A V Ashok: Agent of Peace

             With an elegant touch of classicism in his personality, attitude and attire, Prof A V Ashok can be widely acclaimed as one of the great teachers of English literature in India. He started his career as a teacher at the Department of English, Madurai University from where he had his post-graduation degree (later did his M Litt and Ph D) at so quick young age that his immediate juniors became his students over there. His enthusiasm for teaching was so strong that he quit India's top-notch administrative post (was an Indian Foreign Service officer) and joined the University.

            Endowed with a sharp memory and elegant flair of teaching style, Ashok is known for his extensive modesty and gigantic welcoming attitude. Always clad in  immaculate white half-sleeved shirt and brown or grey trousers, he gracefully combs his side grey hairs behind his ears with fingers in course of lecturing and speaking. His gestures, movements, gait and eye contacts- all make teaching emphatic and personality colossal. His systematic, structured and organized lectures leave least scope of doubts for the mind of his students, though his has maximum intake in entire university in every semester he offers a course. This is his unparalleled punctuality and extraordinary simplicity that make him an outstanding human being.

Prof A V Ashok with Pramod Kumar Das and Narayan Jena

            Ashok has two soft targets to criticize- first India and second, Telugu cinema. His abhorrence for power politics, the politician, cult and hero worship is reflected in his lectures (he makes fun of the sheer ignorance of politicians) in sharp contrast with the democratic setting of India. Heavily stocked with the memories of his childhood (India was newly independent nation then), he proclaims that he has seen India grow along with him. His was a different India, unlike ours. He has widely travelled and knows many languages. Since his father was a renowned neurologist and mother the Dean of Madurai Medical College Hospital, Madurai, Ashok's upbringing has been elite, refined and sophisticated. Moreover, his grandfather served the British in Singapore. He has witnessed the fin de siècle of twentieth century and the turn of this millennium together and have encountered a sea change (that provides raw material for his criticism).Thus, his examples during lectures are derived from the concrete incidents or tangible circumstances of day to day life.

          Ashok has a grant style to welcome people- both new and old. His soothing touch of hands make people feel great and elevated. He is an eternal source of inspiration. His cheerful and systematic reception make students, employees and officials feel special as if he knows magic. It is said that once you meet Ashok, you will not remain the same person. He respects each and every human being with the same sense of reverence and dignity. For examples, he writes mails from the US and asks of the office assistant Sharda amma ( an elderly lady of the School of English Literary Studies). His sober mannerism to extend help makes you realize that you are definitely seeing an enlightened soul.

           Ashok believes in peace and borderlessness. He has great sympathy for his students since he loves teaching more than anything else (he turned down offers of the deanship and the headship). He declares that he comes to the University just to train and inspire young minds like us for the nation, not to serve any office of the institution. His ideology of inclusion makes him popular among students, researchers and teachers. He is humble, graceful, approachable, student-friendly and kind person, though he has a giant academic stature (he delivers lectures in Havard University occasionally and spends vacations in America usually). Every one speaks good of him, because he deserves it always.


P.S.- Prof A V Ashok teaches English literature at the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad.