CDS: A campus that stands apart

Tucked away in a quaint residential area near the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) is effectively camouflaged.

Unlike most educational institutions, this campus does not stand out with imposing concrete and glass structures nor with a Victorian majesty of the colonial days. At first look, all you catch a glimpse of are lush greenery and red brick walls, so well hidden that it’s no wonder many residents of Kerala’s capital city hardly know about this institution.

But if anyone were to venture past the gates, they’re in for a surprise. It’s not everyday that you come across a campus that makes you feel you’ve been transported elsewhere. The unpainted brick structures surrounded by trees and plants have a way of calming you down, giving you a sense of peace and unhurriedness. A pleasant quiet prevails over the location, making it the perfect backdrop for learning.

At ten acres, the campus is quite large for its rather small population, comprising students of Economics pursuing Masters and doctoral degrees, faculty and other research scholars. Sprawled across the site are the library, computer centre, auditorium, canteen, hostels, guest-houses and staff quarters.

Architectural wonder

Any description of the CDS campus is incomplete without one name: Laurie Baker. The Centre’s buildings were designed by the famed British-born Indian architect, who pioneered a style of low-cost and high-quality building technology that moulds itself to the environment rather than modify it.

True to that principle, the CDS campus was built in line with the contours of the hill it is located on. The structures are more circular and curvy than flat and straight, sometimes built around a tree, with little pools outside and inside that cool the place down even as they add to the aesthetics. Brick walls with ornamental geometric patterns make the structures a treat to the eye, letting in light and enabling good ventilation. The sloping concrete roofs and red-oxide floors complement the walls in keeping the place interiors cool and comfortable. Unsurprisingly, CDS often plays host to architecture students who visit to observe and learn from Baker’s legacy.

In touch with Nature

Given its nature-friendly design, CDS is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including rare medicinal plants and several kinds of birds. The Campus Committee tries to preserve this environment through organic waste disposal methods and rain-water harvesting.

Of course, being so close to nature also has its downsides (or upsides, depending on how much you love nature). It is quite natural for a resident student like me to share a room with a variety of insects and lizards, who consider it as much as their home as mine. Not to mention the blood-thirsty mosquitoes which make life impossible after dusk. Residents are also advised to keep an eye for out for snakes, which have been found in various spots, including hostel rooms.

Conversation place

As home to a close-knit crowd of academics, the Centre’s campus was designed to provide spaces for open and friendly discussions. Post-lunch, till late in the night, it is usual to find groups of students and sometimes professors on the several benches near the canteen; chatting, discussing and debating.

For many, spending some time on the benches after lunch and dinner is almost a ritual, accompanied by a short trip to the shop right outside the gates for a glass of lemonade.

Other notable spots for social gatherings include the amphitheatre, where cultural events are occasionally held, and the Shamiana, a venue for special lunches, dinners and high teas.

Making the conversation richer and livelier is the remarkable diversity on campus. Visitors from all over the country and abroad also contribute to the vibrant and liberal cultural atmosphere of the campus.

Knowledge Seekers

The researcher’s favourite spot on the campus is undoubtedly the library. The KN Raj library, named after the eminent economist who founded CDS, is one of the country’s leading social science research and reference libraries. With a large collection of books, journals and other publications on development studies, economics, sociology, demography, statistics, history and political science, it is a scholar’s heaven.

The library has two blocks, old and new, the new one being an extension. The old block is a seven storied circular tower, with the topmost floor offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the city — if you can climb up that far, of course.

Liberating minds

Like its structure, the campus is meant to be an open space for free thought and interactions among its members. Unlike educational institutions that aim to mould their students to suit a certain profession or industry, CDS lets its students discover new thoughts and ideas, and explore knowledge without restrictions. As a testimonial to that, the poem by Rabindranath Tagore that begins Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high is etched on the foundation stone outside the main administrative building.