Chauhan happy with FTII students’ decision to call off strike

Welcoming the students’ decision to call off their strike and return to academics, FTII chairman Gajendra Chauhan said that he will soon be visiting the Pune-based institute.

Speaking to HT over phone, Chauhan said, “I am happy that the students have called off their strike. I am planning to visit FTII very soon to understand the issues there and work on them as institute chairman.”

According to Chauhan, the students have suffered academically by continuing their strike for 139 days.

“My priority will be to ensure that students do not lose out academically as they have suffered by not attending classes,” he said.

Best known for his role of Yudhisthira in the TV epic Mahabharata, the television actor-turned-politician said he will meet the students and try to address their concern once he visit the campus.

“My aim is to improve the standards of FTII. I will work in that direction,” he further said.

On his plans for the institute, Chauhan said that he will soon hold a meeting with the governing council and other stakeholders to discuss his plans for making the FTII a centre of national excellence.

When asked how students would react to Chauhan taking charge, FTII students’ representative Rakesh Shukla said, “We have been peaceful in our protest throughout this strike. We will continue being peaceful.”