Professor Kamal Mitra Chenoy was among the finest professors to have ever graced JNU’s School of International Studies. Generations of students will remember him not merely as a professor but also as a friend and comrade. Students could always turn to him for advice, help, or financial assistance. He was always among the first to extend a helping hand and stand in solidarity with them whenever the need arose.
Prof. Chenoy embodied what it means to be a professor at a public institution, someone who remains true to his ideas and teaches not only in classrooms but also on the streets through his actions. Throughout his life, he fought fascist, communal, and casteist ideologies through his scholarship and actions. He challenged the narratives of forces that promote riots and genocide while standing at the forefront of struggles against them. In the truest sense, he was a professor who lived by his ideas and put them into practice.
In 1997, when Comrade Chandrashekhar Prasad, whom we dearly remember as Comrade Chandu, was assassinated in Siwan, Bihar, Professor Chenoy marched alongside JNU students on the streets of Siwan, demanding justice. His presence reflected the kind of professor he was, one who stood with students through concrete actions, not merely words.
When JNU came under attack from the BJP-RSS nexus and its godi media, and the witch-hunting of students began, many became fearful, and even taking the name of JNU became a taboo. Yet, when many compromised and bowed to pressure, professors like Chenoy stood firm with students and strengthened the call to “Fight Back JNU.”
Throughout the fee-hike movement and the movement against the CAA-NRC, he remained steadfast in his support. His presence was reassuring. He was also a prominent voice in support of Palestine and consistently condemned the genocide of Palestinians. At a time when speaking about Palestine in centres like the School of International Studies is becoming increasingly difficult, his courage and conviction remain an enduring example.
It is a tragedy that JNU, which once had professors like Chenoy who engaged with students and supported their struggles, is now facing an acute crisis over recruitment irregularities and appointments based on Sangh connections rather than merit. Such developments threaten the university’s democratic and academic traditions. Prof. Chenoy’s memory reminds us that JNU was not always like this and it does not have to remain this way.
As students and young people across Delhi and the country continue to protest against the fascist BJP regime, one cannot help but imagine that, had Prof. Chenoy been alive, he would have wholeheartedly supported these struggles and stood at their forefront, showing us the way forward.
Prof. Anuradha Chenoy, his partner and an eminent professor who retired from JNU, has been a pillar of support for students. We cherish her presence and salute the grace and strength with which she carries herself in this moment of grief.
Prof. Kamal Mitra Chenoy will not be forgotten. He will be remembered as an example of what it means to be a professor, a friend of students, and a comrade in struggles. His life and legacy will continue to inspire generations of students to fight injustice and uphold academic freedom and the culture of debate and dissent in JNU.
Red Salute to Professor Kamal Mitra Chenoy from the current JNU Students’ Union and the entire student community.
