Foreign students back to Gujarat Vidyapith for regular programmes

Nearly after a decade, the 105-year-old Gujarat Vidyapith founded by Mahatma Gandhi, has got international students in its regular courses, with two Bangladeshi nationals enrolling in PG programmes.

“It was in 2016 when a foreign student was last awarded a degree at Gujarat Vidyapith. Kaori Kurihara from Japan studied Mahatma Gandhi’s original writings after she took a liking for Gandhian philosophy after reading Gandhiji’s Hind Swarajya. After completing her Masters and MPhil from Gujarat Vidyapith, she pursued PhD on ‘Satyagraha Ashram’ from 2012-16,” Prof Prem Anand Mishra, Dean of Faculty of Gandhian Studies, told The Indian Express.

Kaori was the last international student at the university’s regular programme. The most popular course among foreign students is ‘International Course on Gandhian Nonviolence: Theory and Application’, a four-month programme launched in 2011 at the Faculty of Gandhian Studies. It is free of cost and meant only for international students.

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The course has returned this year after a one-year gap. For Apu Chandra Das (PG in Yog) and Moupriya Gopal Mallick (PG in Commerce), it is a different environment to which “they are learning to adapt”. Das completed his BBA (Finance) from Gujarat University this year and Mallick is a Commerce graduate from Ahmedabad’s HL College of Commerce. Both were fellows of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. “It is good to see new things. I have an interest in Yog so I wanted to pursue it. Vidyapith culture is different from my previous experience at Gujarat University. Since I’m staying inside the campus, I am liking it more. It is good to do something new,” Das told The Indian Express. Prof Mishra, said, “Before Kurihara, three Mexican students – two females and one male – enrolled for MA in Gandhian Philosophy and Method from 2011-14.” Gujarat Vidyapith VC Harshad Patel said, “It is encouraging to see foreign students come after a long time. We hope this will pave way for more enrollment from international students in the coming year.”

Among the 3 female students in MCom, Mallick is the only foreign candidate. Explaining why she chose Gujarat Vidyapith, Mallick said, “Other than a considerably lesser financial burden compared to other universities for the same course, Vidyapith was referred to me by one of my friends who spoke very highly of the University.” Talking about her experience so far, Mallick said, “The culture and environment is friendly. For a change, I am also liking the culture of staying within the rules which every student is bound to follow.” Although not many foreign students have joined the University’s regular UG and PG programmes, nearly 99 students from over 20 countries enrolled for ‘International Course on Gandhian Nonviolence: Theory and Application’ from 2011 to 2023.

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