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Dr Mrinal Miri to highlight NE problems in RS

By R Dutta Choudhury

GUWAHATI, June 30 � Highlighting the steps needed to be taken to improve the education scenario in the North East region will be one of the priorities for noted educationist Dr Mrinal Miri, who has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India.

Talking to The Assam Tribune over phone from Sikkim, where he is chairing a meeting of the Vice Chancellors of the Central Universities of the North East region today, Dr Miri, a former Vice Chancellor of the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), said that he was �greatly honoured� with his nomination to the Rajya Sabha by the President. At the same time, he said that acting as a Member of Parliament would

be a tremendous responsibility

for him.

When asked about his priorities as an MP, Dr Miri said that as he did not know that he would be nominated to the Rajya Sabha, he did not have time to think about the priorities. But he said that he would try his best to contribute and press home his points of view in Parliament.

Dr Miri pointed out that as education has been his career, he would be more confident on dealing with issues relating to education. He said that he would try to highlight the need for improving the standard of education in the North East region in all levels. �As I have been in the education line all throughout my career, I feel confident that I can contribute a bit in this line,� he added.

The North East region with cultural and linguistic diversity has a number of problems and Dr Miri said that he would try to raise the problems of the region so that the Government takes notice of the same to take effective steps in this regard. He said that improving the economy of the North East region is one of the major challenges and he would try to raise that issue in Parliament. Securing the boundaries with other countries and improvement of the relations with the neighbouring countries are another needs of the hour for the North East, which is surrounded by foreign countries, he added.

Dr Miri further said that pursuing the Government to implement the Look East Policy and develop infrastructure would be some other issues that he would try to raise in the days to come.

As the President of India issued the notification nominating him to the Rajya Sabha only on Thursday, Dr Miri is yet to decide the date on which he would take oath as an MP. He said that he would go back to New Delhi tomorrow and then take the decision in this regard.

Our Spl Correspondent adds from New Delhi: The former Vice Chancellor of NEHU, Prof Miri was a member of the prestigious National Advisory Council set up by the Prime Minister during UPA-I. He was a member of the council set up for the implementation of RTE Act, also called as NAC.

Prof Mrinal served as the Vice Chancellor of NEHU for close to five years. Before becoming the VC, he was the Director of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study at Shimla from 1993 to 1996.

Prof Miri holds PhD in Philosophy from the Cambridge University and taught Philosophy in the Delhi University and NEHU. He has also been a Visiting Professor in several Universities in India and abroad. His main interests are in the areas of Philosophy of Culture and Moral Philosophy.

He has made significant contributions to the understanding of issues relating to tribal culture, besides authoring several books and papers in journals.

He has been awarded a Padma Bhushan for his contribution in the field of education and literature.

CM hails Prof Miri: Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today extended his congratulations to Prof Miri for his nomination to the Rajya Sabha. In a statement, Gogoi said that with his erudition and scholarship, Prof Miri will be able to throw more light on the State and the region as a whole and project it in proper perspective on the floor of the august House.

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