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How Merit Died at Mysore University: Anatomy of Decline and a Dharmic Blueprint to Rebuild
The University of Mysore’s trajectory—from a ‘Kashi of Knowledge’ to an institution beset by politicization—reveals how academic cultures unravel when identity and expedience eclipse merit. Drawing on testimonies preserved in Bhyrappa’s Bhitti, H.M. Nayak’s Mysore Diary, and accounts linked to B.G.L. Swamy, this analysis traces the sidelining of master teachers, the embittering of scholars like…
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From Temple of Learning to Cattle-shed: How Politics Unmade Mysore’s Maharaja’s College
B.G.L. Swamy’s unforgettable scene of a donkey and two cows in Maharaja’s College is more than shock value; it crystallises a wider institutional decline at the University of Mysore. Drawing on S.L. Bhyrappa’s Bhitti and the memory-portraits of A.N. Murthy Rao, this essay traces how identity blocs, party patronage, and faculty “private durbars” displaced scholarly…
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S.R. Ramaswamy’s Enduring Legacy: Dharma, Journalism, and the Rescue of DVG’s Memory
S.R. Ramaswamy (SRR) leaves an enduring legacy as a culture-shaping editor, institution-builder, and custodian of D.V. Gundappa’s (DVG) memory and thought. For nearly five decades he guided Utthana, embodying true journalism through integrity, workmanship, and a Gita-rooted ethic of action without attachment. He revived the Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), rescuing a critical platform…
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Rajaji versus Nehru: Recovering Political Decency in Post-Independence India
Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) embodied the rare scholar-statesman who coupled statecraft with civilisational wisdom. Drawing on contemporaneous reports and editorials from 1947–1952, this analysis maps how scarcity, discretionary controls, and weak accountability enabled a new political class and normalised black money in politics. It highlights internal voices of conscience—Konda Venkatappaiah, K.G. Mashruwala—and external critics like Sarat Chandra…
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What D.V. Gundappa’s 1959 Letters Reveal: Protocol, Federalism, and Public Decency
Archival letters written by D.V. Gundappa in January 1959, following the death of Sir Mirza Ismail, open a window into the administrative culture of post-Independence India. The correspondence probes how states should register public sentiment, the extent of central guidance on official holidays, and the federal balance between Delhi and state capitals. By foregrounding courtesy…
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Discover R.C. Majumdar’s Unsparing, Evidence-Based Assessment of Gandhi’s Legacy
R.C. Majumdar’s authoritative study offers an unsparing, evidence-based assessment of Mohandas Gandhi’s legacy within the broader Indian freedom movement. Read alongside D.V. Gundappa’s Vruttapatrike, it illuminates how Gandhi’s rise reshaped public discourse and mass mobilization. The discussion balances admiration for moral leadership with a careful appraisal of practical outcomes and unintended effects. Readers gain a…
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The Myth that Mohandas Gandhi Alone Delivered Freedom to India
A hundred and fifty-four years after his birth, the legacy of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi remains contested in India. Much of this uncertainty stems from extensive propaganda that has obscured vital truths about Gandhi as an activist, leader, politician, demagogue, and unlikely saint. One of the most enduring myths is encapsulated in the single word: Mahatma.…
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Hello New York Times: Time to Eat Your Elitism. This is India’s Century.
The blog post titled addresses the New York Times’ biased and racist coverage of India over the years. The post discusses how Western media, including the New York Times, has portrayed India as a backward and unscientific country, but recent achievements like the successful Chandrayaan 3 mission challenge that narrative. It delves into historical examples…
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Some Protagonists of Sacred Traditions: The Book that Sanctifies Every Hindu Home
This blog post introduces the English translation of D.V. Gundappa’s seminal work, “Vaidikadharmasampradāyastharu,” now titled “Some Protagonists of Sacred Traditions.” It pays tribute to both the original work and its insightful author, emphasizing the book’s ability to deliver spiritual wisdom and inner peace. The introduction explores the absence of extensive philosophical quotations, focusing instead on…