Pioneering the spirit of innovation

The crew members of the passenger cum cargo steamer, 'The Empress of India', found two passengers sitting on the deck, rapt in conversation for hours together on their way from Japan to USA. Of the two, one was businessman Jamsetji N Tata, who was on his way to USA to talk to his counterparts on steel imports, while the other was a young monk Swami Vivekananda, who was travelling to attend the Columbian Exposition, scheduled to be held in Chicago in 1893. The duo talked tirelessly through the day till sunset. The two were staying in adjacent first-class cabins and followed the

same routine for three weeks until the steamer reached Vancouver in June.

We can guess that Swamiji may have talked to Jamsetji Tata about the best potential education policy for India. After touring extensively in the country, Swamiji had found that the British government had very cleverly conspired to turn India into a nation of clerks, with educated people losing their power of innovation. This was the best way to turn the nation into a mass of mediocrity. Educated people were made to believe that they did not possess any heritage or culture, and that British education was a blessing. As Tata was already an established businessman, Swamiji might have been coaxing him to set up an educational institution where students would be taught to think differently and not simply stick to pantheons. Swamiji firmly believed that change in India could only come with quality education which would synthesise the best of eastern and western thoughts.

A letter written by Jamsetji Tata to Swamiji on November 23, 1898, confirms our guess that they had possibly discussed India's deplorable education policy. The letter read:

"I trust you remember me as a fellow traveller on our voyage from Japan to Chicago. I very much recall at this moment your views on the growth of the ascetic spirit in India and the duty not of destroying, but of diverting it into useful channels.

I recall these ideas in connection with my scheme of Research Institute of Science for India, of which you have doubtless heard or read. It seems to me that no better use can be made of the ascetic spirit than the establishment of monasteries or residential halls for men dominated by this spirit, where they should live with ordinary decency, and devote their lives to the cultivation of sciences – natural and humanistic. I am of opinion that, if such a crusade in favour of an asceticism of this kind were undertaken by a competent leader, it would greatly help asceticism, science and the good name of our common country; and I know not who would make a more fitting general of such a campaign than Vivekananda. Do you think you would care to apply yourself to the mission of galvanizing into life our ancient traditions in this respect? Perhaps you had better begin with a fiery pamphlet rousing our people in this matter.

I should cheerfully defray all the expenses of publication."

It was Jamsetji's dream project to set up an institute where natural science, basic science would be taught along with metaphysics, ethics and psychology. To set up such an institute, Tata had donated Rs 33 lakh.

Tata sent his sister and his friend Jamsetji Padsha to meet Lord Curzon when he arrived in Bombay, on December 31, 1898. Curzon rejected the proposal and said such a research institution would only be detrimental for Indian students. He also pointed out that Indian students would not be interested in joining such an institute. He requested Padsha to drop the idea of establishing such an academic institution.

A thoroughly disappointed Tata sent his sister and Padsha to Belur Math to meet Vivekananda. They discussed elaborately and Prabuddha Bharat, the English monthly organ of Ram Krishna Mission, wrote a long editorial in March 1899 supporting Tata's initiative. Prabuddha Bharat published a second editorial stating that a golden statue of Tata should be erected for his proposal of setting up a research institute. But Tata failed to influence the British government.

In 1899, Swamiji left for the United States and England with Sister Nivedita and Swami Turiyananda. Nivedita knew that her guru was eager to help Tata establish a research institute.

In England, Nivedita talked to senior officials of the Education Department, hoping to convince them about Tata's proposed research institute. Ole Sera Bill, one of Swamiji's disciples, organised a lunch which was attended by a senior official of the British Education Department, Sir George Birdwood, along with Tata and Nivedita. Nivedita raised Tata's proposal which Birdwood turned down politely. He said the British government had set up educational institutions for its own benefit and not to benefit Indians. He also said that there was no one in India fit to head the institute. Nivedita recommended Jagadish Chandra Bose, who was then touring England after his great success at the Science Congress held in Paris. Finally, Birdwood agreed to Nivedita's proposal but expressed his inability in clearing the project.

But Nivedita refused to relent and wrote letters to educationists, seeking their opinion. William James, renowned American educationist and psychologist, welcomed Tata's move and urged Nivedita to ensure that educationists belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities are consulted and that all students are given the same opportunity. Patrick Geddes, famous biologist and sociologist, responded to Nivedita's letter, echoing James's views. However, both Vivekananda and Tata died without achieving their dream of building a research institute for Indian students. Vivekananda died prematurely at the age of 39 in 1902, and Tata died in 1904.

After their death, Nivedita put up a lone battle against the British who had continued to oppose Tata's project. Lord Curzon held a press conference in Kolkata in 1905 and alleged that Tata had wanted clearance for the project that would cater to his interest. Nivedita wrote a letter in The Statesman opposing Curzon's allegation.

Curzon left the country in 1905 and Nivedita was forced to leave India in 1906. While in England, she again tried to convince British educationists and officials of the education department. Finally, they agreed. But getting a suitable land for the project posed a problem. Finally, Lord Minto gave clearance to the project and Nivedita convinced the Maharaja of Mysore, who was a disciple of Swamiji, to give a plot of land in his kingdom to set up the institute which was his guru's dream project. Maharaja provided land in Bangalore to set up the Tata Institute of Science which is now known as the Indian Institute of Science. The dreams of Vivekananda and Tata finally saw the light at the end of a very long tunnel. The institute is today considered to be prime for scientific research in the country. It celebrated Vivekananda's 150th birth anniversary in 2013 and started classes on human science like metaphysics, ethics and psychology along with natural science and basic science to pay homage to Swamiji and Tata.

(The author is Resident Editor, Millennium Post, Kolkata)