Teachers should be public intellectuals: Prof K Nageshwar

​Singarayakonda (Ongole): Former member of the Legislative Council, Prof K Nageshwar, exhorted the teachers to perform the role of public intellectuals in society, who seek explanations for public action from the people in authority.

Delivering the Dachuri Rami Reddy Memorial Lecture on the occasion of his first death anniversary here on Tuesday, organised by the Andhra Pradesh United Teachers Federation, Prof Nageshwar expressed concern that public intellectuals who raise critical questions are increasingly becoming an endangered species.

Asserting that India is endowed with rich historical argumentative tradition, he urged the teachers to inculcate critical thinking among children as the advancement of knowledge is incumbent upon rational thought. “Therefore, question or not to question should never be the question. Questioning is to change the current socio-political narrative to herald alternate thought,” he added.

Describing Rami Reddy as a finest combination of human values, uncompromising leadership and unflinching commitment to society, Prof Nageshwar recollected his association with the late leader of the teachers' movement in the Legislative Council of the united State.

Stating that the propagation of sectarian and narrow ideas on culture, religion and nationalism is a serious challenge to the idea of India, Prof Nageshwar called upon the teachers to uphold the glorious anti-colonial, inclusive, secular nationalism which was the legacy of the freedom struggle.

Constant study, in-depth understanding and articulation of ideas would only make teachers to connect the classroom with the society effectively. Teachers should therefore inspire the students in the classroom and exert a moral authority on society at large as they do not function in a social vacuum.
MLCs V Balasubrahmanyam, B Nageshwara Rao, Y Srinivasulu Reddy, R.Surya Rao and former MLC, K S Lakshmana Rao and others participated in the programme.