There are very few people who leave an indelible imprint on our lives. Professor Udai Pareek has left such imprint on a very large number of people’s life and learning, and I am privileged to be one of them. Prof Pareek’s enormous original and creative writings, profound insights, his enlightening lectures, his sensitive and empathetic facilitation in group-based learning processes are well known, but to know his humane values, simple living, and broad-minded worldview could be experienced only in working with him closely and in being with him and his family members on some occasions.
I met Prof Pareek and Somnath in 1963 at the SIET Institute in Hyderabad when Prof Rolf Lynton had kindly invited me to Co-train with him in the Extension T-group training programmes that he was conducting. I had returned from Canada and was a faculty member at the University of Delhi after doing my post-doctoral work in Applied Behavioural Science, experiential learning, and experience in several T-groups and Co-facilitating with Prof Craig Lundberg, who had advised me to contact Rolf Lynton. Both Somnath and Prof Udai Pareek became my life-long friends. Prof Udai Pareek was more than a friend, whom I considered a Guru and guide. We did some Training of trainer’s programmes together, some of them with visiting faculty like Ken Benne at different locations like Simla in India.
I attended some of Prof. Pareek’s special lectures, and always found them very incisive and based on the latest international-level research studies. I sought his help in conducting OD Consultancy programmes and gained insights in designing and conducting workshops and training programmes based on experiential learning as a part of the OD work. I need not mention about his prolific writings which are known to all in the fields of HRD, OB, Psychometrics, Institution Building, etc. Once his friend and colleague Prof Prayag Mehta remarked about Prof Pareek’s writing work in a friendly meeting in which I was present: “You write and publish more rapidly than I can read them!”. His tests, research and writings based on Indian context and experience are indispensible for teaching and research in OB, HRD, and OD programmes and related academic courses.
His research and writings have vastly extended the frontiers of knowledge in various disciplines related to thetheory and practice of Applied Behavioural Sciences. He was the pioneer of the HRD Movement which has now become an internationally recognized field. In addition, his original and path-breaking concepts have enriched many disciplines. Once when Prof David McClelland visited the University of Delhi for a Seminar, I mentioned to him about Prof Pareek’s conceptualization of ‘Extension Motivation’ beyond the well-known concepts of Achievement Motivation, Power Motivation, and Affiliation Motivation concepts developed by him. He was surprised and asked me to elaborate on the concept to him.
Prof Pareek was highly committed to the support and development of ISABS and ABS. He regularly participated in the Annual events of the ISABS. I had developed a new Centre for Applied Behavioural Science and Action Research when I was the Director of the University of Delhi’s South Campus. Prof. Pareek and Prof Prayag Mehta were associated with it, patronized it and delivered lectures in its Special Lectures Series. Unfortunately, one of my successor Director closed it and several other Centres in the South Campus because of his ignorance and importance of these new Centres.
Prof Pareek had once graciously invited me to the IIHMR, Jaipur for a programme. After the programme he invited me to his residence where I met his family. Like Prof Pareek I noted the great simplicity and warm hospitality by all members. I also had the privilege of working with him and Rolf Lynton in an OD programme of the Indonesia’s Ministry of Health Care. On a Friday I was surprised when Prof Pareek expressed the desire to come with me in the Friday congregation prayer. He participated in it along with me. Similarly, once I was invited for a keynote address at the Management Centre for Human Values at the IIM Calcutta. I had based my lecture entirely on the Bhagwad Gita. The lecture was also published. Prof Pareek had read it and in a meeting with him he questioned me why I had based it only on Bhagwad Gita and not on other great scriptures also. Evidently, he had a highly broad-minded view of all religions.
Prof Udai Pareek was one of those rare original thinkers and practitioner oftruly humane values who by their work, life-long dedicated research and writings enlightened and inspired myriad students, scholars, teachers and consultants in his lifetime, and will continue to do so for the coming generations.
This is my humble tribute to the great Thought Leader, Academic Genius and Guru Professor Udai Pareek.
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