Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Visits Oxford, Honours Dr Radhakrishnan’s Global Legacy

The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand visited All Souls College, University of Oxford, where he paid tribute to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India, one of India’s most eminent philosophers and statesmen, and a towering figure in the intellectual history of All Souls College and the University of Oxford.

During the visit, the Hon’ble Chief Minister recalled Dr. Radhakrishnan’s long and distinguished association with Oxford. In 1936, Dr. Radhakrishnan was appointed Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford and elected a Fellow of All Souls College, a position he held until 1952. He later served as an Honorary Fellow of All Souls College from 1952 to 1975. While at Oxford, Dr. Radhakrishnan was widely respected as a brilliant philosopher and as a bridge between Eastern and Western traditions of thought. He was knighted by King George V in 1931 in recognition of his services to education.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister described Dr. Radhakrishnan’s intellectual legacy as a source of enduring inspiration, particularly for India’s engagement with global centres of learning. He noted that Dr. Radhakrishnan’s life and work exemplify how scholarship, public service, and dialogue between cultures can shape societies.

The delegation was received by Professor Alpa Shah, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Oxford, who welcomed the Hon’ble Chief Minister and formally felicitated the Jharkhand delegation. Discussions during the visit explored opportunities to deepen academic collaboration between Jharkhand and Oxford, including the possibility of new doctoral scholarships and research pathways for students from Jharkhand, faculty exchanges, and joint research initiatives to support the State Government in areas such as climate action, sustainability, tribal welfare, and heritage studies.

Following the visit to All Souls College, the delegation also visited the Radcliffe Camera, one of the most iconic architectural landmarks at the heart of the University of Oxford. Designed by James Gibbs and completed in the 18th century, the Radcliffe Camera is a historic circular library and forms a central part of Oxford’s Bodleian Library system. It stands as a global symbol of scholarship, learning, and the continuity of intellectual traditions across centuries.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister emphasised Jharkhand’s commitment to investing in education, research, and global academic partnerships, particularly to support young scholars and strengthen knowledge institutions in the State. The visit was seen as an important step toward building long-term collaboration between Jharkhand and the University of Oxford, rooted in shared intellectual traditions and forward-looking academic engagement, with strong alignment to the UK–India 2035 partnership.