SAVE THE AMERICAN COLLEGE MOVEMENT ...

 

https://www.lotustimes.org/2024/11/14/a-college-principal-in-madurai-has-audi-bmw-benz-car-bungalows-farmhouses-200-acres-land-etc-corruption-complaint-to-dvac-against-american-college-principal-may-gain-momentum-now-before-his-reti/

 

A college Principal in Madurai has Audi, BMW, Benz car, bungalows, farmhouses, 200-acres land, business etc? Corruption complaint to DVAC against American College Principal may gain momentum now before his retirement in May 2025?

 

(A file picture sent to Lotus Times website from American College on Nov 14th 2024).

By Shastry V Mallady

Nov 14, 2024,

MADURAI: A complaint made against the Principal and Secretary of The American College in Madurai Dr.M.Davamani Christober in the year 2022 to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) of Government of Tamil Nadu alleging and complaining about his alleged corruption and amassing of huge wealth and properties is now coming into focus.

 

The complaint to DVAC by the American College staff is drawing attention as the complainants had cited and listed out several particulars to the Tamil Nadu Government demanding action against the complaints of alleged corruption.

 

“Dr.M.Davamani Christober became the Principal of American College in October 2011. What was his salary per month? But, he had amassed wealth to the tune of several crores of rupees during the period from 2011 to 2021. He has appointed 65 faculty members (list attached) in the aided stream, he also appointed non-teaching staff and positions filled…For the college hostels, private contractor was outsourced…For student admissions under the management quota like B.Com, BBA and BA English, there is money involved taking money…like that there are buildings renovation etc….The UGC funds too were swindled and the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court had admitted the case…He has amassed a huge moveable and immovable assets in the last over 10 years..He owns luxury car brands of Audi, BMW, Benz etc which are beyond the reach of a college teacher. He has a luxury Audi Q8 Rs.1.5 crores with fancy numbers….He has a bungalow in Aiyer Bungalow area in Madurai 50 cents, and at Kodaikanal ‘Eden Park’ in 80 cents with cottages for rent….In Ramnad, there is a hundred acre project and many more. So, our complaint is to request the DVAC, the Government of Tamil Nadu and other agencies to take our complaint,” the DVAC complaint against Dr.M.Davamani Christober has said and a copy of that copy to the Tamil Nadu Government is available with ‘Lotus Times’ media in Madurai.

 

The complainants to DVAC are S.Stephen, R.Prabahar Vedamanickam, S.Premsingh and D.Stephen who are all from Madurai and they are waiting for DVAC’s further action. Dr.M.Davamani Christober, Principal and Secretary of American College, is retiring from service in May 2025 and the complainants are pursuing their case now appealing to the DCE authorities to take a firm action soon.

A few staff members of The American College in Madurai told ‘Lotus Times’ website on November 14th 2024 that the present Principal cannot get away by saying that his wife also works as college Principal and that his sons are working or doing business, because “his IT returns of the past 15 years is what we are demanding and we suspect that the properties are held in benami.. in whose name?….who are they?….we want DVAC to do a full complete probe in the interest of our American College because it is a great institution in Tamil Nadu with top NIRF ranking.”

The ‘Lotus Times’ media has been covering the college events, but will now wait for the DVAC and DCE to give their full report on the allegations which are in public domain after a formal complaint of alleged corruption was given to the State government authorities.

 

SAVE THE AMERICAN COLLEGE MOVEMENT

 https://www.lotustimes.org/2024/11/13/save-american-college-movement-to-start-again-in-december-from-madurai-next-month-governing-council-meeting-becomes-crucial-to-stop-family-rule-and-all-eyes-on-csi-bishop-dvac-part-1/

‘Save American College’ movement 

to start in December from Madurai; 

Next month Governing Council 

meeting becomes crucial to stop 

‘family rule’ and all eyes 

on CSI Bishop & DVAC (Part-1)

By Shastry V MalladyNov 13, 2024

239

0

MADURAI: The ‘Save American College Movement’ appears to be taking off from Madurai once again from December 2024, on the lines of what had happened more than 15 years ago in this reputed higher education campus when there was a crisis that went to the courts.

