Fifty years of teaching

Prof Rohinton Sahuraja was felicitated on completing 50 years of teaching and reaching 75 years of age on Teachers Day, September 5, 2015 at the Podar College auditorium. His students from Podar College, Ruia College and the L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management, Development and Research, colleagues from the academic world and well-wishers brought out A Festschrif (volume of celebratory writings) as a tribute to their teacher, mentions a write-up brought to Parsiana by Khorshed Nekoo of Nowroz Baug, where the professor also resides.

Prof Rohinton Sahuraja (inset) and being felicitated by former students

Sahuraja Sir, as his students address him, was head of the department of economics at Ruia College for 18 years. In 1989 he was appointed principal of R. A. Podar College of Commerce and Economics where he remained until his retirement in 2001. Invited by Tatas to head the J. N. Tata Endowment for Higher Education of Indians, he served as its director for two years. Since June 2003 Sahuraja has been associated with the Welingkar Institute as chief mentor and faculty member teaching economics, the write-up notes. For 40 years the professor was attached to Bombay University’s Industrial and Economics Department of Chemical Technology. He also served on the University’s Senate and as committee member of the Academic Council.
Author of 33 books and articles on economics and mentoring, a book on him in Marathi, titled Shikshan Yogi, Sahuraja, has been written by a former student, Kanchan Sawant. Since 1994 Sahuraja has received 39 awards including the Ratna Shiromani Award, Eminent Educationist Award 2003 from the International institute of Education and Management, New Delhi, Bharat Vibhushan Ratan Award 2010 from the Economic and Human Resource Development Association, New Delhi, Bharat Vibhushan Samman Puraskar 2015 of Global Achievers Foundation, lists the write-up.
Alongside his academic interests Sahuraja founded Nirmiti Youth Foundation in 1980, an NGO (nongovernmental organization) for rural development, mentions the write-up. Through this he has worked to provide five drinking water wells, two balwadis (play schools) and anganwadis (crèches), a book bank, scholarships for children and a mahila mandal (women’s association). The NGO has undertaken rehabilitation of the handicapped, organized eye camps and general medical camps since 1971.