The Melting Pot of Pondicherry
Student’s from diverse backgrounds studying in Pondicherry University
The world has become a global village and Pondicherry University (PU) is an apt example of this. It is no stranger to playing host to a plethora of cultures and diversity. PU reflects the rich cultural setting of this Union Territory which has the international township ofAuroville as its neighbour.
Strolling down the streets of the PU, you’ll see a blend of students from different countries, races, ethnicity, colour and from across the country. Bangladesh, SriLanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, United States, European countries and Africa are just some of the places from which students enroll. Most of them join each year in Departments such as South Asian Studies, Performing Arts, Library and Information Science etc, through scholarships extended by their governments.
Mingmar from Nepal and Sajna from Maldives, both students of South Asian Studies shared with us their experiences here in the university. From completely different backgrounds, they have been roommates for more than a year. As a result, Sajna has been able to learn Nepalese. The cross cultural exposure has given optimum exposure to the different cultures and people across the world. For Archana Minj, lack of facilities at Andaman for higher studies made her utilize the scholarship programme extended by PU. Studying here has turned out to be an amazing experience for her as she shares a class with students from all over the SAARC region. Krishanthi, from Sri Lanka has a different story to tell. Her limited hold on English had at first scared her but a few weeks at the university made her a fluent conversant not just in English but in a few other languages as well.
Preethy, from Gujarat says “What I like the most here is the dedication of the faculty members. The university makes sure that they have an expert in each subject that is being taught and that we get the quality education that we deserve. I was also concerned about how I would adjust to South Indian food. They serve good food in a clean and hygienic atmosphere which is more than enough for me.”
The students also speak of the peaceful atmosphere here. The positive aura of the people on campus has led to contentment and harmony in PU. Be it students or teachers, everyone believes in helping each other and in human compassion. These are just some of the many stories of inter-cultural exchange. To really feel the essence of harmony, unity and diversity one must visit this melting pot of Pondicherry University.
