VTU V-C setback in book row

In a setback to the Visvesvaraya Technological University(VTU) Vice-Chancellor H P Khnicha, the group of authors that prepared

an engineering textbook have objected to the dropping of former V-C K Balaveera Reddy’s name as chief editor.

In a meeting held on Friday at the VTU campus in Belgaum, the authors have termed VTU’s action a ‘mistake’ and have asked the University to rectify it.

The textbook, titled ‘A Primer on Computer Aided Engineering Drawing’, authored by a nine-member editorial board headed by the

then V-C Balaveera Reddy, was first published by VTU in 2006.

Express had first reported on October 2, about the row that had broken out after Reddy’s name in the second edition of the textbook was

replaced with that of the present V-C Khincha. It is learnt that at the meeting convened by Registrar K V A Balaji on Friday

evening, the authors disagreed with VTU’s contention that the sitting Vice- Chancellor should be the de-facto chief editor of the

textbook.

“Prof Reddy was deeply involved in authoring the textbook. It was prepared mainly at his initiative. In such a situation, it would be

wrong to drop his name,” said a member who has part of the meeting. Unconfirmed reports say that the Vice-Chancellor may

apologise to Reddy. Both V-C Khincha and Registrar Balaji were unavailable for comment. The controversy broke

out when VTU decided to issue the second edition of an engineering textbook – virtually identical to the first one -- but with Khincha’s

name replacing that of Reddy as chief editor. Subsequently, VTU has held back the distribution of the textbook, with the books

lying locked up at the four regional centres in Bangalore, Belgaum, Mysore, and Gulbarga.