Cry, my beloved Mysore University. It has been a headless wonder since Dr. Shashidhara Prasad demitted office as Vice - Chancellor about six months ago. It has been under the care of an acting Vice - Chancellor. Even here, the first one has since retired and a second acting Vice-Chancellor is in charge — is he really? Ask the incumbent Prof. T. C. Shivashankaramurthy.

It is sad, politicians load the Syndicate with their own blue-eyed boys throwing to the winds the high standards of norms or parameters for such nomination. The result is there for all to see in our own Mysore University.

Proof is what we read in newspapers yesterday and this morning about the removal of Dr. Aravinda Malagathi, the Hon. Director of Mysore University Museum and its co-ordinator G. S. Bhat, in great hubris as if to settle scores with Dr. Shashidhara Prasad, former Vice-Chancellor, who appointed them after removing those in charge for obvious reasons. Did you get me Steve? Dr. Prasad knew in whose hands the Museum would be safe.

Now watch out. Those who were removed by Dr. Prasad may not occupy their office immediately. A stop - gap arrangement will be made. But soon they will. More so, if the present election result goes in favour of a particular political party. Well, those who know, know.

Indeed, where money accumulates, men decay. I learn a lot of money in crores of rupees is made available to this Museum. So?

Incidentally, Dr. Malagathi, hailing from Bijapur, is known to be a man of high integrity and academic commitment. Remember, he is the author of that rather controversial book “Government Brahmana”, a novel. Recently, when a move was made by some intellectuals of Mysore suggesting his name for the Mysore University Vice - Chancellor's post, the response from the Governor's office was said to be rather cryptic: “At 50, he is too young to be nominated as Vice-Chancellor.”

Well, in America at the age of 42 Theodore Roosevelt (1901 to 1909), became the President of America. Nobody said he was too young to be the President. Similarly, John F. Kennedy (43), Bill Clinton (46), Ulysses S. Grant (46), Grover Cleveland (47), Franklin Pierce (48), James Garfield (49), James K. Polk (49), Millard Fillmore (50) and Chester A. Arthur (50) became the Presidents of America. Are the law-makers and the people of America fools? The oldest person ever to occupy that high office in USA was Ronald Reagan at the age of 69.

Here in India we need old fogies at the helm of affairs of not only our country but also of our public institutions. No wonder corruption, incompetence and sycophancy are dancing in the portals of these aged Indian rulers.

Compare this with our own Presidents, Prime Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers and Ministers. No wonder, the New World America could steal a march over the Old World, India included.

God save Mysore University from where I got my two degrees.