HARISHWAR DAYAL
The untimely demise of Professor Ramesh Sharan is an irreparable loss to the world of education. He had been a very good teacher and an equally great scholar. He was an economist of national repute. However, his activities were not only confined to teaching and research but also covered all other activities meant for the development of the state and the betterment of its people, especially the downtrodden and underprivileged.
He simplified difficult and complex topics
He was a very popular teacher. He had the capability of simplifying even difficult and complex topics. Subjects like Mathematical Economics, Statistics and Econometrics, which were considered to be difficult by most of the students of economics, were taught by him in such a simple and interesting way that their students developed interest and expertise in them. He was also known for his excellent teacher-student relationship. He used to talk to his students very affectionately. He used to encourage and motivate them to do well in their studies and life.
Polite and highly accessible
He was very polite and highly accessible. No one had any hesitation in meeting and talking to him. He was available to everyone. His former or current students, colleagues, researchers, journalists, social activists and development personnel used to approach him for his views, opinions and suggestions. He never disappointed any of them. Even during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor, he used to take time to pick up phones or meet people.
He was an accomplished researcher. His research works have been widely acclaimed. His research papers have been published in renowned national and international journals. His writings about the problems of Jharkhand and its people and the strategies for the development of the state have been widely referred to. He considered research and research writing not only an integral part of education but also a responsibility towards society. He used to encourage young scholars and teachers to do research and publish them in accredited journals.
Apart from academic journals, he also wrote in local newspapers. He considered the local newspapers and magazines as an effective medium to educate and sensitize people.
Prof Sharan played an important role in Jharkhand movement
He also played an important role in the movement for the formation of Jharkhand. Along with Professor Amar Kumar Singh, he played an important role in its Buddhi Jeevi Manch (Intellectual Forum).
Due to his commitment towards the development of Jharkhand and its people, he was also associated with those non-governmental social organizations which are contributing significantly to the development of the people of the state. Professor Sharan played an important role in the recently formed Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Forum, a group of well-meaning organisations concerned with the development of the state.
He was my mentor
I enjoyed a very close and cordial relationship with Professor Sharan. He was my mentor. I used to consider him my ‘friend, philosopher and guide’. I knew him from my school days.
We lived in the same locality. He was eight years senior to me. He was doing post-graduation in Economics, the subject of my interest, when I was still in school. He was a very intelligent student – the topper of his batch. He was my role model. At every stage of my career, I received useful suggestions and support from him. By the time I became a graduate student in economics, he had already made a mark as a distinguished teacher. I used to visit him to study and understand the topics I considered difficult. Even in later years, whenever I used to come to Ranchi, I used to reach out to him to discuss some subject or the other. Discussions with him were always enlightening.
When I also came to Ranchi as a teacher, he helped me a lot by providing good teaching materials and by giving meaningful suggestions about how to teach.
His suggestions had a great impact on me. He inspired me to conduct research and write. We jointly conducted a few research works. We have jointly written about seven articles. His untimely death is a big personal loss for me. I have lost my academic leader.
(The writer is a Member of the Jharkhand State Finance Commission.)
