Indological funding pie [was Re: Etymology]

[Dominik Wujastyk]

On Fri, 17 Mar 2000, Swaminathan Madhuresan wrote:

> Allotting a good percentage of funds pie available for Indian studies
> in the West [...]

If *only* there existed such a pie!

On all sides, the study of classical India is dwindling away.
Professorships are not renewed, courses are closed down, funding of any
substance is extremely hard to get.

The undergraduate course in Sanskrit at SOAS is the latest thing to go.
There will be no intake for the 2000/2001 academic year, and the course
has effectively been cancelled until further notice.  (Some introductory
Sanskrit will be available for MA students.)  This decision has been taken
by William Radice, currently head of the SA department, after much
agonizing and exploration of alternatives.

Without students even being taught Sanskrit in London University, any
major project work on comparative linguistics is a pipedream, at least in
Britain.

> Hope Indologists will help increase in academic Dravidology pursuits.
> It is within their power and budgets.

Ha ha ha ha!

--
Dominik Wujastyk
Founder, INDOLOGY list.