New Delhi: A PhD scholar from South Asian University (SAU), who was issued a showcause notice over their research proposal on Kashmir’s ethnography and politics, has withdrawn from the doctoral programme, citing personal reasons. A disciplinary inquiry was also initiated against the student’s supervisor, Sasanka Perera, who had eventually resigned.
Perera, a renowned Sri Lankan anthropologist, had taught at SAU for 13 years and was the only Sri Lankan professor on campus. He resigned in July 2024, stating that he didn’t see any “semblance of justice” coming from the inquiry, which he believed was initiated on “trumped-up and irrational charges,” The Indian Express reported.
The PhD scholar’s proposal had referenced American linguist Noam Chomsky’s criticism of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, specifically a private YouTube video where Chomsky accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to “dismantle Indian secular democracy” and “impose Hindu ethnocracy”.
After Perera’s resignation, the researcher appeared before a disciplinary committee and apologised for “hurting sentiments”. However, in December, the university’s proctor office summoned the scholar to appear before a proctorial committee, citing concerns about their absence. The scholar responded by stating they had withdrawn from the PhD programme to focus on their business, IE report mentioned.
SAU is an international institution backed by eight SAARC nations and falls under the purview of the Ministry of External Affairs.