Sources told ‘Lotus Times’ media here today that some volunteers are working now in this direction and it is for the present CSI Bishop, the Governing Council members, the alumni, the present teaching and non-teaching staff, the retired employees and to the Christian fraternity to take a call and come forward to join the ‘Save American College’ movement once again from December 2024.

“The General Council meeting of American College is going to take place in December 2024 and that date is being kept confidential. There are 14 members in the GC. What will they do now and we pray that our CSI Bishop who is the governing council president will take the right decision at that meeting GC next month.

There should not be any extension given to the present Principal and Secretary Dr.M.Davamani Christober because there are corruption complaints and court cases going on against him now starting from teachers’ appointments to student admissions. The DVAC had already taken cognizance of the issues and the Directorate of Collegiate Education is in the process of getting full facts. So, now is the opportunity for our CSI Bishop to save the glory of American College and quickly start the process of appointing the new Principal and Secretary for our college. The Secretaryship of Dr.M.Davamani Christober comes to end on January 27th 2025 and he should not be given extension by the Governing Council in the coming December meeting. He is retiring in May 2025… We are waiting for the DVAC, the DCE, the Higher Education Department and the Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education to be vigilant and save our college in the December meeting,” a large group of American College well-wishers told this journalist yesterday by giving all related documents submitted to the government agencies and added that they are sure that justice will prevail even through the present American College Governing Council of 14 members is maximum filled with wives, family, relatives and friends.

GOVERNING COUNCIL MEETING AT UNITED STATES ... (யார் வீட்டுப் பணம்?)

 

**

PART II

MADURAI: Institutions supported by the Christian mission always stood for liberal higher education and the objective was to separate religion and education, and to provide good education to the deserving students, and of course Christian students get an opportunity for their studies.

To substantiate this noble goal, there is an example of American College in Madurai established in the year 1881 and was developed as an example taking a cue from its second Principal William Jumbroe who is cited as an example because he said more than 100 years back and much before India’s Independence that sermons are not important for students and that our students only need moral lessons and human values across religions.

“But, after the Independence of our country in 1947, the Church leadership became important and powerful because we have many institutions got minority status. But at the cost of that democracy. there is a calamity now in a few higher education institutions in India including our American College in Madurai. Our great colleges went away from the hands of educationists to the Churches. Our Christian colleges lost their freedom and one classic example is The American College in Madurai. Yes, I say today that my great American College where I worked as Principal and Secretary is an example of corruption and there are DVAC etc complaints against the present Principal. There is a commercial exploitation going on right now through its present Principal Dr.M.Davamani Christober, the SF departments and the high fees being collected from students by this great college. It is a moral corruption and I will tell all details,” Dr.T.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar, former Principal and Secretary of The American College in Madurai has said while speaking to ‘Lotus Times’ media website on November 9th 2024 and he asked the Church of South India (CSI) Madurai-Ramnad Diocese and Bishop to step in quickly and save the students from high fees in the name of SF courses, buildings etc and save the American College in Madurai.

யார் வீட்டுப் பணம்? 

IS OUR COLLEGE GOVERNING COUNCIL A "FAMILY CLUB"??!!

 **

American College Governing Council is just a ‘Family Club’ as students’ fees used for foreign trips: Ex-Principal wants annual audit report on college website, demands DVAC probe into ‘collective looting’ (Part-1)

By Shastry V Mallady

Nov 10, 2024, 11:59 am

 

PART I

 

Dr.T.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar, former Principal and Secretary of

The American College in Madurai, on November 9th 2024.

 

MADURAI: Making a scathing attack on the CSI Bishop and Church lobby for being silent despite knowing about the mismanagement in American College for the last 10 years, its former Principal and Secretary Dr.T.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar had called the present Governing Council as a ‘family club’ that is using students’ fees for foreign trips and luxuries.

