Goa university to have chair for diaspora studies

PANAJI - The University Grants Commission (UGC) has agreed to create a chair for diaspora studies at the Goa university, Goa non-resident Indian (NRI) commissioner Eduardo Faleiro said Tuesday.

He said at a press conference here that the university had been asked to draft a proposal for creating a diaspora studies chair and send it to the UGC to expedite the process.

“The study of population migration in all its diverse aspects is one of the most fascinating areas of research at present. A large number of universities abroad have this facility,” Faleiro, a former minister of state for external affairs, said.

“However, the Goan diaspora in particular and the Indian diaspora in general constitutes significant communities worldwide. None of our academic institutions have facilities for focussed research and teaching on this subject,” he added.

Faleiro said his discussions with Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on the subject had borne fruit.

“The minister has agreed to my request and the UGC has asked the registrar of the Goa university to send a proposal for a chair on diaspora studies at our university,” he said.

Faleiro said the chair on diaspora studies will deal with the questions and issues regarding the Indian diaspora in academic depth and in a comparative context along with the study of migration in other countries.

The Goa University would be the first varsity in the country to offer such a chair.

Incidentally, Goa is the second state in India after Kerala to conduct a survey on emigration of its working population from Goa, to other countries for employment, primarily in the Gulf region.