Centennial Programmes - 13 - International Seminar on 'Gandhian Educational Principles and Practices for the Emerging Global Scenario'

Dr. N. P. Pillai Centennial celebration Committee is happy to announce the concluding function connected with the Centennial Celebration to be conducted in Trivandrum an International Seminar on Gandhian Education on 25^th, 26^th & 27^th July 2012 with international participation by experts in Gandhian Education. The Dr. N.P.Pillai Centennial Celebration Committee has representation of the following important Cultural-Educational Organizations:

ó  Dr. K.Sivadasan Pillai Foundation for Educational Research and Development(SPFERD)

ó  Department of Education, University of Kerala

ó  Centre for Gandhian Studies, University of Kerala

ó  Kerala Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi

ó  International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP)

ó  Vijnan International Foundation for Education 
ó Council for Teacher Education (CTE) South Zone
ó State Resource Centre, Kerala

Venue: Kerala Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram-695014

Dear Sir/ Madam, 

You are probably aware that Dr. N .P. Pillai Centennial Committee was formed sometimes back to celebrate the 100^th Birth Anniversary of one of the eminent teacher educator of the past generation – Dr. N.P.Pillai. The celebrations are intended to remember a legendary father-figure who has contributed significantly to the development of teacher education in India during the 50’s to 70’s of the last century and later as a UNESCO specialist in Philippines. He is gratefully remembered by the entire academic community and elsewhere.

Considering the fact that Dr. N. P. Pillai was a specialist in Gandhian education, the Committee has decided to organize a three day International Seminar on Gandhian Education on the theme - ' Gandhian Educational Principles and Practices for the Emerging Global Scenario'. The Committee also intends to publish a Souvenir in his honour and a Commemoration Volume. The Department of Education, University of Kerala has agreed to play a leadership role in this respect, since Dr. N.P.PIllai was responsible for organizing the Department during the late 50’s.

We solicit your esteemed presence and supports in making this venture a grand success.
Yours sincerely
Dr. N. Radhakrishnan     Sri. A.Prabhakaran    Sri. J. M. Rahim     Dr. Bindu. R.L.    Dr. V. M. Sasikumar

Major Theme:  Gandhian Educational Principles and Practices for the Emerging Global Scenario

Sub themes 

Ø  Gandhian  views on education - As a 'Pragmatic Idealist'

Ø  Education and rural development: The Indian Scenario

Ø  Indigenous Technology vs ICT for Sustainable Development

Ø  Humanistic  philosophy of Gandhiji – Education for Non violence

Ø  Gandhian views about school curriculum

Ø  Higher Education and Value Development.

Call for Papers  :

Last date for submission of the full Paper (Hard Copy  & Soft Copy) together with the abstract is 10^th July 2012.

Note: Format – MS Word - Times New Roman, font  size 12 with 1.5 spacing between lines and within two thousand (2000) words.

Papers on the above or related themes received up to 10^th July 2012 alone will be included in the Compendium

Registration - Details

Early bird registration up to 30^th June 2012

Late bird registration up to 10^th July 2012

Spot registration on 25^th & 26^th July 2012

Registration Fee:              Delegates (General)        Research Scholars           Students                  
Early registration                              Rs. 500                                  Rs. 400                  Rs. 250

Late registration                               Rs. 600                                  Rs. 450                  Rs. 300

Spot registration                              Rs. 700                                  Rs. 500                  Rs. 350

Registration Fee in the form of Cheque/DD in favour of Chairman, Dr. K. Sivadasan Pillai Foundation and payable at Thiruvananthapuram

Accommodation: Local facilities (guest house/hostel) will be provided without payment. Those who need special accommodation can be arranged on payment.

Seminar Consultants/Advisors

Dr. A Sukumaran Nair, Former Vice-Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi University
Dr. N. Radhakrishnan, Working Chairman, Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi

Sri. A. Prabhakaran,  Chairman, Organizing Committee, Dr. N. P. Pillai Centennial celebration.

Address for Communication:

Dr. V.M. Sasikumar, Principal Co-ordinator, Dr. N.P.Pillai Centennial Celebration, Omkar, PTRA-77, Plamood, Pattom Palace P.O., Thiruvananthapuram -695 004, mob: 09447246190

E-mail:drvmsasikumar@gmail.com

Dr. Bindu.R.L, Associate Professor, Department of Education, University of Kerala, Thycaud. P.O.

Thiruvananthapuram – 695014, Mob: 9947323222; E-mail: binduindraneelam@gmail.com

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

Centennial Programmes - 12- Commemoration Meeting and Presentation of Award in Memory of Prof. M. A. Thankamma ( Department of Education, University of Kerala, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram, June 26th, 2012)

Prof. M. A Thankamma, Former Head, Dept. of Education, University of Kerala, Thiruvanathapuram - 

Down the Memory Lane........

Prof. M.A. Thankamma with Faculty and  M.Ed. Students -1971-'72,  Dept. of Education

 Dr. N. P. Pillai Centennial Celebration- June, 2012 (12)

Commemoration Meeting and Presentation of Award in Memory of 
Prof. M. A. Thankamma

Organized by

Dr. N. P. Pillai Centennial Celebration Committee &

Dr. K. Sivadasan Pillai Foundation for Educational Research and Development (SPFERD)

Venue: Department of Education, University of Kerala, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram

June 26th, 2012 (Tuesday) 10.30 am

PROGRAMME PHOTOS

Invocation by students

Welcome by Dr. Theresa Susan A, Head of the Department of Education

Dr. N.P.Pillai Centennial Celebration - A glance- by Sri. A. Prabhakaran, Chairman, Dr. K. Sivadasan Pillai Foundation

Presidential Address by Dr. S. Sreedevi, Former Principal, Govt. College of Teacher Education, Thiruvananthapuram

Inaugural Address By Dr. Aiyappan Nair, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Pennsylvania, USA (former Faculty, Department of Education, University of Kerala)

 Dr. Aiyappan Nair

A section of audience - 1st row (L to R) Dr. Y. Shahul Hameed, Dr. Vijayan Nair, Sri Maheswaran Nair (Corporation Councillor, Thiruvananthapuram), Vellanad P. Nagappan Nair(State Chairman, BSS) etc.

