Ramchandra Siras

Some Lesser Known Facts About Ramchandra Siras

• Dr. Ramchandra Siras was a Professor at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) who is best known for his biopic, Aligarh (2015).

• He was born into a Marathi-speaking family in Nagpur, Maharashtra where he spent most of his childhood and adulthood.

• After his schooling in Nagpur, he studied linguistics and psychology at Nagpur University. Thereafter, he pursued his post-graduation in Psychology at Hislop College, Nagpur.

• Ramchandra Siras received his PhD degree from Nagpur University in 1985. Reportedly, it took him ten years to complete his PhD (from 1976 to 1985). He wrote his thesis on 20 political novels of Madkholkar; a subject that was considered very rare and difficult by many. ^[9]The Times of India

• In the mid-’80s, he studied Clinical Psychology at Central Institute of Psychiatry in Kanke, Ranchi. ^[10]Rediff

• Dr. Siras joined Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) as a professor in 1988. Earlier, he had worked as a research assistant in the Department of Linguistics at Ranchi University. ^[11]The Times of India

• He was appointed reader in Modern Indian Languages at AMU in 1998. Later, he became the Chairman of the Department of Modern Indian Languages at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

• Reportedly, he developed an interest in many students at AMU to study Marathi where most of the students were from Urdu and Hindi background.

• Dr, Siras also mentored many students in Nagpur in their research projects.

• He also did extensive research work on BC Mardekar’s poems and coordinated many symposia on Mardekar’s poems at Dharampeth’s Raja Ram Library in Nagpur. ^[12]The Times of India

• Dr. Ramchandra Siras was also good at poetry, and he was awarded by the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad for his collection of poems – Paya Khalchi Hirawal (Grass under my feet) in 2002.

• During his stay in the hostel at Central Institute of Psychiatry in Ranchi, he used to cook his own food. While talking about it, his hostel mate, Dr. Sinha says –
  

  While we ate at the hostel mess he cooked himself. Very plain food — rice, dal and one sabzi, that’s all.” ^[13]Rediff

• Since his teenage, he had been suffering from epileptic fits, and his marriage was delayed because the doctors had advised him against marriage.

• Dr. Siras got married very lately; only after he was cured of epileptic fits. His wife was from a renowned family in Akola; however, the marriage didn’t last for long, and after a long separation, they got divorced. ^[14]The Times of India

• Dr. Ramchandra Siras was known for his plain dressing. Reportedly, he always preferred slippers over a pair of shoes, and he was mostly spotted in slippers. ^[15]Rediff

• He was a passionate lover of Hindi films, and he would often go off to theatres alone to watch his favourite flicks. ^[16]Rediff

• Dr. Siras was a music lover, and he loved to listen to old Hindi songs on 78 rpm records. ^[17]Rediff

• In his leisure time, he was often spotted knitting. Dr. Sinha, his hostel mate at Central Institute of Psychiatry in Ranchi, says –
  

  Siras was also very fond of knitting. While walking from the hostel to the institute, he always knitted pullovers. He carried a bag in which he had yarn. He said he was knitting for his nieces.” ^[18]Rediff

• Because of his epileptic fits, he was often get injured; mostly on his forehead. ^[19]Rediff

• On 8 February 2010, two local cable TV journalists secretly filmed Dr. Siras doing sex with a rickshaw-puller (Abdul) at his apartment in AMU. Reportedly, when the journalists barged into his room, he started pleading them to stop filming. The next day, he was suspended by AMU as a professor. The AMU public relations officer, Rahat Abrar said in his statement,
  

  Siras was captured on camera having sex with a rickshaw-puller. He was placed under suspension by the order of the vice-chancellor, professor P. K. Abdul Aziz.” ^[20]The Times of India

• On being gay and his stint at AMU, Dr. Siras, once, said,
  

  I spent two decades here. I love my University. I have always loved it and will continue to do so no matter what. But I wonder if they have stopped loving me because I am gay.” ^[21]The Times of India

• On 7 April 2010, he was found dead in his apartment in Aligarh in suspicious circumstances. The police initially called it a suicide; however, his autopsy report showed traces of poison in his body, and hence, the police registered a case of murder; following which six people were arrested. Later, the case was closed because the police could not establish any substantial proof. ^[22]University World News

• The popular Bollywood actor, Manoj Bajpai portrayed Ramchandra Siras in Hansal Mehta’s film, Aligarh (2015). The film received critical acclaim.