MP back in his own territory

Warangal: It was a sort of homecoming for the Parliamentarian Prof Azmeera Seetaram Naik whose better part of life was closely knit with Kakatiya University (KU) before he was elected to 16th Lok Sabha in 2014.

Although the Mahabubabad MP had visited KU umpteen number of times since he left his job to embrace politics, his visit on Tuesday was something that he fondly cherishes.

And it was even more special for the research scholar Gandhi Nemali who attended viva voce in defence of his PhD thesis at the varsity’s Botany Department on Tuesday with a rare distinction of having Member of Parliament (MP) as his supervisor.

The story dates back to 2012 when Seetaram Naik was a professor in the KU which was in the thick of separate Telangana movement. At this point of time, Gandhi chose him as his supervisor (guide).

A couple of years later, Seetaram Naik had to leave his beloved profession after winning Mahabubabad Lok Sabha seat on TRS ticket. Albeit he was happy to see his professor elected as the MP, Gandhi was a worried man as how to continue his research with his guide leaving midway.

But Seetaram Naik has other ideas. He instilled confidence in Gandhi by assuring him of extending his full support, come what may. “That was not just a word but an unwritten deed,” Gandhi said, narrating his PhD journey till today to The Hans India.

Since then there was no looking back, he said, recalling Seetaram Naik’s assistance in pursuing his PhD. Seetaram Naik is not only academic supervisor to my thesis but also my mentor who taught me life skills as well, Gandhi said.

Without my guide’s support I wouldn’t have completed my thesis. It may be noted here that Gandhi’s thesis topic – Characterisation of the elite biotypes of Terminalia arjuna (tella maddi in local parlance) for tasar silkworm (dasali pattu) using PCR-based markers and their conservation through Invitro micro propagation.

Like the topic, the research was also a lengthy process and complicated. Gandhi has been awarded PhD by external examiner Prof. G Padmaja, University of Hyderabad, it’s learnt.

Later speaking to this newspaper, Seetaram Naik dwelt at length about the KU’s development. “A five-acre botanical park to protect plants of endangered species will soon come up in the varsity with an outlay of Rs 1.20 crore funded by Warangal district administration and forest department in addition to his MP LAD funds,” he said.