Who is Thomas Edward Ravenshaw, at centre of name-change debate in Odisha?

The establishment of Ravenshaw College is widely regarded as his most significant contribution to advancing higher education in Orissa. The 1866 famine, which claimed the lives of about a million people, underscored the dire need for improved education in the region, as the gravity of the situation had not been fully realised due to inadequate educational infrastructure. (Dinabandhu Dehury, T.E. Ravenshaw and the Spread of Education in Orissa)

Founded in 1868, the institution initially operated as a small school. However, it was elevated to a full-fledged first-grade college in 1876 and was commonly known as Cuttack College until it was renamed Ravenshaw College in honor of T.E. Ravenshaw.

“The establishment of a college at Cuttack is an object of personal importance to myself and also of greatest importance to the spread of Higher Education in Orissa. (Ravenshaw, in a letter to the Secretary, Government of Bengal, 5 August 1875: No. 108).

Ravenshaw was also instrumental in creating numerous departments of various subjects in the Ravenshaw College.

Women’s education

T.E. Ravenshaw also advocated for women’s education in Odisha after he observed that no one was ready to send their daughters to school. Financial assistance was sanctioned for the initiative which led to the establishment of Cuttack Girl’s School which initially ran as a primary school. In 1873, the name of this girls’ school was renamed as Ravenshaw Hindu Girl’s School.

Medical education expansion

Another significant initiative in the spread of education Commissioner Ravenshaw and Dr. W.D. Stewart, the Civil Surgeon of Cuttack joined hands to expand medical education in the region. Ravenshaw very keenly recommended the sanction of the scheme which led to the government to start an esteemed institution on experimental basis.

Notable Ravenshaw University Alumni

• Madhusudan Das, also known as Utkal Gourab, a lawyer and social reformer played a pivotal role in the formation of Odisha as a separate state.
• Godabarish Misra, a political leader and social reformer was instrumental in the Odia language movement.
• Pandit Gopabandhu Das, a key figure in the Odia renaissance, was a freedom fighter, poet, and social reformer known for his contributions to education and social justice.
• Srimati Nandini Satpathy, the first woman Chief Minister of Odisha, was known for her contributions to women’s empowerment and social justice.
• Sir Jadunath Sarkar, a historian and scholar, was famous for his works on Indian history and historiography.

What did Dharmendra Pradhan say?

During his recent address, Pradhan emphasised the need for intellectuals and scholars to reconsider the appropriateness of the university’s name in the context of modern India. He stated that the name reflects a colonial legacy that may not align with contemporary values and aspirations and that changing it would be step towards embracing a more indigenous identity.

Stating that the Na Anka famine had taken place in the state during the British bureacrat’s tenure, Pradhan said: “It is my personal opinion that the name of the institution should be changed. The devastating Na Anka famine had taken place in Odisha during the tenure of Ravenshaw saheb (when he was commissioner of Odisha division). The intellectuals of Odisha should think about it. There is a need for a debate over the issue.”

However, some of the institution’s well-known alumni did not agree with the suggestion.

Former Odisha chief secretary Sahadeb Sahoo, an alumnus of the institute, said, “By establishing the institution, Ravenshaw saheb actually upheld Odia glory at a time when Odia language was struggling for its identity. Because of his effort in spreading higher education, people at that time honoured the British officer by naming the institution after him. Also, Ravenshaw saheb was not responsible for causing miseries to the Odia people.” Sahoo was a student of the institute from 1957 to 1960.