He accused that the entire governing council of American College is ‘complicit’ in the ongoing corruption and demanded that college should publish its annual audit report in its website as a matter of accountability and transparency.

“The CSI Madurai-Ramnad Diocese forcefully took over the American College administration into its hands and conflict of interest started in the year 2008 when this great college went into the hands of then Bishop Mr.Asir’s family. The manner in which the present Governing Council was constituted by bringing in wives as GC members shows the conflict of interest,” Dr.T.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar has said speaking to ‘Lotus Times’ website in Madurai on November 9th 2024.

DVAC PROBE, COURT CASES AND CORRUPTION:

The former Principal and Secretary had posed a few questions to the present Governing Council members and to the Madurai-Ramnad Diocese CSI Bishop who is the governing council president. 

“The council is just a family club as every important member’s wife is made a member. What you call as conflict of interest is thrown to the wind. Foreign trips by GC members under one pretext or the other are unjust as the fees collected is used for luxuries. Even the Bishop’s wife who is not a member of the governing council is included in foreign trips. So, my question is why the present Governing Council of American College is not taking cognizance of the DVAC and DCE complaints? Are they not aware of the various complaints against the present Principal and Secretary Dr.M.Davamani Christober? Why the Church is allowing and what is the CSI Bishop doing? Where is your moral responsibility?,” Dr.T.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar had asked. 

QUESTIONS TO THE BISHOP: 

Charging that the current Principal and Secretary Dr.M.Davamani Christober is greasing the palm of Church leaders, the former Principal had expressed concern that the administration of American College is becoming a prisoner of the Church power lobby which had appropriated the powers of the college Principal and Secretary. 

“There are four complaints against Dr.M.Davamani Christober who had completed more than 10 years in the Pirncipal’s chair. Complaints are made for disproportionate wealth, corruption in teacher appointments, corruption in admission and misappropriation of UGC building grant. 

“The CSI Bishop could have initiated an enquiry on the corruption charges against Dr.M.Davamani Christober. But the Bishop did not do that and even the Governing Council members did not ask anything. Dr.Davamani Christober has destroyed the tradition of liberal Christian higher education because there are no voices in the campus right now for ‘Save American College’ movement. So, I am today appealing to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to speed up its investigation and also probe the collective looting that is happening in such a reputed institution in the country like The American College. I also demand that all the Governing Council members should resign immediately,” Dr.T.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar has raised his voice by giving more particulars. 

He reiterated his demand for annual audit report and full details of how much money was spent for foreign trips by the GC members. “The struggle goes this way…Save American College to ‘God Save American College’….I appeal to the State Government and all concerned authorities to swing into action and do a through audit of Self-Financing courses money also,” the former Principal and Secretary has said giving particulars on various points about corruption and commercialization of Christian higher education in this first part interview.

 

IMMIGRATION OFFICERS STOP PRINCIPAL BOARDING HIS FLIGHT TO US

 

College Principal from Madurai stopped 

at Chennai airport on October 28th 

by ED & IT 

from Europe tour flight?

By Shastry V Mallady

MADURAI: A college principal from the southern districts of Tamil Nadu was stopped at Chennai airport on October 28th 2024 from boarding the scheduled flight to Europe on October 28th 2024 by the Enforcement Directorate and airport authorities because of some questions raised about alleged disproportionate assets complaint against that particular person.

Sources told ‘Lotus Times’ media website here today that a team from that particular college in Madurai had planned for a trip to Spain, but one person in that team was questioned by the Chennai airport authorities on October 28th 2024 and that particular person from Madurai region had to return back while other members went ahead as per schedule. 

Official sources said today that the other members of that college went ahead with their Europe trip while the immigration officials took notice of one person and asked him to go back. 

“It was a designated tour planned by that particular college in Madurai region to take about 13 important members to Europe tour…. But, the immigration officers allowed others except the college Principal. We don’t know the full details, but one person was not allowed to board the flight at Chennai airport. We don’t know the full details of this case, but the person is from Madurai area,” sources told ‘Lotus Times’ media from Chennai on November 2nd 2024.

