Things at JNU 'comically bad': Professor who won Infosys Prize 2018

New Delhi: Jawahar Lal University (JNU) professor and the winner of Infosys Prize 2018 Kavita Singh was left stunned after she got to know that her leave application to attend the award ceremony was rejected by the JNU vice-chancellor. Reacting to the development, she said things at the university were "comically bad". Singh got to know about the rejection of her leave application only after she landed in Bengaluru to attend the event organised by the Infosys Science Foundation (ISF). She received the award on Saturday night.

Speaking after receiving the award, Singh thanked the JNU, where she has been teaching for 17 years, and said until recently, it was "a very congenial and supportive place". "We never had much money or facilities, but we had excellent colleagues and academic freedom. Today, things are bad; things are comically bad in my institutional home.

"How bad you may ask? After I came to Bengaluru, I checked my e-mail and found that the leave application I had put in to come here and receive the award had been rejected by my vice-chancellor. So please be warned that my presence on this stage today is illegitimate," she said. Singh is a professor and the Dean of the School of Arts and Aesthetics at the JNU in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, JNU administration criticised the students' union for calling a two-day strike to protest against the varsity for allegedly spending nearly Rs 13 lakh to host spiritual gurus Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Sadhguru.

"It is surprising that office bearers of yet-to-be-notified JNUSU have been spreading motivated misinformation on the social media questioning the wisdom of the university to invite two spiritual leaders and promoters of social harmony and peace," said the

varsity's registrar.