“Teachers should be the best minds in the country”.
-Dr. S Radhakrishnan (Former President, India)
Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram (GLCT) as part of a law entity, makes a new step in society for the implementation of justice. The educational institution initiates ‘Dr. A. Suhruth Kumar Centre for Law Society and Justice’ (CLSJ) in commemoration and fond remembrance of Late Dr A Suhruth Kumar, Associate Professor (Retd.) and Former Secretary, KGOA, as a mark of respect for his invaluable and impeccable service in the government law colleges in Kerala. The Centre aims to provide an interface to students about legal education, the legal profession and legal support; financial assistance to students of all Government Law Colleges in Kerala who are socially and educationally backward for doing internships; academic help and support to the students in various subject matters and to initiate on the interactive skill development programme for students. The Centre was inaugurated on 31st March 2022 by Honorable Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice, Dr R Bindhu in virtual mode via Google meet. A special lecture on the topic ‘Law and Justice’ by Prof (Dr.) G. Mohan Gopal followed the inauguration ceremony.
The programme began at 9 AM with a short briefing on CLSJ’s activities, by Asst. Prof. Dr.Hameema Mohammed-Faculty of GLCT, and Director of CLSJ. Honorable Minister Dr R. Bindu, Principal , Govt. Law College- Thiruvananthapuram Dr R Bijukumar, Prof C.C Raveendranath– Former Minister of Education; Prof (Dr.) G. Mohan Gopal– Former Vice-Chancellor, National Law School of India University & Director, National Judicial Academy, Bhopal Prof. Hareendran K– Principal, Kerala Law Academy Law College; Adv. S Ramesan- PTA Vice President, GLCT; Smt. Saleena U -Faculty & Staff Secretary, GLCT; Dr P.G Balachandran Pillai– Faculty, GLCT; Shri. Safi Mohan M. R– Faculty of GLCT and Executive Member, CLSJ; Dr. Shri. Aswin Ashok J– Chairman, College Union, GLCT; other teaching staff, members of the GLCT Students’ Union, and students from GLCT were part of the programme. The family members of Dr Suhruth Kumar attended the programme. All the guests were welcomed to the session.
The Presidential address was given away by the Principal of GLCT Dr R. Bijukumar, who is also the Chairman of Dr A Suhruth Kumar CLSJ. “He was so friendly to the students and managed to contribute immensely towards various activities of the college, including National Service Scheme; he even overdid the working hours to arrange everything for the college”, memories about Dr Suhruth Kumar were recollected.
The Centre was officially declared inaugurated by the chief guest Honorable Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice, Dr R Bindu. She also lent the keynote address congratulating all the brains behind bringing up such a brilliant endeavor in remembrance of Dr Suhruth Kumar. She had met him during various meetings at Shastra Sangethika Parishat, Kerala Gazetted Officers Association (KGOA). Minister remembered how he has been effectively working for genuine social outreach in law. As Minister of Higher Education, she exhorted to encourage law students to take up new fields of law in today’s evolving technologies.
Eminent personalities from different arenas like law, public policymaking, etc. came forward to felicitate the session.
Prof C.C Raveendranath– Former Minister of Education, recalled how Prof. Suhruth has approached Science and History to analyze the facts and facets of its evolution. It is important to have a sense of history so that we acknowledge the essence of education and spread it among others. Dr S Mohanachandran S– General Secretary of KGOA talked about Dr Suhruth’s social commitment to law specialization. Dr. Suhruth had been the Editor of KGOA News Magazine. He also worked with ‘Samakalikam‘ column in the magazine that opinions about various public policy matters across the world based on the foundation of our Constitution and other laws. He has authored different books to spread awareness of the law among students and also the general public. Besides these, Dr Suhruth had been engaging with policy decision making and document drafting of the government. Prof. Hareendran K– Principal, Kerala Law Academy Law College former faculty of GLCT wished the Centre to be an inspiration for legal studies and solutions to many social unjust problems. Adv. S Ramesan- PTA Vice President, GLCT felicitated and consoled the family members. Smt. Saleena U -Faculty & Staff Secretary, GLCT, recollected Dr Suhruth’s proficiency in language, speech, writing and coordinating skills wished the Centre to be a true success in the field of helping students reach out to internships, practical experiences with Lok Adalats and other fields in legal studies. Dr P.G Balachandran Pillai– Faculty, GLCT wished all the best to the Centre and also, harmony and peace to the family members. Shri. Aswin Ashok J– Chairman, College Union, GLCT looked back on his initial days as a student representative and Dr Suhruth’s influence as a law teacher, and an efficient and motivating coordinator. Shri.Safi Mohan M. R– Faculty of GLCT and Executive Member, CLSJ, on behalf of the institution, thanked Minister Dr R Bindhu and all the guests who attended the session. He also recollected the unforgettable aura of Dr Suhruth as a colleague, friend, law teacher, writer and also as a socially committed personality.
The inauguration was followed by a special lecture by Prof (Dr.) G. Mohan Gopal– Former Vice-Chancellor, National Law School of India University & Director, National Judicial Academy, Bhopal. He recalled many discussions with Dr Suhruth about the applications of law and justice in social scenarios. Dr Suhruth was prima facie passionate about practical legal aid, legal literacy, constitutional literacy, and Alternate Dispute Redressal. Therefore, the Centre as the name suggests has to be a pillar of true access to justice. Bringing adequate relief to the socially neglected persons by the enforcement of the law through good advocacy has to be a field of research in Kerala. Professor emphasized justice as a standard of right human conduct. The constitutional vision of justice is based on liberty, equality, dignity and fraternity. On this foundation, society can develop and prosper economically. From the ancient Aryans to the Government of 1947, there have been diverse styles of Polity in India based on geography, religion, region etc…But with the evolution of democracy in India and the making of our revolutionary Constitution, justice was to be enjoyed by the common people; thus establishing it as the first objective in the Preamble. Power has to be within the hands of people, destructing all kinds of political oligarchies. Professor recollected his article on Constitution which was translated into Malayalam by Dr Suhruth, and later got published by Chintha Publications. He exhorted that caste and race are just myths to exploit people on a social justification of Varna. It is essential to train and educate existing and future lawyers to work against all social (caste, class, creed, race, region, religion) and gender distinctions to enforce equality and justice. Thus, legal education must become an instrument of social change and the advancement of social justice. He motivated GLCT to develop research centres in Government Law Colleges to learn deep into interdisciplinary applications of the law, and other social and economic transformations envisaged by the Constitution. Professor concluded by congratulating all the minds behind Dr A. Suhruth Kumar’s Centre for Law Society and Justice’ (CLSJ) and wishing it to exist as a focal point to establish social justice.
Dr Anju Rajan– faculty of GLCT and Executive Member of CLSJ, rendered thanks to all the staff members and Prof (Dr.) G. Mohan Gopal. She also, wished the Centre to administer just impartial and rightful justice.
As the famous lines of former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan say, “true teachers are the are those who help us think for ourselves”. Every word and action of Dr A. Suhruth Kumar persists, to not just dreaming, but positively force us to establish social equality and justice through our minds and deeds.