A SUNKEN SHIP…?

Following is the list of colleges and their ranking in all India level. List of colleges in TN are ranked here. Our College does not find a place here.

In the top 50 colleges, 5 colleges from Madurai find a place: 

Fatima College  ---         rank    16

Lady Doak College -                  34

Thirumalai Naicker college -    40

Yadava College                          44

Saraswathi Naryanan College - 49

Last December, the Chennai alumni association organized a big gala day in our college campus. A big carnival. A whatsapp was started then. Some two weeks back seeing this list one of our old students felt very bad about it and expressed his anguish. 

Since many of our alumni are in dark about the struggle that was going on against the present principal I sent a note to the whatsapp group. 

I sent the following note .....

***

A SUNKEN SHIP…?

1970 – 2003.  A glorious period of my life. I worked in a “heaven”. Our American College staff, compared to so many other colleges, were a gifted lot. So many nice things we enjoyed unlike other college faculty. To quote one single example, in my early days we never have to sign any daily attendance register. When you have work, do it. That’s all. In all other colleges, most of the managements had this as a shackle to keep faculty under their duress.  Our college had to go for it only after the insistence of the government after giving direct salary payment.

Freedom was so much for both to the students and staff. We enjoyed it with our own set standards. Staff-student relationship was admirable. Especially the testimony of graduate students who go for other colleges for post graduation always tend to say what a great life they had in our college.

Then came a struggle in the college in the years after 2008. A long and bitter journey for people who loved this college. During this period thru this blog and by direct contact,  alumni who were in higher echelons were even approached. Unluckily people thought that it was just an internal politics. None realised the biggest danger the college would be facing if the unruly elements took the reins.

Had all the faculty come together or if the student community stood with the fighting faculty, things would have been different. Only the non-teaching staff who stood so strongly with the fighting people are to be always remembered with great gratitude.

Government rule says that the principalship is only for 5 to 10 years and principals should relieve the post for the next senior. Ha.. this rule is not for those who are so power mongering like the present principal. Who cares for government rules and regulations.  Powerful people have powerful tools!

Who cares for the all India ranking of colleges. Their only aim is to have the “college industry” to mint money. They days when our college worked so hard for such glories were all over.

So goes the story….

******

Like this blog, the whole lot of alumni in that group is in very deep silence !!!

 

A SUNKEN SHIP…?

 

1970 – 2003.  A glorious period of my life. I worked in a “heaven”. Our American College staff, compared to so many other colleges, were a gifted lot. So many nice things we enjoyed unlike other college faculty. To quote one single example, in my early days we never have to sign any daily attendance register. When you have work, do it. That’s all. In all other colleges, most of the managements had this as a shackle to keep faculty under their duress.  Our college had to go for it only after the insistence of the government after giving direct salary payment.

Freedom was so much for both to the students and staff. We enjoyed it with our own set standards. Staff-student relationship was admirable. Especially the testimony of graduate students who go for other colleges for post graduation always tend to say what a great life they had in our college.

Then came a struggle in the college in the years after 2008. A long and bitter journey for people who loved this college. During this period thru this blog and by direct contact,  alumni who were in higher echelons were even approached. Unluckily people thought that it was just an internal politics. None realised the biggest danger the college would be facing if the unruly elements took the reins.

Had all the faculty come together or if the student community stood with the fighting faculty, things would have been different. Only the non-teaching staff who stood so strongly with the fighting people are to be always remembered with great gratitude.

Government rule says that the principalship is only for 5 to 10 years and principals should relieve the post for the next senior. Ha.. this rule is not for those who are so power mongering like the present principal. Who cares for government rules and regulations.  Powerful people have powerful tools!

Who cares for the all India ranking of colleges. Their only aim is to have the “college industry” to mint money. More students ... more money! The days when our college worked so hard for such glories were all over.

So goes the story….

******

A MUST READ FOR THE ALUMNI: https://americancoll.blogspot.com/search/label/MUST%20READ