Rithu Dravid | NT
The University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) aims to revitalise its alumni network and help improve the university infrastructure. For many years, various alumni groups and individuals have been contributing for the development of the college and sponsoring scholarships.
The Golden Jubilee batch 1973 focuses on building a strong alumni community. The reunion was organized at the University College of Engineering on Tuesday. Around 100 old students attended and relived memories.
Venkatesh, the founder of Globetek, thanked the alma mater for the great lessons he had learnt. “The alumni need to contemplate on how they provide scholarships to poor students and pay hostel fees. He spoke about equipping the labs, workshops and volunteered to donate a power analyzer and other equipment.” This graduate association has a series of plans to support the development of UVCE,’’ he said.
Govind Lakshman, president, UVCE 1971 Batch, has emphasised on the need for the new building at the Mechanical block to make sure the students get first-hand practical experience.
The UVCE Graduates Association is aiming to support various initiatives at the UVCE. Already an R&D lab with equipment worth Rs10 lakh has been donated and scholarships worth Rs 10 lakh will be awarded to the students shortly.
“We are creating a platform for the alumni to come together and to build the community. We are supporting old students to revisit their memories by organising reunions and meetings. We assure that all our support will be with the developmental activities of the college,” says Satish an alumnus and the secretary UVCE Graduates Association.
The UVCE Graduates’ Association, requested the government to allocate funds to develop a curriculum, an empowered faculty, to acquire latest lab equipment, and work towards greater collaborations with industry and foreign universities for boosting research and promoting entrepreneurship. “I am proud to be UVCE alumni. Way back in 1966, when girl students were rare to study Electrical Engineering, it was equally challenging and exciting for four girl students including me,’’ says Pushpa C.A., an alumnus of this golden jubilee batch.
The engineers of UVCE since the 1920’s have headed projects across the country and globe like construction of dams, bridges, thermal, hydel and nuclear power plants, irrigation projects, cement plants, missile programs, avionics and armed forces.
Some alumni have excelled in fields beyond engineering, such as film industry, bureaucracy and academics. Notable examples include Ramesh Aravind (1987 batch) Film Actor and Director, Manjunath Prasad (1987 batch) - Principal Secretary Chief Minister of Karnataka, Kumar Naik (1985 batch) - Additional Chief Secretary and others.