Sir,

Here is another special great-ness of Dr. M.V. Gopalaswamy (MVG) which many, except the involved, will not know. This shows what a farsighted vision he had.

Statistics was the subject available only in Maharaja’s College, Mysore, for the whole of Mysore State (Karnataka) till late forties and early fifties. Perhaps there was no post having a title of Statistics in the Government also. If anyone wanted to study Statistics outside Mysore one had to go to Madras (Chennai). Maharaja’s College had Statistics of 3-year degree course (B.Sc. Statistics, Economics, Maths), 3-year Honours course in Maths & Statistics and 1-year Master’s course in Statistics.

In those days Statistics was known only to a few interested persons like MVG. Hence the number of students was hardly in single digits being less than 5 in Masters and Honours courses and less than 10 in degree class. Most of the teaching staff were mostly qualified in Maths with a Statistics background and very few qualified in Statistics.

With these conditions prevailing it was natural that it was recommended to close down the Department of Statistics in Maharaja’s College. Luckily, as Godsent Dr. MVG was the Principal of this College, who had a good knowledge, importance and vision of Statistics. He had foreseen the development of Statistics in Independent India. So he fought tooth and nail to retain the subject in the University of Mysore and also got rigid qualifications for admissions relaxed. This helped many students to get admission to all courses. Thus the number of students in degree class went up to double-triple digits, double digits in Honours class and increased in Master’s course also.

In 1951 we, in Honours course were 13 and most of us completed Master’s course also in 1955. Now you can see people with Statistics all over the country with many of them working abroad. At present Statistics subject is available in the nooks and corners of the State and in India. All this is only and only because of the great Dr. MVG.

– G. Dwarakanath, Mysuru, 18.9.2020

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