University of Calicut

21 April 2025 | മലയാളം

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CHAIR FOR MARITIME STUDIES AND RESEARCH

The Chair for Maritime Studies and Research was established in the University of Calicut in September 2004 with the financial assistance of the Integrated Head Quarters of the Ministry of Defense (Navy). It is the first of its kind to be established in any Indian University. The Chair was instituted with the hope that maritime Studies, a hitherto neglected area in Indian Universities, would receive requisite attention from social scientists.

It is a pioneering venture and the choice of the University of Calicut for the institution of the first Chair in Maritime Studies is recognition of the pioneering role that Kerala and other coastal states in India have played in the maritime history of India.

Academic Focus

The main focus would be on inter-disciplinary research programmes relating to history, political institutions, foreign policies, strategic issues, ecology and environment, social, economic and cultural development of the coastal states of India and the littoral states of the Indian Ocean. Priority would be given to India's relations with the littoral states of Indian Ocean and the problems faced by the Indian minority groups in these countries.

The Objectives of the Chair are the following :-

Train specialists in Maritime Studies.
Build a good research centre with well-equipped library and documentation facilities
Undertake research programmes relevant to India and the littoral states of the Indian Ocean.
Incorporate elements of Maritime Studies in the post-graduate courses in various social sciences.
Interact with academic and research institutions in India and abroad, involved in Maritime Studies, especially the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Ocean Development, Society for Indian Ocean Studies, Institute of Oceanography, M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Department of
Environment etc.
Undertake, organize and facilitate the holding of conferences, seminars, symposia, lectures and similar activities connected with Indian Ocean.
Start an active publication programme and bring out on a regular basis books, monographs and occasional papers.

The Chair for Maritime Studies and Research was inaugurated on October 16, 2004. Admiral Arun Prakash, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC, Chief of Naval Staff, delivered the inaugural address. The theme of his lecture was Indian Maritime Doctrine. Prof. Syed Iqbal Hasnain, the Vice-Chancellor, presided over the function. Prof. Satish Chandra, former Chairman, University Grants Commission, well know historian and currently, Secretary, Society for Indian Ocean Studies, New Delhi gave a special lecture on the occasion.

Chair-Professors

The first Chair Professor of Maritime Studies and Research was Prof. V. Suryanarayan (2004 -2005), former Director and Senior Prof. Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Madras.Prof. Suryanarayan is one of India's leading spec

ialists in South and Southeast Asian Studies and combines in his teaching and research specialization in history, political science and international relation's. Before joining the Calicut University, he was associated with the Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Madras, first as the founding Director and later as Senior Professor.

He was a visiting Professor at the Department of History, University of California, Los Angeles; Columbus College, University System of Georgia; School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati and Peradeniya University, Sri Lanka.

His major publications, including edited volumes, are : 1) Singapore : Path to Independence (1978); 2) Sri Lankan Crisis and India's Response (1991); 3) South and Southeast Asia in the 1990's : Indian and American Perspectives (1992); 4) Indian Ocean and Its Islands : Strategic, Scientific and Historical Perspectives (1993) ; 5) Andaman and Nicobar Islands : Challenges of Development (1994); 6) Kachchativu and Problems of Indian Fishermen in the Pak Bay Region (1994) and 7) Between Fear and Hope : Sri Lankan Refugees in Tamil Nadu (2000).

Prof. K.R Singh, former Director of National Security Programme, SIS, JNU and Senior Professor at the Centre for West Asian and African Studies, SIS, JNU was the Chair Professor during 2005-2007 and 2008-2010. Prof. K R Singh
Professor Singh, a specialist in West-Asian and African Studies, is known for his teaching and research in several areas including Indian Ocean and Strategic and Security Studies. He has completed several research projects including a project on Studies of Forts of India with special emphasis on Coastal Forts funded by ICHR and another Project funded by UGC on Developments in South-West Asia in Post Cold War Era: Implications for India.

His Major publications include 1) The Indian Ocean: Big Power Rivalry and Local Responses, New Delhi. 1977. 2)Iran: Quest for Security, New Delhi. 1980. 3). The Persian Gulf: Arms and Arms Transfer, ANU, Canberra, 1980. 4). Intra Regional Interventions in South Asia with Special Reference to India's Policy, (USI Paper No. 9), USI New Delhi. 1990. 5). The Gulf Crisis (ed.) New Delhi. 1991. 6). Post-WarGulf: Implications for India (ed.) New Delhi. 1992. 7). Making of an Indian Ocean Community, Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, New Delhi. 1995. 8). Indo-Gulf Co-operation in Maritime Security, Gulf Studies Programme, SIS, JNU, New Delhi. 2000. 9). Navies of South Asia, Roopa & Co. New Delhi, 2002.
Prof. Singh was the Editor-in-Chief of International Studies (Quarterly),New Delhi.

