CHÀN LOH KHÀNAH!

Inrinni hmasa (4.12.2021) khân Serampore College (University) Annual Convocation neih a ni a. Chawhma dâr 10-a inkhâwmah ‘Commemoration Message’ min sawitir a; minutes 11 chiah ka hmang. Chawhnu dâr 3-a ‘Virtual Convocation’-ah DD degree hlan ka ni a. December 5 Pathianni chawhnua Ramhlun Vêngchhak Kohhran Biak Ina inkhâwm urhsùn takah DD Certificate leh ka dawn chhan thuziak ‘Citation’ chu Serampore College Principal Dr. Vànsânglûra’n min hlàn a. Mizoram Synod Moderator Rev.Dr. C. Lalhlîra’n thuchah a sawi thung.

Serampore degree hi a nêp lo a ni ang; Cambridge University-ah khân BD pass chauh khân MPhil ka zir thei tlat! India Prime Minister hlui Manmohan Singh kha Panjab University-a MA a pass hnûah Cambridge University-ah MA zir nawn loin BA (Tripos) a zir thung a ni. Serampore degree hi ngai nêp ni sela chuan kei pawh MPhil zir loin BA (Theology) min zirtîr a rinawm! Hei hian Serampore College DD degree ropuizia pawh a hril tel nghâl àwm e. Chutiang taka ngaih sàn hlawh DD degree dawngtu zînga ka tel ve hi ka tân chuan làwmna tùr hlîr a lo ni e.

Ka thupui khi ‘Chàn loh khànah’ tih hi ka’n sawi fiah deuh ang e. Mi tam takin, “Engati nge i doctor ve loh?” tiin min zâwt ṭhin. Patling ṭhan kin kum 37 ka nihin BD zir tùrin ka kal a; khatih lai khân BD bák zir ka tum lo. BD ka zir har chhan a awm. Naupan laiin engineer (BE) nih ka tum a. Ram buaiah man táwkin Tezpur Jail-ah kum 3 ka tâng a. Kum 1968-ah Tezpur Jail-a ka tàn laiin ka tum ka thlák ta daih a, “Jail aṭanga dam tê-a ka chhuak leh ka nih chuan a rem hun hunah chuan Pathian thû (BD) ka zir ang,” ka ti ta a ni. Ka pa khân Pathian thu zira Pastor nih kha a duh hle a; a retheih luat avàngin a zir thei lo tih a sawi ṭhin. Chu vàng chuan ka pa duh ber zir kha kei chuan ka tih tùrah ka ngai a; Tezpur jail-ah khân ka tum ka thlâk ta dâwrh mai a ni.

Amaherawhchu, ram buaiin kan chhûngkaw dinhmun min pheh chhiatsak nasat êm avàngin Pathian thu (BD) ka zir thei mai lo. Chutih chhûng chuan zirna lama exercise lâk nân competitive examination te pawh ka bei ve ṭhin a. All India Services exam-ah vawi 3 lai inziak tlingin UPSC-ah pawh vawi 3 ka zuk interview ve zar zar a ni. Amaherawhchu, ka tum ber a nih loh avàngin tih tak arpa tuihãlin ka bei lêm lo a; a taka tling tùr khawpin ka ti ṭha tâwk lo a, interview-a koh phák táwk leka inziak tling ve ṭawn ṭawn chauh ka ni!

BD III ka zir laiin Cambridge University aṭangin Visiting Professor John Emerton a lo kal a; kan titi dunna aṭangin Cambridge University-a zir tùrin min puih a duh ta tlat mai. Ka upat deuh tawh avàngin MPhil course zînga kum 2 zir awm chhun Faculty of Divinity-a MPhil (Old Testament &Hebrew) chu min zirtîr ta a ni. MPhil ka zir zawh dâwn khân PhD tih ka duh ta thut a. Germany-a min chãwmtute hnênah PhD zir chhunzawm nghâl min phalsak tùrin ka han dîl a; mahse anni chuan, “Degree pakhat atân bák kan zirtîr ngai lo,” an tih avàngin ka lo hãwng ta a ni.

