User:Gurrapu Damodar/sandbox

PROFILE OF PROF GURRAPU DAMODAR

Total Service: 42 years

Dr Gurrapu Damodar has so far completed twenty-one years of service as Professor of English at Kakatiya University and two years at Satavahana University out of his total service of 42 years of active teaching and research at different levels since August 1978.

Qualifications and Training

He obtained M A, M Phil, Ph D from Kakatiya University, Post Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of English (PGCTE) and Post Graduate Diploma in the Teaching of English (PGDTE) from Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (now EFLU), Hyderabad. He underwent the training in “Skills for Adolescents”, Mumbai, “The Art of Living”, Bangalore, and the “Computer-Mediated Communication” (CMC), Language Learning Resource Center (LLRC), Stockholm University, Sweden, in 2000.

Research Projects

He has completed two UGC Research Projects on “Distance Education” and “CALL Packages in English”. He undertook the first Major Research Project of the Department of English on ‘Tribal Studies in English’ in March 2010. He was the Deputy Coordinator of SAP of UGC granted to the Department on “Multiculturalism in Indian Literature in English” from Sep 2011 to April 2013, and the Coordinator of SAP from May 2013 to January 2014.

Visits Abroad (21 countries)

On a UGC grant, he was at the LLRC, Stockholm University, Sweden, during February -March 2000 to demonstrate his Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Packages in English. He underwent a unique training program in devising data-driven language learning packages in English at LLRC and visited twenty universities and language centres in Sweden, Denmark and the UK. In March 2009, he attended the 20th Annual Teaching Academic Survival Skills Conference at Atlantic Palm Beach University, Florida, USA and presented the paper, “Language Theater for Teaching English” making it an audio-visual presentation. That resulted in establishing Medha Language Theatres by Dr A Chiranjeevi across India with latest digital technology (www.medhaspokenenglish.com). In May 2012, he visited Malaysia and Singapore and interacted with Prof Rita Elaine Silver, Dept of Language and Literature, National Institute of Education, Singapore, on “SL Learning Methods and Classroom Applications” and studied “Speak Good English Movement in Singapore” during May 28 – June 4, 2012. He presented the paper “Telangana Telugu and American English: The Classical Touch” (with M. Rajeshwar) at University of Genoa, Italy, on May 31, 2013, and visited eleven countries in Europe and Egypt covering the UK, The Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia and Vatican during May–June 2013. In May 2014, he visited Nepal. He visited Australia and New Zealand in May 2015. He has so far visited the USA seven times.

Administrative Experience

He has served Kakatiya University as the Dean, College Development Council and the Founder Director of Students Welfare Center and the Founder Coordinator of University Foreign Relations Office for three years, the Coordinating Officer, UGC Unit, KU, during 2005 – 2007,  Coordinator, IQAC, Chairman, BOS in English, HOD in English and Dean, Faculty of Arts for two years each, with commitment. He was the Director, Centre for Foreign Relations, Research and Consultancy (CFRAC), KU during 2009-2017.

Publications

He has to his credit 59 books written and edited, and 84 articles presented and published. He has devised 23 innovative audio-visual teaching aids with CD ROMs during 2000-2010. He has so far guided 26 dissertations for M.Phil. and PhD and adjudicated over a hundred theses and dissertations. He has produced over a hundred radio lessons on Spoken English, English for Competitive Examinations, etc., which were broadcast every Sunday on Warangal FM. Now they are available on CDs and in MP4 Format. He has contributed a video program, “Aesthetics of Film Adaptation” to the Countrywide Classroom Program of UGC which is telecast every year.

He has written and edited the course material on ELT for School of Distance Learning and Continuing Education (SDLCE), Kakatiya University, covering ninety units, PGRR Centre for Distance Education, Osmania University, covering ten units, Bhavan Institute of English (BIE), Hanamkonda, a Multimedia Center for Spoken English with Life Skills, established in 1978 by him, and 4-in-1 dictionary and seven other books by New Vision Publications, Hyderabad.

