sen, Professor
Pathlavath Suresh, Student
Rishi Kant Rajpoot, STUDENT
Yudhisthir Behera , STUDENT
S Janakiraman, Research Scholar
Navdesh Nirwan, M.Tech. Scholar
Manohar K, Student
ARHUM Ansari, Student
Sudipta Ray, Research Scholar
ayush kanwar, Student
nikhil shah, student
Satya Prakash Dash, Student
Abhishek Anand , Alumnus, Inside Sales Executive
Nikhil Korra, Student
S Sidhartha, student first year ug
Yashwant Singh Chawda, 2nd year Student
vikash khakhal, student
M Siddharth, Student at IIT KGP
Ashish Singhadia, Research Scholar
ashish singh, mtech
Sachidanand , Student
B Venkatasainath, Research scholar
Dhananjay kumar, Student
HARI CHAND, M.Tech. Student iitkgp
Aditya Maramwar, student at KGP
Dhiraj Pawar, Post graduate student at IIT Kharagpur
Ritik Khobra, Student
Muhammad Hussain, 1st year B.tech,IIT Kharagpur
M Kumar, Engineer
Dilna Das, Student
GAURAV KUMAR, Research scholar
Shubham Gupta, Student
Dhane Dhiraj Manohar, Associate Professor
Kiran Kumar Reddy Papannagari, Student
Ravi Sharma, Student
Shanmuk, Research scholar
Siva Datta Budaraju , Student
Rohini Nari, SN/IG Hall,IIT Kharagpur
Monnie parida, Research Scholar
Rajesh, Software Engineer
Sudeep Sharma, Student at IIT kgp
Sriharsha, Student
Rupali Singh, Research scholar
Joy Aditya Barua, Final year UG
Saketh Varma, Student
Poonam Tripathi, Alumnus, Training Analyst
Ashish Dhiman, Alumnus, Geophysicist at WAPCOS Limited
Hemal Pawar, Alumnus, Consultant
CHADUVULA HEMANTH, Research Scholar
BINDU PRIYATHA, Student
Lalith vishnu, Student
DEEPANJAN MRIDHA, M.TECH, 2ND YEAR
Amitabha Bhattacharya, Professor
Arkaprava Ghosh, Student
Deepanjan Saha, Research Scholar
Subhojit Sengupta, Research Scholar
PRABHDEVA P, JRF
Jayeeta Mitra, Assistant Prof
Susenjit Ghosh, Student
Anupam Banerjee, Research Scholar
V.GOBINATH, Researcher
Siddhartha Sen, Professor
Rohit Chillar, Student
Aakash S, Alumni
Sahil Goyal, Alumni, 2018 batch
Dipak Prasad, Research Scholar
Rakesh Kumar, Student
Mohd Zuhair, Research Scholar
Arpita Sreemany, Senior Research Fellow
k sandeep kumar, student
LAVETI VAMSI, 4th year UG student of the department of architecture and regional planning
NIKHIL MADAN GHANGHAV, IIT KGP STUDENT
Karthik Reddy, Student UG
Saurav Suman, 5th year dual degree student
Sudarshan Pal, Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, Former Associate Professor & HOD, Physics, Kharagpur College
Anoop A., Associate Professor
Pradeep Kumar, Student
Saswati , Research Scholar
Sriku, Student
Gowrishankar, Faculty
Tuli Bakshi, Ex Research Scholar,IIT kgp
Amir sohel, P. G student
Aadi Swadipto Mondal, Student
A.S.S.Lakshman, Alumnus, Associate Consultant
Subrato Mondal, Alumnus, Development Architect, Standard Chartered GBS