To,

The President of India

Subject: An urgent appeal to address discrimination and political interference in academic institutions in the wake of the death of RohithVemula.

We, a group of students and faculty of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, express our grief over the loss of the precious life of RohithVemula, a Dalit research scholar, at the University of Hyderabad. The events that transpired in the particular case were indeed tragic, with alleged infringement of freedom of expression, caste discrimination and partisan interference by the higher State apparatus. This event is symptomatic of the larger malaise of failure of our institutions to provide a climate where students, irrespective of their social backgrounds, could find a way to excel. To create such a climate would require synchronised efforts in the parts of the State, the educational institutions and the society at large.

We express solidarity with students, teachers and others who are actively involved to stop the recurrence of such incidents in future. We urgently appeal for the adoption of measures to end discrimination of any kind in academic institutions and elsewhere. We also hope that institutional mechanism will be developed to prevent partisan political interference in academic institutions.

With regard to the specific case, we strongly appeal that the individuals found guilty by the judicial enquiry be exposed and punished and adequate compensation be provided to the deceased’s family, although their loss is immeasurable.

Thanks and Regards,

Concerned students and faculty at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

Copy to:

1. The Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad
2. Minister of Human Resource Development, Government of India

List of Signatories

1. Abhishek Debbarman
2. Akash Krishnan
3. Ambuj Anand
4. Amit Dhiman
5. Anirban Banerjee
6. Ankita
7. Anup K Sinha
8. Apoorv Khare
9. Aravind A N
10. Arnab Roy Chowdhury
11. Arpit Srivastava
12. Ashutosh Jha
13. Asim Kumar Pal
14. Bhaskar Chakrabarty
15. Biju Paul Abraham
16. Bunny Babjee
17. Debarati Basu
18. Devi Vijay
19. Diptiman Banerji
20. Keerti Pendyal
21. Kranthi Nanduri
22. Krishanu Rakshit
23. Manish Thakur
24. Meghna Singh
25. Mritiunjoy Mohanty
26. Nishant Kashyap
27. Nithin Mannil
28. Nivedita Bhanja
29. Paribhasha Sharma
30. Partha Ray
31. Pavni Kaushiva
32. Pradeep Kavangal
33. Pratik Tarafdar
34. Priyanshu Gupta
35. Pulkit Taluja
36. R Chattopadhyay
37. R Rajesh Babu
38. Radhika Ijjurotu
39. Rajesh Bhattacharya
40. Ritwik Banerjee
41. Rohit Patidar
42. Rohit Varman
43. Runa Sarkar
44. Sarath Chandra
45. Saikat Mondal
46. Shalini
47. Shalini Pasupuleti
48. Sharzeel zafaryab
49. Smita Chaudhry
50. Srujana
51. Sudip Chaudhuri
52. Sushil Khanna
53. Swathysree S S
54. Usman Ahmad
55. V Sravanis
56. Vamshikrisna
57. Vandana
58. Varun Kapoor
59. Venkat
60. Vidyanand Jha