His books, English for Email, Errors in English Usage, Detection of Errors, English for Engineers and Computer Professionals (by 21 Century Publications) New Millennium Graded English Course (by Arkbird Publishers), English for Empowerment (by Orient Blackswan with a CD), English Tracks (by Macmillan with a CD), Communication Skills (by SDLCE, KU), Nurturing English (by Lorven) and A Course in Listening and Speaking (with a CD) are prescribed as textbooks at different levels, fetching handsome royalty for him.

He has translated Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Eliot’s “Burnt Norton” into Telugu, T. Srirangaswamy, Kaloji and K. Veera Reddy’s poems and two booklets on Aandaalu and Sri Ramachandrudu of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, into English. His latest obsession is writing haikus. He has plans to bring out haiku books on Sri Aurobindo and Indian Philosophy. He conducts sessions these days on creative writing and other life skills at different places on behalf of BIE Charitable Trust which he started on April 11, 2017, on Sri Ramanavami Day, with 1.5 lakh seed money from his pension.

Seminars Attended and Conducted

He has attended 28 national and 16 international seminars, conferences and workshops. He has organized 61 seminars and workshops in Warangal, Nellore, Borsad, Gujarat, Karimnagar and other places. Extension Services

He has been on the selection committees of several universities such as Andhra University, Acharya Nagarjuna University, PS Telugu University, Osmania University, KL University, Berhampur University, University of Hyderabad, JNTU, University of Rajasthan, Manomanian Sundaranar University, Thirunelveli, TN, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Dr HS Central University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, etc. He has completed about thirty assignments of APPSC, APSCHE, UPSC, UGC, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana Public Service Commissions, other organizations and universities.

He is a member of Board of Studies in English at Osmania University, Andhra University, PS Telugu University, Chaitanya Autonomous College, Hanamkonda, Palamur University, Sathavahana University and Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, AP.

He was a Resource Person at UGC Refresher Courses in English at CIEFL, Hyderabad, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupathi, SDLCE, Kakatiya University, RIE of EFLU, Lucknow; at the Workshop on “Situational English” at University PG College, LB College, Masterji College, New Science College, Bharghavi Degree College, Engineering Colleges at BITS, Maheswaram, SR College, Ellapur, Christu Jyothi College, Jangaon, KITS, Warangal, Kothagudem Women’s College, Devanga Arts College, Aruppukottai, Near Madhurai, TN, Training Program on ELT at NIT, Warangal and Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore, AP.

He is a Life Member of Osmania Center for International Studies (formerly ASRC), Indian Association for English Studies (IAES) and Indian Association for Canadian Studies. He was an Executive Committee Member of Indian Association for English Studies (IAES) during 1999-2002. Currently, he is on the Executive Committees of Indian Association for Canadian Studies and Indian Association for Australian Studies.

As a member of the Committee constituted by the AP State Council of Higher Education, he has standardized the soft skills curriculum in English for all professional and non-professional colleges of AP. He is keenly interested in training students in communication skills and personality development. He was a regular columnist for five years on “Situational English” and “English for Competitive Examinations” for Vaartha, a daily newspaper, Classmate and Udyogasopanam, leading magazines for the youth. He has 900 pieces of writing to his credit covering books, articles, haikus, reviews, research papers, radio lessons, distance mode units, translations, etc. He has been actively engaged in the experimentation of innovative methods, techniques and materials of English language learning and teaching since 1976. All of them will be made available on his website, www.profgdamodar.com and YouTube. Some of them are accessible now.

