Aug. 4: Presidency alumni gathered in the portico of the heritage institution today to express solidarity with the icon called Pramod-da. Their demand: allow Pramod Swain to run the canteen he has been at the helm of for four decades.

The Presidency University authorities responded by saying that it was "bound by rules especially in a matter relating to the running of a shop or establishment commercially from a prime location".

Monday is the last date for submission of bids for the tender floated by the university for the canteen contract.

The conditions laid down for the bidders include a "turnover Rs 50 lakh in running/operation of catering service in the last three financial years put together" and submission of audited balance sheets. The bidders must also have a fire licence, a trade licence and a food licence, GST and professional tax registration certificates, provident fund and ESI registration and income tax return for assessment years 2016-17, 2015-16 and 2014-15.

Pramod-da has not bid for the contract, arguing that the conditions are too "steep". He said he would only be able procure food and trace licences.

Jayanta Mitra, the former state advocate-general and the president of the alumni association, in a letter to vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia, wrote: "On behalf of the Presidency community and in the interest of those who constitute it, I place my request to reconsider the decision to uproot such a remarkable institution ....".

VC Lohia denied any plans to uproot Pramod-da. "I for one have sat in his (Pramod Swain's) canteen from 1972-75 and enjoyed many fond memories..... The objective behind the tender is to provide hygienically prepared food items at the most reasonable rates in a comfortable environment. And whichever party/bidder can best provide that is welcome to the campus," she replied.

Amit Choudhury of the Class of 1986, said uprooting Pramod-da's canteen would strike at the root of the concept a canteen stands for.