CHICAGO: Indian Americans across the country have urged the University of Georgia Athens (UGA) to declare Diwali, most popular Hindu holiday, as a university-wide holiday.
UGA has already clarified its policy stating “as a public entity, the University cannot be in a position of supporting, or appearing to support, one religion or spiritual practice over another”. It is in this context they maintain that UGA has declared other religious holidays then “why not Diwali, considered the most important Indian holiday. It is also pointed out that a large number of UGA students and employees are of Indian origin.
Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stated that the UGA students’ petition for greater flexibility in observing religious holidays need to be bestowed favorable consideration. Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion, Zed added.
Sohan Joshi, president of National Federation of Indian Associations said that that UGA should accommodate the religious needs of Indian origin students and employees and show respect to their faith by not conducting regular business and scheduling classes on Diwali. “We do not want our students to be penalized or put at an unnecessary disadvantage for missing tests/examinations/papers, assignments, class work, etc., by taking a day-off to observe Diwali,” Zed added.
The “4.06-2 Religious Holidays Attendance Policy” of UGA “asks faculty members for understanding” in missed classes, mentioning specifically some Christian, Islamic and Jewish holidays, without any specific mention to Diwali or other Hindu holidays, Zed points out.
A group of Indian community leaders – Sohan Joshi, Madhu Patel (president of NRI Press Club), Rajan Zed, Nand Kapur (former president of Association of Indians in America, llinois – have appealed to UGA President Jere W. Morehead to declare Diwali as a UGA holiday. Zed also pointed out that awareness about other religions thus created by such holidays like Diwali would make UGA students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow.
UGA, founded in 1785 and which claims to be the “birthplace of the American system of public higher education” and ranks among the top public universities in the nation, offers doctoral degrees in 96 areas and baccalaureate degrees in over 140 fields to about 35,000 students. Georgia’s oldest and home of the Peabody Awards, UGA has about 4.7 million volumes in its libraries and its annual budget is $1.48 billion.
Surendra Ullal
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