New Delhi, Feb 26 (.) Professor TK Oommen (88), a leading sociologist of the country, passed away on Thursday at his residence in Gurugram, Haryana.
Born in Alappuzha, Kerala, Prof. Oommen was a long-time professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2008 for his contributions to various fields, including education. He also served as president of the International Sociological Association and the Indian Sociological Society.
He received his PhD from the University of Poona in 1965 and then taught at the Delhi School of Social Work, University of Delhi, from 1964 to 1971.
His tenure at JNU was from 1971 to 2002. He was also a Professor Emeritus at JNU. He was a member of the Prime Minister’s High-Level Committee to Study the Social, Economic, and Educational Status of India’s Muslim Community.
He held the Ford Foundation Chair on “Non-Traditional Security.”
Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Kumar Jha described his passing as the end of a great chapter in Indian sociology. His work on citizenship, ethnicity, and pluralism will always be remembered. He expanded sociology beyond academic boundaries and connected it with the concerns and aspirations of ordinary people, Jha remembered.
Paying tribute to Oommen, JNU Dean Professor Vivek Kumar told . that he played a key role in the formation of Indian sociology. . XC KK