Introduction of Prof. M.A. Tankamma Memorial Award- a brief by Dr. V. M. Sasikumar, 
Principal Co-ordinator, Dr. N.P.Pillai CC

Presentation of award by Dr. Sita V. Nair M.D.(D/o. Prof. M.A. Thankamma) to Mrs. Sreekala A.S., M.Ed. Student
(2010-11), Department of Education, University of Kerala

Presentation of award by Dr. Sita V. Nair M.D.(D/o. Prof. M.A. Thankamma) to Ms. Ragi. N.P., B.Ed. Student(2011-12), Govt. College of Teacher Education, Thiruvananthapuram  

Address by Dr. Sita V. Nair

Thanksgiving by Ms. Ragi N.P.

A section of the audience

COMMEMORATION SPEECHES

Vellanad P. Nagappan Nair, State Chairman, Bharat Sevak Samaj

Dr. Mavelikkara Achuthan, Pricipal, Hindi Training College, Kerala Hindi Prachar Sabha

Sri. K. Maheswaran Nair, Councillor, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation

Dr. Molly Cherian, Professor (Rtd.), Karmela Rani Training College

Dr. C. Narayana Pillai, Principal, Emmanual College of B.Ed. Training

Mr. V. Radhkrishnan (S/o Prof. Thankamma), Engineer, Bangalor

Dr.Bindu R.L, 

Ms.  Bindu D., Vote of Thanks

Dr. N. P. Pillai - A Photo Retrospective

Dr. N. P. Pillai

Family Photo

Dr Pillai as N.C.C Officer

Her Excellency Ms. Jyothi Venkatachellam, Hon. Governor of Kerala with Bharat Sevak Samaj (BSS) Officials.

Standing L-R:- Dr. N. P. Pillai, (State Chairman), Sri. P. N. Namboothiri (Vice-chairman), Vellanad P. Nagappan Nair (General Secretary) and Sri K. Ramachandran (District Chairman)

Commemorative Volume on Dr. N. P. Pillai

Snaps of Dr. N. P. Pillai's Doctoral Dissertation at University of Birmingham, UK

Ph.D thesis of Dr. N. P. Pillai at University of Birmingham, UK

FOREWORD of Dr. N. P. Pillai's book, by Mr. Humayun Kabir, Famous Educationist and Philosopher


I have read with great pleasure Dr. Narayanan Parameswaran Pillai's study on 'The Educational Ideas of Mahatma Gandhi'. Originally submitted as a thesis for the Doctorate in the University of Birmingham, I understand that it has been awarded the George Cadbury Prize which is given annually for the best thesis of the year, provided it is of outstanding merit.

 Dr. Pillai has made a very careful study of Gandhiji's educational thought and practice. He has also indicated how these have grown out of Gandhiji's basic philosophy of life. For Gandhi, co-operation of individuals and communities is the essential fact and he devised his educational system in a way which would develop in the child a sense of community through socially useful and creative activities. Activity as a principle of education is today recognized universally but Gandhi added to it the idea of social utility in order to develop in the child an attitude of social responsibility and helpfulness to others from the beginning of scholastic life. Since Basic Education has been accepted as the pattern of elementary education throughout India, it is necessary that there should be a clear understanding of its philosophy and practice. Dr. Pillai's book will go a long way towards meeting that need.

 A clear understanding of the values of Basic Education is necessary not only for Indians but for others as well. The Indian experiment in Basic Education attemps to develop in the child a resilience and flexibility which will enable it to retain values that have been inheritd from the past while meeting the challenges created by a contracting world in an atomic age. Far-reaching discoveries in science an technology in recent decades have made co-operation on an intra-national as well as international scale a condition for human survival. Today the whole world has literally become a neighbourhood and neighbourliness has become not merely a virtue but a necessity. Basic Education---properly understood and divested of some of the accretions which enthusiastic but understanding devotees have attached to it --- may prove a most valuable instrument in effecting this transformation in the outlook of the growing generations. Dr. Pillai's book should thus prove interesting and useful both inside and outside India.

Dr. Ram Nayar with Dr. N.P. Pillai's thesis

Acknowledgement page of Dr. N. P. Pillai's thesis

I wish to record my sincere thanks to Dr. E.A. Peel, Professor and Head of the Department of Education, University of Birmingham, and to Mr. B.C.L. James, Lecturer, Education Department, University of Birmingham for the encouragement, help and guidance I have received from them in the preparation of this work.

I also wish to thank the Librarians of the University Library and the Institute of Education Library, Birmingham, the Senate House Library and the Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, the Indian House Library and the India Office Library, London, the Secretary of the India League, London, and the Superintendent of the Reading Room and the Keeper of the Department of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts, the British Museum, for the facilities they kindly afforded me to work in the institutions under them.

I acknowledge unreservedly my indebtedness to the authors and publishers of the various books from which I have quoted extracts. I must specially mention Professor M.V.C. Jeffreys, Dr. Arthur E. Morgan and A.N. Whitehead. My thanks are also due to the Trustees of the British Museum for permitting me to reproduce a letter from Gandhi to Sir Edward Gait

This work might not have been undertaken but for the financial help given to me by the Government of India and University of Travancore, and I am thankful to them.

University of Birmingham, UK

Inside University of Birmingham, UK

University of Birmingham campus