Open University over Vice Chancellor's disappearance

COLOMBO: The senate of the Open University of Sri Lanka views with grave concern the disappearance of Vice Chancellor of Eastern University of Sri Lanka Professor S. Ravindranath.

The senate urges the authorities to take action, to locate his whereabouts and ensure his safe return to his family.

The senate hopes that action would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, a statement by the Professors both local and foreign universities have expressed their concern about the disappearance of the Vice Chancellor.

The statement: "We express our deep concern on the apparent abduction of Professor S. Ravindranath, Vice-chancellor of Eastern University in Sri Lanka.

He left for a meeting of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science in Colombo on December 15 and has not been seen since. His family has reported his disappearance to the Police.

Our colleagues in universities across Sri Lanka have struggled in the face of war and natural disaster in recent years. The Eastern University is located in an area mostly devastated by the civil war and the tsunami.

That it is still capable of producing world-class researchers is testimony to the quality and dedication of its academic staff.

Professor Ravindranath has played a central part in the work of the University since its inception in 1981, and his tenure as Vice-chancellor has coincided with major developments such as the opening of the first medical school in the East.