Message from Professor Aklujkar

[Tej Krishan Bhatia]

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>From: Ashok Aklujkar <ashok.aklujkar at gmail.com>
>
>Subject: Re: Indian-American Prof Braj Kachru dead
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>Date: August 2, 2016 at 11:24:05 PM PDT
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>To: South Asian Linguists <VYAKARAN at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
>
>
>From the news I got intermittently ‹ usually at this or that conference ‹
>from colleagues who had some kind of association with Urbana-Champaign ,
>I was aware that Braj and Yamuna Kachru were showing signs of old age.
>Occasionally, I also heard names of some ailments, usually considered to
>be serious, in references made to them. Still, my mind was not ready to
>read the news of their leaving this world.They were one of my favourite
>and respected couples.
>
>The association began in the summer of 1967, when I got an opportunity to
>teach in the Inter-University Rotating South Asia Summer School of the
>mid-West (I have probably slightly distorted the real name). That was my
>first experience of teaching an entire course on my own in North America.
>It was also one of the most rewarding and pleasant summers I have spent.
>Because of the way Braj had organized the school, I came to know at one
>place a number of prominent linguists, gifted language teachers and
>outstanding as well as emerging South Asia social scientists. His
>gentleness in guiding a student-teacher like me also left an impression
>on me. How Braj and Yamuna managed to make us visitors feel at home for
>six weeks without showing any signs of strain was a very valuable
>educational experience for me. It helped me about 12 years later in
>administering a complex and large department of Asian Studies.
>
>Over the following years the Kachrus nudged me in writing articles on
>³stylistics in the Sanskrit tradition² and ³traditions of language study
>in South Asia². I thought of them frequently while editing, with Mr.
>Mrinal Kaul, the book _Linguistic Traditions of Kashmir_²
>
>I will miss them in the years to come, although intellectually I am aware
>that their passing away one day was inevitable.
>
>ashok aklujkar
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