Prof. T.K. Oommen, one of India’s foremost sociologists and public intellectuals, passed away early this morning, leaving behind a formidable legacy of scholarship, public engagement, and institutional leadership. In an academic career that spanned over half a century, he did not merely interpret society — he sought to accentuate its truths, inequities, and possibilities.
An Islamic scholar of immense learning, a formidable freedom fighter, and India’s first Education Minister, Azad shaped the foundations of India’s pluralist identity. His legacy was not confined to his political achievements; it extended deeply into philosophical and theological realms.
At the heart of Azad’s worldview was the Quranic concept of Rabubiyat, i.e., God’s lordship, sustenance, and care over all creation.
The construction of the Ram Mandir won't lead to an apocalypse, but the common sense of the Republic will have shifted.