Humans of NGU: Shurajit Gopal
Solomon Palmer, Contributing Writer
Photo by Solomon Palmer
From a very young age Shurajit Gopal, assistant communication professor at North Greenville University, had a love for film. From “Superman” titles to John Huston’s “The Bible,” cinema had a firm grasp on Gopal’s imagination. Originally planning to be a cardiac surgeon, God changed his path to film and broadcasting. While getting his master’s degree at The Global Open University Nagaland, he got experience in camera work and framing, earning his place in the credits of multiple Tamil Nadu-made films. Despite his experience in making films, Gopal’s love for teaching led him elsewhere.
“Teaching is a noble profession,” Gopal said. “Not everyone can do it.”
He has taught at NGU since 2001. The office we sit in as he attacks a plate of mini-pretzels wasn’t even built when he first began as NGU’s professor of film. He originally taught as a lecturer for Indira Gandhi National Open University in New Delhi, the largest online college in India. For 10 years Gopal taught filmmaking and worked in Bollywood. He even worked at BBC TV productions. Life seemed pretty good and predictable. But when Gopal became a Christian in the late 90s, he found something was missing in his profession.
While browsing the internet for a career change, Gopal came across North Greenville University. The slogan “Christ Makes the Difference” drew him to the website, and his calling became clearer. What sealed the deal was the open position for a film and media professor. Within three months of sending his resume, Gopal was bringing his rich film expertise from New Delhi to teach at little Tigerville.
As a devout Christian, Gopal believes God’s glory is shown through human creativity, specifically film. There are some Christians who eschew the entire film industry as ungodly, as some do with every art medium.
“Avoiding [movies] completely is Christian fanaticism. You need wisdom to pick good movies and a basic tolerance level to live in the real world,” Gopal said. He followed this with an Indian phrase, “A frog under a coconut shell thinks it’s the sky.”
He explained, “The comfort of your bubble can become your entire world. To isolate yourself from the dangers of the world also cuts you off from the beauty of it. To be a well-rounded and seasoned human, consuming a broad range of art is key.”
So what compels someone with Gopal’s qualifications and connections to work at a small university in Tigerville? The answer is simple: his full devotion of his profession to God. Gopal uses his talent and cinema savvy to reflect God’s glory as seen in human creativity.
So, how did a private Christian university steal a professor from India’s largest university? Because the deepest sense of purpose is found in following God’s calling, and Gopal has long since known this truth. And, of course, because Christ makes the difference.
