BU's loss could be Channamma varsity's gain

Could Bangalore University’s (BU) loss be Rani Channamma University’s (RCU) gain?

Well, the latter, the second-largest university in Karnataka with 347 affiliated colleges, is trying to get so.

Two days after Jindal Aluminium announced the withdrawal of its Rs 100-crore donation to Bangalore University (BU) to set up the proposed Bangalore School of Economics (BSE), the RCU Vice-Chancellor, B R Ananthan, wrote to the steel manufacturer, inviting it to help the newly established varsity set up the Belgaum School of Economics. The university was established in 2010.

Ananthan, however, said that the varsity was not necessarily seeking money from the said corporate house. He also insisted that he was not trying to rub salt in the wounds of BU.

“Well, it’s true that we do not know any top functionary in the Jindal Group personally. When we learnt that the firm was trying to donate the money as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), we thought of giving it a try,” Ananthan told Deccan Herald in a telephone interview.

The RCU V-C said he was disappointed at seeing BU lose out on the donation.
“Ours is an open invitation. We are not sending any proposal to the Jindal Group but only seeking to draw their attention towards our varsity which is located in a backward region,” Ananthan added.

He hastened to add that the RCU Syndicate would be supreme and authorised to take a final decision.

“If the company shows an inclination in helping us, our Syndicate will negotiate the agreement,” he said.