MY APPRECIATION TO JAYAKAR, OUR COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

 

After my retirement  from service in our college in 2003  I started an endowment – S.O.S. OLD STUDENTS FUND – to help some needy students financially.

I did not get any further info about it. During the previous regime I tried to contact the bursar to get any info about the endowment. There was no response. Now after the change in principalship, I contacted the present principal, Paul Jayakar. He and bursar tried with the old accounts and could not find anything about it.

However Principal assured me and within a week started a new endowment and sent me the receipt.

 I am really appreciative of this nice gesture. Immensely thank the Principal and Bursar for their immediate action.

Want to make this endowment still more larger soon – with all your help.

S.O.S. FUND - DETAILS OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION

 ENDOWMENT

 

PAYMENT DETAILS TO BURSAR

On  25.1.2004  IB cheque number: 785781  for Rs.  1,35,000

On  11.8.2005  IB cheque number:  785782  for Rs.     18,000    (TOTAL Rs.  1,53,000)

(Partial) list of donors in 2004,05

Sam George                                                    60k

Dr. Nagashanmugam, (78ZOO)                    10k

Dr. Vai. Ramanathan    (84 ZOO14)             10k

Vaitheeswaran  (78ZOO)                              10k

Sriram (? ZOO)                                            10k

Dr.senthilkumar& Vanitha (85 PGZ)           10k

For your contribution:

UPI payment: sam george, whatsapp & GPAY NUMBER: 8610964451

sam george. Indian Bank , Saligramam, chennai

Account no: 496024980, 

IFC code: IDIB000S082

Within very few minutes I sent this to alumni,  i started getting contributions. The first two contributors sent 50 k each. In the next two minutes one for 5k and another for 10 k came to me. 

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS>

10.8.2025

Mr.  JAFFER SAIT                        (78 ZOO 37)                    50,000

 ,,    X                                              (84 ZOO 14)                    50,000

Ms. SHAJEEVANA                        (91 PGZ 16)                    10,000                       

Mr. GANESAN                               (81 ZOO 41)                      5,000

11.8.2025

Mr. BARANEETHARAN               (99 ZOO 06)                   25,000

Willy Issac                                                                                 5,000 . pl send your college number and your moble number,pl

A CALL TO THE ALUMNI

 

A CALL TO THE ALUMNI

 

Hi,

When I retired I started an endowment in  YOUR name!  It was S.O.S. fund – Sam’s Old Students Fund. I contributed 60 k and collected money from some old students. (full list is missing. Remember some names: Vai. Ramanathan(84 ZOO 14), Nagashanmugam(ZOO 78), senthilkumar(PGZ85), Mrs. Vanitha(PGZ 85), Vaitheeswaran (ZOO78), Sriram(ZOO?). Each contributed 10k). This fund – 1.53 lakhs - was to help some financially  needy students – preferably first generation students. But during the last regiment in our college, nothing happened to this endowment.

After the change in the principalship, I approached Principal JPaul Jayakar and Bursar Beulah. They could not find the fate of that endowment. But they started the endowment properly as a new account.(Receipt of it is attached.)

In 2003 1.5 lakhs looked grand to me then. But now it is almost a  pittance. I would like to restart the endowment with more funds and wish to add one lakh from my side and get something more from you all.

I know how every alumnus loves our college. Your contribution may help you keep an umbilical relationship with the college. I wish and expect many of you join in this venture.

I WANT CONTRIBUTION FROM YOU. Shall we have 5k as the minimum contribution?

All details of money you contribute will be recorded in a post  (https://americancoll.blogspot.com/2025/08/sos-fund-details-of-your-contribution.html)  in this blog. After a month the money would be given to the bursar to be credited in the endowment. Further info would be regularly added to that post.

For your contribution:

UPI payment: sam george, whatsapp & GPAY NUMBER: 8610964451

sam george. Indian Bank , Saligramam, chennai

Account no: 496024980, 

IFC code: IDIB0008082

 

GLIMPSES FROM THE PAST ....

 

At last …

The college has been freed from the clutches of christober.

Wonder whether the college would  get back  its great glory? I was so fortunate that I was there before all these struggles. It was a divine place to work with. Heavenly life I had.

All these struggles would not have happened, if it was in the period of seventies or eighties. Students would have come together and should have stood very strongly against those who wanted to capture the college. That was the spirit the students of those days. Or,had it been the faculty a little more loyal, sensitive and convicted they should have stood together to tide over the incursions. Sadly they never showed any sense of conviction. Either being in power or being with the power was the policy of many.  When the then bishop tried with force to get into the Main Hall, had the students or the faculty stood together  as a whole  what a great escape that would have been to our college. It did not happen.

 Well … it is all old stories.

When I rummaged through my old writings and photos, I had some video clips taken during the fight. They are – to me – a great treasure, showing how at least some stood against the evil. I thankfully remember how the non-teaching staff were mostly involved in the fight. Many in self-financing sections lost salaries too. But they were so strong. 

Hope and wish college reblooms soon.

SOME VIDEO CLIPPINGS OF THOSE BITTER DAYS ….

