Soren attends reception at Oxford's Somerville College

Ranchi, Jan 25 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday attended a reception at Somerville College of the University of Oxford as part of his academic engagements in the UK.

Founded in 1879, Somerville College is recognised as a pioneer in global education and was among the first institutions at the University of Oxford to admit women at a time when they were otherwise excluded from the university.

Somerville College's principal Catherine Royle hosted the reception in Soren's honour, a statement issued by the CM's Office said.

"The reception acknowledged the Chief Minister's leadership and work in the areas of indigenous welfare, sustainability, climate action, just transition, and equitable access to higher education," it said.

Somerville College also hosts the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development.

The reception was attended by students and scholars from across Oxford, including Indian scholars, civil servants, and researchers. Among those present was Jharkhand government officer Ravi Shankar Shukla, who is currently pursuing advanced studies as an Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development Scholar, with a research focus on urban water policy and management.

"Interactions during the reception highlighted the scope for deeper engagement between Oxford's research community and Jharkhand's governance priorities, particularly in the areas of environmental policy, climate action, and sustainable development," the statement said.

During informal interactions within the college precincts, students and scholars expressed a strong interest in engaging further with the Jharkhand government, it said.

They conveyed their wish to organise a dedicated workshop with the CM on government programmes and public policy initiatives, and invited him to address students and scholars on governance, policy design, and implementation experiences from Jharkhand, it added.

Earlier in the day, he visited the archives of St John's College, where rare photographs and preserved records of Jaipal Singh Munda, a tribal stalwart, have been showcased. A curated selection of materials from Munda's Oxford years was shown to him.

Appreciating the preservation of Munda's legacy, Soren recalled Munda's enduring importance to Jharkhand, including his foundational role in the movement that ultimately led to the creation of the state.

The CM expressed interest in a structured collaboration between the Jharkhand government and St John's College to jointly support archival exchange, digitisation, and preservation initiatives.

The college authorities and the CM also exchanged views about a possible dedicated St John's-Jharkhand Doctoral Scholarship honouring the legacy of Munda and Shibu Soren.

Soren also visited All Souls College and paid tribute to former President S Radhakrishnan, who was closely associated with Oxford. PTI NAM SOM