Community Services

As a Charter Member (since 1985) and President of Lions Club, Hanamkonda (1996-97), a Member of Lok Adalat, Lok Satta, Kakatiya Graduates Association, NSS, Railway Consultative Committee, Book Selection Committee, Warangal Pragnabharathi, POPA, Sri Ramakrishna Seva Samithi, Hanamkonda, Sahrudaya, Literary and Cultural Association, Warangal, and Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, a Founder Member of Om Vandemaataram Trust, an Executive Member, Veda Vyasa Avasa Kendram, Hunter Road, Hanamkonda, and Sri Matha Aravinda Center, Jangaon, a donor of CRY, Bangalore, Sushrutha Cancer Institute, Karimnagar, Mangalam and Shruthi of New Delhi, a Life Patron of ISKON (WGL 1383/09), Brundavan Sankrut Sangh, Mupparam, Netha Welfare Hostel, Hunter Road, Vanavasi School, Eturunagaram, Sri Satyasai Dhana Mandali, Vijayawada, Jyothirao Phule and Dr Jayashankar Statues, and an Advisor to Dist 320 F of Lions Club International, he has been rendering community services for over three decades, true to Winston Churchill’s words: “ We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

Awards and Honours

He has actively extended his services to the community and KU for its growth as a member of twenty-eight academic bodies with fifteen awards and honours including the Best Teacher Award by Govt of AP in 2010, the English Forum Award of Gujarat and Telugu Tejam Award in New Delhi. He was shortlisted for Vice-Chancellorship of three universities (Palamur, MGU and Ambedkar Open University) in February 2011 and for two universities, Palamur and KU, in 2016. He was a Member on the Nomination Committee for Nobel Prize in Literature and nominated Stephen Gill of Canada in 2014 and Mahaswetha Devi of India in 2016. He has been the Visitor’s (President’s) Nominee for Dr HS Central University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, during 2015-2018.

His Passions

He loves reading spiritual books and the works of William Shakespeare, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindranath Tagore, RK Narayan and others. His passions include devising ELT slides and videos and writing haiku poems--150 on Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy and 500 on nature, humanism and spirituality.

His Family

His wife is Chandrakala Andolu, who manages BIE. God has granted him what he wanted. He wanted to have two daughters but not a son. He is happy to have two lovely daughters, Bhavana and Rachana, who are well-settled in America. He has two cute granddaughters named Nishka and Maya.

His Philosophy

He believes in humility, consistent hard work and punctuality. He encourages people from socially and economically disadvantaged sections through BIE Charitable Trust. He has a soft corner for the differently-abled. He expresses himself in different creative forms. He is early to bed and early to rise to practise his yoga, pranayama and meditation with friends at KU. He is the Honorary President of Kakatiya Yoga (Walkers) Association. He brought out a monograph on the yogic practices he has been doing since 1977.

His favourite thoughts: (1) Life is what life is. Take it as it comes. (2) Be the change you want to be. (3) Everything can be done if the God-touch is there. (4) All life is yoga. (5) Our position in life is only relative, not absolute. (6) Life is not about finding the right person but creating the right relationship. (7) It is noticed we often give up when we are near the goal. (8) Only two types of people are happy in life--the mad and the children. Be mad to achieve a goal. Be a child to enjoy what you have achieved. (9) There is no escalator to success--only steps! (10) Success is never-ending, failure is never final. (11) Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. (12) Working for success will make us masters, but working for satisfaction will make us legends. Masters are everywhere but legends are very rare. (13) A relationship is like honey. Don't compare it with money. It is not a collection of art, but a selection of heart. (14) No one in this world is pure and perfect. If we avoid people for their little mistakes, we will always be alone. So, judge less and love more. (15) Don't be critical; be creative.

Currently, he is with Chaitanya (Deemed to be University) as its first Vice-Chancellor. He is also the Chairman, Board of Studies, Satavahana University, Karimnagar. He enjoys “simplifying the complicated things as a troubleshooter, an ever-updating teacher and a considerate community worker”. His detailed CV in 27 pages at www.chaitanyauniversity.com amply bears testimony to his merit and dedicated service with a missionary zeal.