Trichy: The recent appointment of Godwin Tennyson as director of the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli has sparked discussion on campus after reports that electricity to a small Mandir within the institute premises was discontinued following an administrative directive.
A new DIRECTOR was appointed in IIM Trichy – Godwin Tennyson
Previously, a small temple within IIM Trichy had lighting.
However, following Tennyson's directive to discontinue the temple's electricity, it now remains in darkness.This is the Secularism these people practice… pic.twitter.com/AoBVPZRWCh
— Sheetal Chopra 🇮🇳 (@SheetalPronamo) March 12, 2026
The Mandir, which earlier had basic lighting, is now reportedly left without power, an action that has triggered debate about how secular principles are interpreted in public institutions. For years, the modest Mandir, within the campus, had reportedly functioned quietly, serving as a place where students, staff, and visitors could offer prayers or spend a few moments in reflection. Such small places of worship are not uncommon across Indian campuses, where they often exist informally and reflect the diverse cultural and spiritual backgrounds of those who study and work there. The lighting in the Mandir was part of its basic maintenance and allowed devotees to visit the shrine during early morning or evening hours.
The decision to remove electricity from the Mandir, therefore, raises serious concerns about selective interpretations of secularism. In India, secularism has traditionally meant equal respect for all religions, not the erasure of one particular faith from public spaces.
For practising Hindus, a Mandir is not merely a structure; it is a space where rituals such as lighting a lamp hold deep spiritual meaning. Darkness in a Mandir is therefore symbolic as well as literal. Many observers believe that removing basic facilities like electricity from such a place disregards the sentiments of those who revere it.
The situation at the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli has therefore become more than a campus administrative matter. For many Hindus, it reflects a broader question about whether secularism in modern institutions is being interpreted in a way that disproportionately affects their traditions.
