A DAY OF SOME EXHILERATION

என் பழைய சுரங்கங்களைத் தோண்டிய போது ...

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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

S.A. BALASUBRAMANIAN        (78 ZOO 04)                    5,000

                                                              TOTAL: 1,50,000

When i sent this appeal, immediately got great responses... but it almost suddenly stopped to my surprise. Well, now my pride as a teacher is in shambles. never thought or expected that it would dry up like this, ok! thank you all donors. love to all.

OLD STUDENTS' CONTRIBUTION - 1.50,000

MY CONTRIBUTION -                        - 1,00,000

                                           TOTAL - 2.5 lakhs ................ sent today a cheque to Bursar.

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