New Delhi: The opening session of the national seminar on “School Education in India: Towards Equitable Access to Quality Education for All”, held today at the India International Centre (IIC), was marked by an emotional and powerful tribute to the late Professor Muchkund Dubey (1933–2024), a towering figure in Indian diplomacy and public education.
Organised by the Council for Social Development (CSD) in collaboration with the newly-established Muchkund Dubey Centre for Right to Education (MDC-RTE) and supported by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), the event drew prominent academics, policymakers, and civil society leaders.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who served as the Chief Guest, reflected on Dubey’s profound influence on India’s intellectual and policy landscape.
“Prof. Muchkund Dubey’s contribution to India’s multilateral diplomacy and social development was unmatchable,” Puri said. “He shaped discourses on the Right to Education, and many of us were beneficiaries of his generosity and intellect.”
Puri revealed a little-known personal anecdote about Dubey’s support for his book Perilous Interventions, which explored international use of force.
“He was exceptionally kind to me. He even offered to translate the book into Hindi himself,” Puri shared. “I don’t want to dwell too much on his personal warmth today, but his impact on my life — and many others — was immense.”
The Centre named in Prof. Dubey’s honour will focus on girls’ education, equitable access, teacher training, and strengthening public schooling — causes close to his heart.
