Reliance Industries Limited on Wednesday said that the news on a proposal to make Reliance Industries Executive Director Nita Ambani a visiting professor at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is false. Reliance Industries Limited spokesperson told the media that the news is fake adding that "no proposal or invitation to make her a visiting lecturer of BHU has been received" nor has it been extended to Nita Ambani from the university. BHU has also released an official statement confirming that no such official decision has been taken by the administration neither has any order been passed appointing Nita Ambani.
Several media houses had reported that students staged a demonstration at Banaras Hindu University on Tuesday opposing a proposal to make Nita Ambani a visiting professor. According to numerous reports, BHU's Social Sciences Faculty had apparently sent a proposal to Reliance Foundation, asking Nita Ambani to join the university as a visiting faculty at their Women Study Centre. Many professors have reportedly confirmed the action.
But the varsity came out with a statement denying any such action. "Recently, news organisations reported about Nita Ambani being made a visiting professor at the Centre for Women's Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Banaras Hindu University. No official decision has been made by the university administration nor has any such administrative order been issued for appointing or giving any responsibility of teaching to Nita Ambani. The approval of the Academic Council is necessary. In this case, neither any such approval has been given nor any such proposal has been submitted before the learned council for consideration. Apart from this, no official information has been released by the university administration prior to this press release on this subject," clarified the varsity.
Kaushal Kishore Mishra, dean of the Social Sciences faculty told IANS, "We do academic and research work related to women empowerment, along with graduation and post-graduation courses. Following the BHU tradition of involving philanthropic industrialists, we sent a letter to the Reliance Foundation asking Nita Ambani to join the Women Study Centre as a visiting professor so that we can benefit from her experience. We did this because the Reliance Foundation has done a lot of work in the field of women empowerment."
A group of about 40 students, on Tuesday, protested outside the residence of Vice-Chancellor Rakesh Bhatnagar on the campus and submitted a memorandum. Research scholar Shubham Tiwari, who was among the protesting students, said that the step would set a wrong example. "Being the wife of a rich person is not an achievement and these people cannot be our icons. If you talk about women empowerment, then invite icons like Arunima Sinha, Bachendri Pal, Mary Kom or Kiran Bedi," Tiwari said.
