K.R.Narayanan Study Centre

K.R.Narayanan Study Centre was established in St.Stephen’s college Uzhavoor in the year 2010 with the assistance of the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the scheme of Epoch Making Social Thinkers of India during the XI plan period. The centre is an interdisciplinary one engaged in doing research on the life, ideas and concerns of K. R. Narayanan and seeks disseminate the results to the students, academics and policy making circles.

About Dr. K. R. Narayanan

            From a humble origin in a dalit family in Uzhavoor village, Kerala, Dr.Narayanan rose to become the first citizen of India. He carved out a career that saw him in roles such as Teacher, Journalist, Ambassador, Vice-Chancellor, Intellectual, Member of the Parliament, Union minister, Vice-President and finally the President of India. He obtained his graduate degree from the prestigious London School of Economics under the tutelage of the famous political scientist Professor Harold Laski. He proved himself that privations arising from caste and poverty could be overcome through hard work and determination. As a diplomat, he defended and explicated India’s foreign policy, and as President he restored dignity to the office without deviating from its constitutional role.

Objectives and Activities

            The primary objective of the centre is to do research on the life and social, political and economic ideas of K. R. Narayanan. The centre is organizing Courses, lectures and Seminars. The centre is documenting the speeches and writings of Dr. Narayanan on various issues and maintaining them for the benefit of researchers and students. It is also proposed to bring out publications based on the research.

 The centre seeks to inculate the values of secularism, truth, liberty, equality, fraternity and tolerance among the students by familiarizing them with the life and thoughts of K. R. Narayanan. To identify and empower the students from the weaker sections of the society, the centre conducts various leadership and career development programmes.

The centre is particularly interested in organizing lectures on specific aspects of Dr. Narayanan’s philosophy and areas of concern such as secularism, social exclusion and inclusion, foreign policy, women’s uplift, environmental protection, science policy and dalit leadership in Kerala. A three month certificate course in K. R. Narayanan studies for college  students is seriously under consideration.