SWEDISH SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES NETWORK

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Report from SASNET meeting with Centre for Research and Education for Social Transformation (CREST) and Kabani, February 21, 2009

CREST web page: http://www.cex.ac.in/

(see also report from 2007 meeting SASNET-CREST, http://www.sasnet.lu.se/iimk.html#crest;
and Petra Bergquist’s report from an internship at CREST in 2009, http://www.sasnet.lu.se/crestintern.html)

Participants:
Prof. D. D. Nampoothiri, CREST
Dr. Vinod Krishnan, CREST
Ms. Prema Nair, Kabani
Ms. Renu Henry, Kabani
Dr. Anna Lindberg, SASNET, Lund University, Sweden

An informal luncheon meeting took place at Hotel Mascot in Thiruvananthapuram. The following questions were discussed:

1. The Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Programme, Lot 15, India
D. D. Nampoothiri (photo to the right) reported to us on the Erasmus Mundus Informational meeting in New Delhi, at which the process of selecting individuals for the Erasmus Mundus Programme was decided upon. As a representative of CREST, he felt that the interests of SC/ST were disregarded at the meeting. In most states 10% to 20% cent of all university positions should be reserved for SC/ST and other minorities, as defined by the Indian government. According to the application sent to the EU last February, this reservation system must be adhered to. Anna Lindberg will speak with people in charge of the Erasmus Mundus Programme at Lund University and try to have this clarified.

2. CREST
D. D. Namboothiri said that CREST would be very interested in having Swedish or other students from abroad reside at CREST for a couple of months, where they could interact with students and teachers and possibly do some research projects together. Such students should have an interest in caste problems and the situation of SC/ST. Board and lodging would be provided by CREST. Anna Lindberg will publicise this invitation through the SASNET webpage and by other means.

3. Environmental questions
A discussion of several environmental problems included waste management, plastics, and tourism. Kabani is an NGO whose aim is to establish awareness programs on how to implement sustainable and responsible tourism. The accumulation of plastic bottles and containers and their burning (with the subsequent release of toxins) is a major problem. The issue of waste disposal is especially acute in the backwater regions, Wayanad, and beach resort areas. We discussed the possibility of creating model tourism in Malabar or in other areas that have not yet been destroyed, such as Kovalam.

Anna will investigate the possibility of asking for grants in Sweden (from Forum Syd) in collaboration with Swedish NGOs who are working on environmental issues. The need for more research on the impact of tourism was also stressed.

The meeting ended with members deciding to keep in touch via e-mail in the interest of further developing what was discussed.

Following the meeting, Anna Lindberg visited the Kabani office in Trivandrum, where she met with Ms. Prema Nair and Mr. Sumesh (photo to the right).                                                       

Anna Lindberg