Kum 1992-a Germany rama Rev. Lalchhuanliana, Rev. C. Biakmawia leh Rev.Dr. Zaihmingthanga te zuk zin khân Germany-a doctoral studies zirna tùr an ngaihven tel a. Germany-a zir tùrin Rev. Lalchhuanliana’n min sawi hmuh avàngin ka zuk dîl a. Anni chuan ka upat deuh tawh avàngin, “German ṭawng kum 2 i zir hnûah doctoral studies kum 5 i bei leh ang a. Eng nge hlâwkna awm?” min rawn ti ta khauh mai!

Kei chuan, “Cambridge-ah ka kîr min phalsak u la, kum 2 chhûngin thesis ka theh luh min phalsak thei ang,” ka ti a. Anni chuan, “Cambridge-ah chuan fee a to êm mai,” an ti si! Singapore-a Trinity College min kawhhmuh ta zâwk a. Khatih lai khân Trinity College doctorate degree kha Serampore College (University)-in a pawm leh pawm loh a chiang si lo. Mi inhnialna nih âi chuan, “Ka Cambridge MPhil degree duli sá hi siki-a siam ka phal lo,” tiin ka kal duh ta lo a ni.

Kawng khat ka la bák. Cambridge MPhil degree neite chuan kum 6 hnûah ‘published work’ (lehkhabu) theh lûta fee pawh a pângngai thlapa pein PhD dissertation atân hman theih dàn a awm a. Tûn hmâ chuan ATC-ah ‘sabbatical leave’ lák theih dàn kha a awm a. Kum 2000-ah khân sabbatical leave lâ-in Oxford University-ah research ka zuk bei ang a; lehkhabu chhuahin Cambridge University-ah PhD dissertation atân ka theh lût ang ka ti rilru a. Cambridge-a ka zir laia Aramaic min zirtîrtu HGM Williamson kha Oxford-ah Regius Professor of Hebrew Language a ni tawh a. Ka zuk dàwr a, scholarship min ngaihtuahpui a inhuam a; ka lâwm hman hle a ni.

Amaherawhchu, kum 1999 Synod Inkhâwmpuiah khân Synod Secretary (Jr) ah ruat ka ni ta tlat mai a; kha kha phat chi a ni si dêr lo. Chu vàng chuan ka tumna chu a tlawlh leh ta a ni ber a. Ka beidawng chuan, “Ka doctor ve dâwn lo,” tih ka ziak ta nghe nghe a ni! Tûnah hian ‘chàn loh khàn’ lam aṭangin ka beisei phák loh DD (Honoris Causa) chu ka dawng ta thut si a; ka thu lo ziah tawh sâ pawh chu khaw êng hmu loin ka dah ṭâwl tawh mai ang!

DD degree ka han dawng ve ta mai hi chu mak ka ti a, dawng àwmah ka inngâi lo chungin ka lâwm hle a ni. Cambridge University-a ka luh theih nâna min puitu pakhat Andrew Mackintosh-a’n lawmpuina thû min rawn thawnah chuan hetiang hian a rawn ziak a, “I was very glad to receive the news that you are to become Sacrae Theologiae Professor (STP), as the old traditional Latin definition of the Senior Degree in Oxbridge used to be styled. The English version is Doctor of Divinity and, as I have stated, it is the senior (oldest and highest in precedent) of all degrees of the University. So you are now an important person having received the equivalent from your Serampore College. I rejoice greatly in your receiving this honour and I am very proud that I may have made a small contribution to your receiving it. No doubt the news will be reported in the Eagle which, as a Johnian, no doubt you receive. Please tell me more of your achievements if you have time. This ancient enjoys reading of the success of alumni,” tiin.

Mackintosh-a’n DD chu, “oldest and highest in precedent) of all degrees of the University,” a ti a nih khi. Khi khian DD degree hi a namai lo a, a hlu zual bîk a ni tih a ti chiang hle a ni. Oxford University-a Doctorate degree sàn dàn indawt chu hetiang hi a ni:– (1) Doctor of Divinity; (2) Doctor of Civil Law; (3) Doctor of Medicine if also a Master of Arts; (4) Doctor of Letters if also a Master of Arts; (5) Doctor of Science if also a Master of Arts; (6) Doctor of Music if also a Master of Arts; (7) Doctor of Philosophy if also a Master of Arts. Hemi bákah hian 15-na thlengin a la awm zêl.

