University Malaya vice chancellor Ghauth Jasmon confirmed the Indian Studies Department (ISD) will be now known as the Indian and South Asian Studies Department.

The announcement was in stark contrast to assurances by Ghauth just days ago that the department will be preserved in its original form and its name maintained .

um indian department memorandum 250809 ghauth jasmon "We will maintain the programmes but the name change is to give the department wider scope," said Ghauth ( right ).

The ISD was established in 1956 under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in University Malaya.

A controversy arose when department head S Kumaran, who retired, was replaced with Mohd Raduan Ariff, the first man not of Indian origin to head the department.

Subsequently there was another uproar in the community when word leaked out that ISD is to be replaced with a South Asian Studies Department.

Programmes to go on

Current Arts and Social Sciences Faculty dean, Redzuan Othman, said there would be no change in the programmes as there are many students studying in the ISD.

He also said the academic staff of the ISD and two lecturers - Jatswan Singh Sidhu and Azharuddin Mohamed Dali met in July to discuss ways to improve and expand the ISD.

Jatswan is a lecturer at the International & Strategic Studies Department specialising in South Asia while Azharuddin's expertise is in South Asian history.

NONE Ghauth said Mohd Raduan Ariff of Southeast Asian Studies Department, the acting head of ISD, has been given three months to resolve issues involving academic staff.

He said they are looking for a suitable candidate to head the new department and that the process could take some time.

When asked on the possible negative backlash from the public over the formation of the new department, Ghauth said that he was ready to face his critics.

"I'm prepared to face the consequences. I do not think there will be any serious consequences," was his parting shot.