Dear Editor,
The well known educational pioneer, Shri Shruti Kant, head of the famed Guyana Oriental College (GOC), passed away recently in Toronto. Guyanese are extremely grateful for the enormous contributions Kanti-ji made in the field of education. He had the reputation of being one of the finest educators and he was widely respected.
I never met the gentleman but during field research in my summer travels in Guyana, people spoke fondly of him and how he impacted on their lives – especially many in the media and now in government.
Kant led his educational institution at a time when it was a major challenge to obtain a decent education in our troubled homeland. He offered a quality education of the kind hitherto possible only to the select few. For Kant, students should have a balanced educational background. They should be spirited, educated, knowledgeable and responsible in their behaviour. He felt that political stability and social harmony depended on education − a basic level of literacy and the inculcation of common public ideals.
During his stewardship of the GOC, Kant-ji influenced the lives of many Guyanese of all races. No one was turned away from his school, including those without proper clothing and even those who could not afford the fees. And most importantly, he did not see education from the point of view of colour or race or religion. He helped all. Kant was inspired by the ideals of a better society, one of equality for all, and he preached this gospel. He was open to all and allowed all to realize their full potential. The most glowing tribute I ever heard of Kant came from Africans, several of whom told me they would not have got an education had it not been for his kindness and generosity to them and for his strict discipline that moulded their lives. People I spoke with in Georgetown said he was a strict disciplinarian and advocated proper spoken language. He was a proponent of perfect grammar and sentence structure. He admired success and strove to make everyone a success.
Prof Kant arrived in Guyana in 1955 under the auspices of the Arya Samaj as a graduate of Gurukul Kangri, one of the finest institutions in India, to promote the Arya Samaj way of life. He soon recognized the enormous problems facing Guyana, and felt education would help to relieve the society of some of these problems.
Kant came to Guyana at a time when there was not much interest in education. In fact, under the colonial authority, education languished for the masses for historical, economic and cultural reasons. There was no governmental support for education for the poor who could not afford the elite institutions. Educational opportunities were limited only to those who could afford it. Kant quickly established himself as an outstanding lecturer travelling the breadth of the country and built a reputation as an educator and spokesman of proper English. He headed the Guyana Oriental College (GOC) until 1979. Under his leadership, GOC became a household name throughout the country, and it was a much sought after institution. It provided a high-school education to the masses, especially those from outer Georgetown. GOC laid the foundation for many young students who later moved into different professions and careers; some are today judges, politicians, lawyers, bureaucrats, scholars overseas, etc.
Shruti Kant shall forever be remembered by those whose lives he touched.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
