RIP Somnath Mishra

Our Ex-Principal of NIT (previously REC) Professor Somnath Mishra passed away at the age of 87. He was the principal for 22 long years, from 1974 when he joined at the young age of 36 until he retired. He ran the College as his personal fiefdom. Inaccessible to the students, he had created layers of hurdles and one had to get permission from 101 people to get an appointment, wait for time immemorial in order to reach him. His hand picked Superintendents and Wardens in the hostels harassed and rusticated students at drop of a hat for flimsiests of reason. Corruption and nepotism ran amok in the college during his long stint as principal. He corrupted the institution and institutionalized corruption in the institution.

As the Principal of a premier institute he succintly nurtured a hiatus between him and the staff and students. He treated the students as his subjects. A man from Puri, Odisha and educated in the state of Massachusetts, US he spoke in accented Odia and English in American accent to raise his ante. We Odias tend to respect folks who sound different from us by speaking in Hindi or English.

For more than two decades the MIT educated Professor ruled the College campus with a firm grip. He created an aura around him by staying aloof from most of his staff and students, speaking in an American accent which is cultivated during his stint in US - "My Dhear Renkholians (Rengocolians), we are now outta thyme (time)". A native of Puri who studied in Odisha till his graduation once went on to pronounce a last (Sur) name "Choudhury" as Cowdrey.

These qualities endeared him to the obsequious minded staff belonging to a state with a strong feudal past. If he ever spoke fluent Odia, mingled with his colleagues and became more accessible to them, I bet he wont have survived 22 year long. He blocked promotions of many academics, harassed staff and students who refused to fall in line.

Our Princial outsourced the handling the internal affairs of the College campus to a Professor, a self proclaimed DADA (Boss) who was acted more like a local goon than an academician. Both kept a tab on the students and opponents amongst staffs, throttling their ambitions if they perceived them as threats. Our ex-Princy behaved like the royalty of the princely state of REC College campus. Both were smart enough to figure out that in a feudal state autocracy trumps democracy as rod works better than logic and persuasion. 

Majority of the staff inside the campus were timid folks who loved to be ruled and were suckers of patronage. The principal threw some crumbs in the form of positions Superintendent, Wardens etc to enable the staff to supplement their income. Those savants responded magnificently by wagging their tails and behaving as vassals in front of the Principal who behaved no less than the Campus Crown. 

Had he mingled with them with impunity, he could not have lasted long. Like our current Chief Minister our ex Principal was initially underestimated, but used his secret potion for success to perfection. It was his art of longevity. Behind the veneer of their outward simplicity lies a ruthless personality to cling on to their post at any cost. 

No wonder he ruled the REC campus as his fiefdom with iron fist until he retired. The eminent writer Khushwant Singh famously said a man doesn't necessarily become better after his death. May he RIP. Om Shanti.