SUCCESS STORY

Stars of Higher Education
Dr. Beheruz Sethna, First Indian-Born U.S. University President

	Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, president of University of West Georgia, is a star on the higher education scene. Now in his 16th year at UWG, Dr. Sethna is the first known person of Indian origin ever to become president of a university anywhere in America. He is also the first person of any ethnic minority to become president of a college or university in Georgia other than of a historically black institution. Dr. Sethna was born in India, and went to the U.S. in 1973 at the age of 25, having completed a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (at IIT-Bombay) and an MBA (at IIM-Ahmedabad). He went to the U.S. to do a Ph.D. in Business at Columbia University in New York City.
Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna
He completed his Ph.D. in 1976, and started working as an assistant professor at Clarkson University in upstate New York. He was promoted early to Associate Professor in 1979-80. In late 1979 and through part of 1980 he did return to India and worked for an American company there. In 1981, He was faced with making a 2 x 2 decision: America vs. India, and Academics vs. Industry. He had done well in both and enjoyed both. He did not actually make the "final" decision until 1981, eight years after his arrival in the U.S. Among other accomplishments, during Dr. Sethna's tenure, UWG has acquired university status, achieved designation as a member of the robust tier of doctoral comprehensive universities, started Georgia's first advanced academy for exceptionally-gifted high school students and increased in student size by almost 50%, while substantially increasing the University's admission standards. In addition to his work as president, Dr. Sethna has remained active in teaching and scholarship. He has taught undergraduates every year since arriving at UWG, which is extremely unusual for a university president. Dr. Sethna has been married for more than 35 years to Dr. Madhavi Sethna, also a faculty member. They have two children: Anita Sethna, MD, who is currently doing a Fellowship in Facial Plastics, and Shaun Sethna, JD, a graduate of Georgia Tech and Columbia Law School, and a patent attorney at a major national law firm.

Contents by Manoj Sharma

An Old story With New Learning

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There was a farmer in Africa who was happy and content. He was happy because he was content. He was content because he was happy. One day a wise man came to him and told him about the glory of diamonds and the power that goes along with them. The wise man said, "If you had a diamond the size of your thumb, you could have your own city. If you had a diamond the size of your fist, you could probably own your own country." And then he went away. That night the farmer couldn't sleep. He was unhappy and he was discontent. He was unhappy because he was discontent and discontent because he was unhappy. The next morning he made arrangements to sell off his farm, took care of his family and went in search of diamonds. Back home, the person who had bought his farm was watering the camels at a stream that ran through the farm. Across the stream, the rays of the morning sun hit a stone and made it sparkle like a rainbow. He thought it would look good on the mantle piece. He picked up the stone and put it in the living room. That afternoon the wise man came and saw the stone sparkling. He asked, "Is Hafiz back?" The new owner said, "No, why do you ask?" The wise man said, "Because that is a diamond. I recognize one when I see one." The man said, no, that's just a stone I picked up from the stream. Come, I'll show you. There are many more." They went and picked some samples and sent them for analysis. Sure enough, the stones were diamonds. They found that the farm was indeed covered with acres and acres of diamonds. Action is inevitable, because it is signature of life. Life expresses itself in action, as death does in action. But actions may vary – as they do vary – from man to man. A laborers working in the field may be perspiring and sweating. A poet working may not be perspiring or sweating; he is seemingly, from the laborer's standpoint, not working at all. From the standpoint of the poet, the scientist is wasting public money. From the scientist’s standpoint an ordinary thinker is wasting his time. From all their points of view, the Buddha under the tree is a waster and leech upon the society, sucking the blood or the wealth of the society, an idler, etc. Each one may point out to the other and say that he is an idler, but each one knows how vigorously he himself is active. One must understand that every individual is blessed with massive potential and one should not waste one’s precious time in cribbing and crying over other individual’s perspiration or potential rather devote time in analyzing oneself in and out as opportunity lies within. One must tap the enormous reservoir of prospect and tremendous potential that lies within. When our attitude is right, we realize that we are a walking on acres and acres of diamonds. Opportunity is always under our feet. We don't have to go anywhere. All we need to do is recognize it and this is how our attitude determines our altitude. All of us have only twenty four hours per day. Who is mightier, an individual who thinks to earn a livelihood or an individual who thinks to create a history? Certainly the individual, who makes a history, leaves behind something remarkable for which the succeeding generations will be grateful. In order to realize the potential within one must develop a true focus, patience and firm determination to achieve what he/she desires. Let us strive to find the diamonds hidden within!!!

Contents by Vidhu Gaur