Prof. V.SRINIVASAN

 

Another senior colleague has passed away, Prof.V.Srinivasan, HOD of physics dept, The American college, Madurai. He was 89. People used to say such demises after a successful life should be celebrated. VS, as we used to call him, had such a lively life in the campus. He had an astonishing memory for events and occasions. He could pick out an incident which could have disappeared from all our minds; he would remember any reputable academician visiting our campus and would reel out all related matters of that visit. A very systematic person and a perfectionist.

Personally I learnt a lot from him and even told him I may not follow his foot steps, since it used to be so perfect. Till this day when I search for any of my personal things, I just remember him. He exactly knows where his personal things would be, unlike me always scrambling for them! He started a photography elective course from his department and gave me a vital role in that course, from making a syllabus and preparing a handout. I made a blow up photograph of South Tower of Meenakshi Temple. He made it hang on the walls of Principal’s office for some time and took a copy of it for his personal use.

Even after moving to Thane, Mumbai we had been communicating and used to listen sadly to the happenings in the campus.

My sincere condolences.

Prof. V. SRINIVASAN

 

THE LAST BREATH ...

 https://www.lotustimes.org/2025/05/30/american-college-principal-suspended-by-govt-one-day-before-his-retirement-for-dvac-investigation-new-principal-takes-charge-now-part-1/

https://americancollege.edu.in/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Mr.-KANNABIRAN.pdf

PRINCIPAL SUSPENDED ON THE EVE OF HIS RETIREMENT ..... A SIGH OF RELIEF...

 American College in Madura Dr.M.Davamani Christober, suspended from service as Principal from May 30th 2025.

MADURAI.

May.31 

The Principal of the prestigious American College in Madurai Dr.M.Davamani Christober has been suspended from service with immediate effect from today- May 30th 2025- by the Tamil Nadu State Government’s Directorate of Collegiate Education.

He was suspended last night just one day before his retirement from service tomorrow due to the corruption charges he is facing right now, sources in Directorate of Collegiate Education in Chennai, have confirmed today. An official mail about his suspension was sent to the college by the government last night and the order was physically given today morning.

“The Directorate of Collegiate Education has accorded permission to conduct a preliminary enquiry against the Principal and Secretary of American College in Madurai Dr.Davamani Christober…for the allegations of possession of disproportionate assets to his known sources of income. 

Since the enquiry into the corruption allegations is under investigation by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) of Tamil Nadu Government, Dr.Davamani Christober is placed under suspension as instructed under the letters received from government agencies as per the provisions made under Sec 19-3 of private colleges.The Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education had served the suspension letter last night- on May 29th 2025, and the suspension order was handed over formally to the college authorities today morning,” the government sources in Chennai have confirmed.

Following the suspension of present Principal Dr.M.Davamani Christober from service due to DVAC investigation into his assets, the authorities took steps for appointing a new Principal, and senior faculty Prof.Dr.Kannabiran has been made Principal in-charge of The American College in Madurai from today- May 30th 2025.

AN INVESTIGATION WORTH THE NAME!

 

LOTUS NEWS. "SAVE THE AMERICAN COLLEGE

 

‘Save American College Team’ to meet Madurai Bishop tomorrow after High Court direction on American College Principal in corruption cases complaints; All eyes are on now to protect the college’s satellite campus land at Chatrapatti-Natham Road (Part-1)

By Shastry V Mallady
MADURAI: A team of ‘Save American College’ voices in Madurai are going to meet the Bishop of Madurai-Ramnad Diocese Rt.Rev.Dr.D.Jeyasingh Prince Prabhakaran in Madurai tomorrow- April 9th 2025- in the backdrop of the direction given by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court yesterday to speed up the investigation process against the present Principal and Secretary of the prestigious The American College in Madurai Dr.M.Davamani Christober who is facing alleged corruption charges and financial irregularities during his tenure as Principal in the last over 10 years.

Based on the petition filed by a retired faculty of American College R.Prabahar Vedamanickam, the Madurai Bench of Bench of Madras High Court had given an order on April 7th 2025 to the DVAC to do the enquiry fast against the present Principal based on the writ petition filed in the court about misuse of office, misappropriation of funds, disproportionate assets and money involved in appointments by taking into account the Principal Dr.Davamani Christober’s total assets.

“We are also now concerned about the American College satellite campus at Chathrapatti near Madurai. The CSI Bishop in Madurai has to intervene because Principal Dr.Davamani Christober is doing a strategy to move to satellite campus after his retirement on May 31st 2025. So, we are still concerned. A team of American College well-wishers in Madurai have sought an appointment with the Bishop tomorrow because the DVAC probe and High Court directive is a lesson for us to get involved and save the reputation of American College. Four or five members will meet the Bishop of Madurai-Ramnad Diocese tomorrow in Madurai because the Bishop is the appointing authority as president of Governing Council and so he has the moral responsibility to remove him from the Principal post immediately before more damage is done for our great American College in Madurai. The Bishop must ask the Principal to step down from the post and we also want the Bishop to save the American College satellite campus near Madurai which is in huge acres and documents are in doubt,” sources connected to American College in Madurai told ‘Lotus Times’ media here today-April 8th 2025 and added that action must be taken against him soon before FIR and police chargesheet are done.