Dallas, TX - Dr. S. Mohan, the distinguished Vice-Chancellor of Puducherry Technological University (PTU), recently visited Dallas, USA, where I met with him as an alumnus, and he shared insights on the evolving landscape of technology, education, and Thamizh heritage.
As an alumnus of PTU, I had the honor of conversing with Dr. Mohan about the university's progressive transformation. Under his leadership, PTU has been actively updating its curriculum to stay aligned with global technological trends, especially in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) across all disciplines. Dr. Mohan emphasized the importance of market-driven education, explaining how the institution monitors industry demands and student interest to ensure its academic programs remain relevant and competitive.
Beyond his academic leadership, Dr. Mohan is a passionate scholar of Thamizh and a cultural advocate. Notably, he served as one of the Directors of the Central Institute of Classical Thamizh (CICT) in Chennai during its formative years in 2008. He collaborated with Prof. K. Ramasamy, who spearheaded the Central Classical Thamizh project and was a renowned scholar, especially in the Fields of Lexicography and phonetics of Thamizh. Thirukkural was translated into 14 Indian languages during Prof. Ramasamy's directorship. He played a role in preserving Thamizh literature, Thamizh leading initiatives to collect ancient manuscripts inscribed on leaves and stone.
Dr. Mohan shared profound reflections on how classical Thamizh texts like Tholkappiyam describe ecological systems and human civilization through the five landscapes Kurinji, Mullai, Paalai, Marutham, and Neithal, offering the world a framework for sustainable living, culture, language, attire, and behavior.
Inspired by his father, a Thamizh poet and school headmaster, Dr. Mohan continues to make significant contributions to Thamizh education. He advocates for pedagogical innovations to teach Thamizh to non-native speakers, promoting inclusive language learning. He also acknowledged notable contributors to Thamizh and technical knowledge, including Ma. So, Victor and Puducherry Mananathan.
Dr. Mohan currently serves as the Global Ambassador for Puducherry, India, to the North America Thamizh Writers Organization (NATAWO) USA, further strengthening academic and literary ties between India and the Thamizh diaspora.
With an illustrious academic career spanning over four decades, Dr. Mohan previously held the role of Institute Chair Professor and Head of the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Division at IIT Madras, India's premier technological institute. His global reputation in environmental impact assessment, industrial pollution control, and sustainable development has made him a respected voice in both academic and policy-making circles. He has served on the National Committee on Environmental Impact Assessment (Govt. of India) and chaired the State Expert Appraisal Committee (Govt. of Thamizh Nadu).
Dr. Mohan now expresses interest in extending his advisory services to institutions in the United States, offering expertise in environmental sustainability, curriculum design, and cross-cultural education.
Interested academic or technology institutions in the U.S. seeking to collaborate or engage his advisory services are welcome to reach out to Dr. S. Mohan at smohan1959@gmail.com.
- Our Overseas Correspondent, Mourougavelou Vaithianathan