Pilli Alfred James

P. Alfred James (1931–1983) was an Indian Academic, best known for his association with the Kakatiya University, a State-run University u/s 2 (f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 where he was Professor and Head of the Department of Public Administration in the 1970s. He was also a member of the Indian Institute of Public Administration in which he was an active member, chairing sessions of its annual workshops. The Institute condoled his sudden death in 1983. As part of his research forte, he also used to contribute his writings ''(see section on writings below)'' to many journals and was also a book reviewer in the ''Indian Journal of Public Administration''.

It was only in 1976 that the Kakatiya University was founded in Warangal with Kailasa Venkata Ramiah as the first Vice-Chancellor. The faculty were much inspired to take their respective departments to new heights by improvising on the academics and contributed much towards scholarship. The public administration department was one such faculty which gave impetus to new Scholars. Alfred James broke new ground in research and mentored many Scholars.

Alfred James had a cross-cultural academic record studying in three different universities and had been guided and mentored by various Scholars. The Old Testament Scholar, E. C. John, a recipient of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Foundation research fellowship in the 1960s wrote that it had been a tradition in Germany for students to study in as many universities as possible under different Scholars and deepen their understanding and inculcate a sense of scholarship. Such has been the academic pursuit of Alfred James, that he had not only been a Scholar in north India studying under able Scholars, but also studied in south India and gained profound knowledge and a flair for research from his Professors. Later on in his career, he could easily relate himself in national proceedings in matters of public administration where his contribution has been substantial. Provided by Wikipedia