Protest against removal of AK Ramanujan's Three Hundred Ramayanas from History syllabus, Delhi University

We express our profound shock that the Delhi University Academic Council has decided to drop A.K. Ramanujanâs highly acclaimed essay on many Ramayanas from the B.A. History course. The late Professor Ramanujan is recognized all over the world as one of the most eminent authorities on pre-modern literature and culture. The essay âThree Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughtsâ shows in rich detail how Indian culture is constituted of a multiplicity of traditions, how it speaks with many voices. It is an essay that all young people, not just history students, ought to read. To delete it from the syllabus is an act that is deeply disturbing, an instance of thought policing. Such a measure will only encourage sectarian groups to try and prevent intellectuals from expressing their ideas freely. The action of the Vice Chancellor and the Academic Council is particularly distressing since it overrules the majority opinion of the Expert Committee that was set up (under the direction of the Supreme Court) to look into the controversy.