Fergusson College professor conferred ‘Order of merit of Federal Republic of Germany’

Professor Savita Kelkar, head of the German language department and first woman-life member of the Deccan Education Society, was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in the presence of the consul general of the Federal Republic of Germany, Jürgen Morhard

PUNE: Professor Savita Kelkar, head of the German language department and first woman-life member of the Deccan Education Society, was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in the presence of the consul general of the Federal Republic of Germany, Jürgen Morhard, and other trustees of the Deccan Education Society.

Professor Savita Kelkar (left), head of the German language department and first woman-life member of the Deccan Education Society, was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in the presence of the consul general of the Federal Republic of Germany, Jürgen Morhard. (RAVINDRA JOSHI/HT)

Receiving the award, Kelkar said, “I am honoured to be bestowed this merit and never expected this. I have always had a passion for the language and culture, and am happy to be a bridge between the two countries

One of the major languages of the world, German is one of the most widely spoken and taught foreign languages. “The language has been influential in the fields of philosophy, theology, science, technology and commerce, and it is the second most commonly used scientific language,” said Kelkar.

A recipient of several ‘best teacher’ awards including ‘corporation’s best teacher’, ‘Shri Saraswati Puruskar’ and the ‘state-level best teacher’, Kelkar, said, “German lessons in India began for the first time in Pune and are connected to the history of Bombay university as all colleges in Pune were affiliated to Bombay university till 1949. When the presidency of Bombay university proposed modernising university courses in 1908, the senate established a committee. Sir Raghunath Paranjpe, a member of this committee, proposed studying German with a degree (B.A.) on April 21, 1911 and the committee included German as one of the minor subjects. The senate agreed and German became a minor for all university exams from matriculation to B.A.”

Tracing the history of the German language in India, Kelkar said that after completing his Ph.D. in Sanskrit and Comparative Linguistics at Leipzig university, professor Pandurang D Gune returned to India in 1913 and a year later in 1914, began German lessons in addition to Sanskrit lessons for an eighth-grade group at the New English school of Deccan Education Society. When professor Krishnaji Keshav Joshi returned from Germany in January 1915, he took over teaching German at the New English school from professor Gune, and also began the regular B.A. course at Fergusson college. The Bombay university’s first B.A. exam in German was held in 1918 which Pune’s Dattatreya Bapurao Davalbhakta passed with flying colours.

Sir Raghunath Paranjpe was a great supporter of German lessons in Pune. In 1924, Fergusson college began a Master’s degree course in German and till the end of World War II, Fergusson college in Pune was the only centre for further studies in German in India. Ganesh Rahunath Kokil was the first student to receive a M.A. in German.

While professor D. D. Karve introduced German courses for science students at Bombay university, these courses were hugely successful and went on till 1947 after which German classes were abolished at some of the colleges. At S. P. college however, German lessons were first started in the science department and later transferred to the arts department. Professor R. N. Chapekar meticulously built the German department of S.P. college and German classes began in 1939.

Kelkar said, “Since 1954, German has also been taught as a minor subject for B.A. German major was taught at Fergusson college. In 1974, the German language department celebrated the completion of 60 years of the German language in Pune and in 2014, it celebrated the completion of 100 years of German in Pune,” Kelkar said.

Conferring the honour on Kelkar, Jurgen Morhard said, “It is only bestowed for special achievements in life in certain sectors; namely politics, social work or anthropology. We have given this award to Kelkar because she has gone beyond teaching. She has a lot of energy and has set up things like 3/4 exchange programmes between Germany and Fergusson college. She was also part of the jury for the German drama competition. She was instrumental in creating a curriculum for the German language in Pune. She is the chairperson of the German Teachers’ Association. She also helped spread awareness about the cultural aspects of Germany within her excellent network.”