Cambridge University-a doctoral degree indawt dàn chu hetiang hi a ni:– (1) Doctor of Divinity (DD); (2) Doctor of Civil Law (DCL); (3) Doctor of Medicine (DMed); (4) Doctor of Letters (LLD); (5) Doctor of Science (DSc); (6) Doctor of Music(DMus); (7) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Hêng bâk doctoral degree indawt dàn pawh Oxford University tih dàn ang bawkin an siam ve tho a ni.

Oxford leh Cambridge University-in DD hi degree sâng bera an dahna chhan chu zirna lamah Pathian thû (theology) zirna hi a upa ber a, a dawtah Law a ni. Chu vàng chuan Andrew Mackintosh pawhin email min rawn thawnah khian, “It is the senior (oldest and highest in precedent) of all degrees of the University,” a ti kher a nih kha. Cambridge University-a BD degree khu doctorate degree-a chhiar ni lo mah se PhD aia sâng a ni thung a. Ka pu John Emerton kha Cambridge University BD a ni a; ani chuan, “Cambridge University BD hi chu ‘Super PhD’ âi pawhin a sâng zâwk,” tiin min hrilh a; ani khân DD degree a dawng bawk.

Zirna lama degree hming kaih tàwi hrang hrangte hi a tîrah chuan Latin ṭawng aṭanga lâk a ni deuh ber. BA/AB—Baccalaureus Artium or Artium Baccalaureus; MA/AM—Magister Artium or Artium Magister; MBBS/MBBCh—Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; PhD/DPhil—Philosophiae Doctor; DSc/ScD—Scientiae Doctor; DLitt/LittD—Litterarum Doctor/Doctor Litterarum, etc. Doctor of Divinity hi Latin ṭawng chuan Doctor Divinitatis (DD/DDiv) tih a ni.

Degree lam tàwi ziah dàn hi tûn hma chuan hawrawp kârah dot (.) dah ṭhin a ni a; tûnah erawh chuan British-hoin dot an dah ngai ta vak lo a, USA-ah erawh chuan dot (.) an la dah deuh zêl a. British-ho chuan kaih tàwi hawrawp hnuhnung ber kha kaih tàwi tàwpna hawrawp a nih chuan dot (.) an dah ngai lêm lo a; American-ho erawh chuan an la dah deuh zêl thung. Entîr nân, “British-in Dr, American-in Dr. tiin; British-in Revd, American-in Revd.” tiin. Kei chuan ka zir chhuahna ram British tih dàn ka la chhãwng a; chu vàng chuan (.) awm loin ‘Revd’ tih hi ka ziah dàn a ni.

Mi eng emaw zâtin, “DD degree i dawng tawh si a, engtin nge i hming i ziah dawn?” min rawn ti pang a. A chhan chu mi ṭhenkhatin, “Honoris causa doctorate degree dawng hming bulah ‘Dr’ tih an dah ngâi lo,” an tih vàng a ni àwm e. Amaherawhchu, khawvêlah hian ‘ngai lo’ tak tak hi a awm lo a ni maithei, Cambridge-a min zirtirtu Andrew Mackintosh ngei pawh hi DD degree an pêk hnûah ka luhna St. John’s College-in kum tin lehkhabu a chhuah ‘The Eagle’-ah chuan ‘The Revd Dr Andrew Mackintosh’ an ti ve tho! (The Eagle 2019: 51). “An ti ngai lo,” tuten emaw an tih hi tualchhûnga an lo phuah chhawp ve mai a ni ang em?

Mackintosh-a’n lawmpuina thû min rawn thawn rual khân St. John’s College ‘The Eagle 2022 Members’ News-a chhuah tùrin ka chanchin a thawn nghâl a. The Eagle enkawltu E. Collingwood-a’n email min rawn thawnah chuan hetiang hian a rawn ziak a, “Dr Mackintosh has brought your email regarding your honorary doctorate to my attention and suggested that you might want this news published in the Members’ News section of The Eagle 2022. Please do let me know if this is the case. Also, would you like us to update your title to ‘The Revd Dr’ on our database?” tiin. Hei hian hming bula ‘Dr’ dah chu tih dàn a nih leh nih loh a ti chiang mai àwm e!