The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Davidson students spend an entire semester in India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 27, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Davidson students spend an entire semester in India

K. Manikandan

GOOD EXPOSURE: Students of Davidson College in the U.S. became familiar with a gamut of issues during their semester in India programme.

After spending an entire semester in India, studying the country's history, culture, art and environment and a host of other issues, 16 students of Davidson College in North Carolina, United States, would be returning home in a couple of days.

Madras Christian College in Tambaram played host to these students during most period of their programme, as it has been doing so for the past 15 years. For 15 consecutive years, students from Davidson College have been taking part in this programme, considered to be among the prestigious overseas programmes in the college.

It has been a hectic session for the 16 students, belonging to different streams, ever since they landed on September 1. They were put through rigorous academic sessions in which academicians, bureaucrats, experts and artists, among others, spoke and interacted with them.

David Martin, Professor of Economics in Davidson College and resident director of the programme, said the Semester-in-India programme was extremely popular among students in their institution and that they received applications twice more than the number that could be accommodated. The programme was designed in such a way that it would give time for the students to settle down before delving deep into each and every aspect of life in India. ``The students (from Davidson) are not here on academic tourism. They get to know much more about India than some of our own students here,'' pointed out Professor C. Selvaraj of Economics Department, MCC.

To balance the strain caused by the "rigorous academic exercise," students went on a near all-India tour that covered Western Ghats, Mysore during Dasara, Kolkata, Sunderbans, wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan, Mumbai, Goa, Kerala, Bangalore, a cruise on the river Ganges, among other places. In Tamil Nadu, they visited Thanjavur, Madurai and Kancheepuram. They also visited Puducherry.

While at MCC, they stayed at the International Guest House nestled amidst lush greenery. The students were initially served their usual food items, and gradually were introduced to more of Indian cuisine. As they travelled from one place to another, adjusting with water and food was not easy and some of the students also fell ill. Though the students were not too sure if the Indian semester programme would help them in their career, they said it was an enriching experience.

Most of the students of Davidson College got an opportunity to visit a foreign country, but the Indian programme was the longest and elaborate.

Dr. Martin said a sizeable number of students who took part in the programme came back to India, a sure indicator of its success.

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