Dr . La . Na. Swamy

Dr . La.Na .Swamy , researcher in several institutions including the ASI (1985 ,1986) , Centre for History and Philosophy of Sciences (1987) and Tamil University,Thanjavur (1988-1991 , 1994) , jointed as the Chair Professor in October 2010. He served as a lecturer

in history in three reputed colleges of Mysore: Teresian College (1995 -1996), JSS College (1995 -1999) and Nataraja College (1998 -2000). He was on the faculty of the Department of History, Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Autonomous College, Ujire, Karnataka from 2004 to 2009. Presently, he is working as Special officer in the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Govt of Karnataka Mysore
Dr. Swamy’s passion for Maritime Archaeology is evident in his output for the CSIR-Tamil University National project “Maritime History of India,” and in all his publications related to the field.

His major publications include 1) History of Srirangapattana, Harman Publishing House, New Delhi, 1996., 2) Gauravam , Harman Publishing House, New Delhi, 1996, 3) Boats and Ships in Indian Art , Harman Publishing House, New Delhi, 1997, 4) Maritime Contacts of India , Harman Publishing House, New Delhi, 2000, 5) The Ethno Maritime Archaeology , Harman Publishing House, New Delhi, 2000, 6) Some Aspects of South Indian Shipping , Bharathiya Kala Prakashan, New Delhi, 2011

Governing Body

Vice-Chancellor(Chairman)
Head of the Dept. of West Asian Studies (Convenor)
Head of the Dept. of History
Prof. M.G.S. Narayanan
Prof. A.K. Pasha
Prof. K.R Singh,
Director, Navel Training, New Delhi
Representative, Southern Navel Command
Amb. Vijay Nambiar
Registrar
Finance Officer

The period of the Governing Body will be for three years.

Kerala Chapter of the Society for Indian Ocean Studies

The Society for Indian Ocean Studies, the leading think tank in India on Maritime Studies, resolved to open a Kerala Chapter of the SIOS. Prof. Syed Iqbal Hasnain, Vice-Chancellor of the Calicut University, is the Chairman of the Kerala Chapter. Prof. V. Suryanarayan is the Convenor and Prof. EKG Nambiar is the Joint Convenor. The Kerala Chapter will actively co-operate with the Chair in Maritime Studies and will jointly organize lectures, seminars and conferences and also undertake research projects, relevant to India and our region.

The inaugural address of the Kerala Chapter of the Society for Indian Ocean Studies was delivered by Vie Admiral SCS Bangara, PVSM, AVSM, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command, Kochi on January 18, 2005. the theme of his lecture was Security and Stability in the Indian Ocean. The inaugural address was followed by a special lecture on Changing Role of Major Powers in the Indian Ocean by Prof K.R.Singh, former Professor, Division of West Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Prof. KR Singh's lecture was arranged under the Frontier Lecture Series.

Special Lectures

The first special lecture under the auspices of the Chair in Maritime Studies was delivered by Prof. Satish Chandra, the distinguished historian, on October 18, 2004. The theme of his lecture was India's Maritime Heritage. Prof. M.G.S Narayanan, former Chairman, Indian Council of Historical Research, presided and moderated the discussions.
The second special lecture was delivered by Prof. V. Suryanarayan, Chair-Professor for Maritime Studies and Research on November 18, 2004. the theme of his lecture was Challenges facing the Indian Communities in the Littoral States of Indian Ocean. Prof. E.K.G Nambiar, Prof. and Head, Kunhali Markkar Centre for West Asian Studies, presided and moderated the discussions.
The third special lecture was delivered by Prof. K.R Singh, former Professor, Division of West Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The theme of his lecture was Yasser Arafat : A Critical Evaluation. The lecture was co-sponsored by the Kunhali Marakkar Centre for West Asian Studies and the Kerala Chapter of the Society for Indian Ocean Studies. The meeting was held in the Badagara campus of the University. Prof. V. Suryanarayan, Chair-Professor for Maritime Studies and Research, presided and moderated the discussions.

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