Change name of Ravenshaw Univ, says min

Cuttack: Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan has called for Ravenshaw University to be renamed to honour local heroes and cultural icons, reflecting the rich heritage of Odisha. Pradhan made this statement on Saturday during a gathering on the occasion of Local Self-Governance Day in Cuttack.
Ravenshaw University, originally established as Ravenshaw College in 1868, was named after Thomas Edward Ravenshaw, who was the commissioner of the Cuttack division at the time.Pradhan said, “What was Ravenshaw doing during the Great Famine of 1866? He submitted a flawed report on food grain availability to the British government, which led to starvation deaths here,” Pradhan said.
He added that renaming the university was his personal opinion, and he called for debates on the matter. Satyakam Mishra, an alumnus and former registrar of Ravenshaw University, said, “Anyone aware of Ravenshaw’s contributions would never suggest changing the name of the university established in his honour. Our ability to read Odia is due to Ravenshaw’s efforts.”
Devdas Chhotray, former vice-chancellor of the varsity, said, “Changing Ravenshaw University’s name means erasing its century-old identity. There is no need for that.”