Q: What is that one aspect of our education system which was practiced when you were a student and would benefit students if it were still practiced?
Fr: Probably you are looking for what I experienced at school and we are trying to implement it in the system.
See, “Mata Pita Gurudevam” is what we believe and in the Indian culture, we have that strong thing. There is a change in the young people because we have moved from a macro-family to a micro-family. You are all coming from a onechild or two-children family. So, you are extremely precious in the environment that you are working with your parents. But what you probably would be missing is that sibling training. You don’t have too many people at home.
I come from a 6-member family, I had to fight with my brother and sister and connect with
them. So probably that makes them respect the parents, respect the sibling. Love for one’s siblings is a lot more than love for one’s parents. Sometimes, I think we need to connect with them and respect the teachers.
What I mean is connecting with your parents connecting with your teachers on a longer range rather than consumers.
Q: Thank you, Fr. We’ll try to implement it too. My second question to you is- what is the best advice someone has given you and how have you implemented it in your life?
Fr: Probably something that my mother told me when I decided to lead a life like this. “If you are not going to be a model, then there are going to be so many people who will be deviating.” So, a steadfast role model is one of the things and she is still concerned if I am a role model or not.
Q: This is my 4th year in Christ. Since my UG, I have been learning a lot from you. My father was also from a Chemistry background. Can you advise us how to survive in today’s highly dynamic, competitive and ever-changing environment?
Fr: There is no mechanism like that, but the simple thing is you have to unlearn to learn. The ‘unlearning process’ is a very difficult process for anybody. The unlearning process simply means that we have to learn again. If you are considering me, I took the headship of this institution in 2004. There is a difference between the period of 2004 and 2019; huge difference. How I survived is a big question every day. So, the only thing is to try to learn from anywhere possible. But that learning process can happen only through an unlearning process, that’s all I can say. When you people retire 50 years from now, what is going to happen, nobody can say because of the speed of the process that is happening. So, the only thing response to the change, unlearning more to learn more with a certain framework of the value of life. If we are not preparing ourselves for a life which has quality then there will be a conflict between our inner heart and what we are doing.
Q: After setting up such a huge legacy in this final leg of your run here, when you shut your eyes in the night, what are the thoughts that come to your mind. How do you feel looking back at what you have set up for us?
Fr: When I joined here in 1996, I was a young man of 32. Today when I leave, something
happened because of various reasons that you are asking me what is your thought when you sleep. Sometimes, I am not clear what would be the most important thing, how we have to move forward.
The moment in which we are, we are thinking back that this is the best thing either at CAPS or anything, you are gone. How do we go ahead, looking into the environment, especially the students, the needs of them, sometimes this is challenging. At this pace, I think all of you have done a great job.
What CAPS would be doing in 2020 should be different from today. So, whether it is possible or not, we will be creating history for the future; the academic environment should move from a repetitive history to a creative history. How would we do, I don’t know. But it is a challenge. Otherwise, it may be a dip in the education system if you are not careful with that alertness of all those people.
You know I am friendly and cherish personal connections. I am going to miss that because when I joined here, I was the 35th teacher here. Today, 750 teachers teaching and I may be knowing only the leaders, maybe around 100 people. So, there is a personal connection that you are going to miss. But your service to the institution should be more than a personal connection to a person. To an organization, its students are very important. The baseline is the organization, our commitment.
All the best for your future, dear students, organizers and prize winners!
Interviewee:
Dr Fr Thomas C Mathew
Founding Vice Chancellor (2008-2019)
Principal (2004-2008)
CHRIST (Deemed to be University)