Once an Aloysian, Always an Aloysian! 5 Alumni Conferred ‘Eminent Aloysian Alumni’ Awards

Once an Aloysian, Always an Aloysian! 5 Alumni Conferred ‘Eminent Aloysian Alumni’ Awards

Once an Aloysian, Always an Aloysian! 5 Alumnus Conferred St Aloysius College Alumni Association’s {SACAA} ‘Eminent Aloysian Alumni’ Awards during a glittering ceremony on Sunday, 25 March 2018 at Fr L F Rasquinha Hall, St Aloysius College {Autonomous}, Mangaluru. Alumni of St Aloysius College- P. Jayaram Bhat {BSC degree 1970 batch}; Dr. V. Ravichandran {BSC 1968 batch }; Joseph Gonsalves {BSC (PCM) 1941 batch}; Dr. K.V. Rao {teacher at Aloysius college 1967 -2002} and Jeevan Saldanha {Studied up to PUC 1984 batch} were the recipients of the Awards.

Mangaluru: As the saying goes “Once an Aloysian, Always an Aloysian!”- the five alumnus of the renowned St Aloysius College were beaming with pride as they received the prestigious “Eminent Aloysian Alumni Award” given to them by St Aloysius College Alumni Association {SACAA} during a glittering award function held on Sunday 25 March 2018 at the Fr L F Rasquinha Hall, St Aloysius College {Autonomous}, Mangaluru. Not only these five achievers were filled with joy and emotions, myself being an alumnus of my Alma Mater, where I studied there from my 6th standard until I completed my B Sc in the 80’s, was also beaming with pride sitting in the audience, and remembering the good old fun days that I had at St Aloysius Institution for nearly 15 years.

Everyone should know that the contribution of St Aloysius Institution to the society and the nation is very unique. Apart from maintaining high academic standards, the college has been striving after value based education and training to prepare the students as responsible citizens of the nation. Needless to say that the institution is established and managed by Jesuit Fathers who are known all over the world for their selfless services in education, healthcare and social services. St Aloysius College has immensely contributed to making Dakshina Kannada an educational hub. St Aloysius College is the pride of Mangaluru. The College, having a glorious history of 138 years of its existence, has rendered outstanding service to the society.

The Eminent Aloysian Alumni Award program was jointly organized by the Management of St. Aloysius Institutions and St. Aloysius College Alumni Association (SACAA). Tens of thousands of students over the years have received education in this prestigious institution and have now spread throughout India and the world. The Aloysius Institutions is surely feeling proud that almost everybody who has passed out from here have become successful in their respective chosen career but some have excelled, they are recognized by the world bodies and have become role model to other students. The institution and the Alumni association felt that such achievers should be recognized by the Alma Mater itself so that the students take inspiration from them and try to emulate their success. The award program was initiated by Rev Fr. Denzil Lobo then Principal and later rector of the college in the year 2008- and since then SACAA has been honouring the greatest achievers of this Institution.

The award program is overseen and directed by an organizing committee consisting of Rector, Heads of St. Aloysius Institutions and SACAA office bearers. The selection of the awardees was done by a panel of 5 juries, working independently as per the criteria given by the organizing committee. The criteria’s were: Should be an alumnus of the St. Aloysius institutions or has served the institution as a member of the staff for not less than 20 years; The person has not been convicted of any crime or wrong doing by the court of law or any criminal cases pending against him; Achieved excellence in his/ her field of activity and thereby bringing glory to the Alma Mater; selfless service/support to the institution over the years; Contributed immensely to the good of the society and is a man/woman for others; and His/her exemplary character/actions is/are a role model for others to emulate.

Since the inception of this Award, a total of 34 eminent Aloysians have been awarded, some of names include such eminent personalities like Dr. N. Vinaya Hegde, Justice Santosh Hegde, Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, Lt. Gen. Nanda, Padma Bhushan K.K. Venu Gopal – the current solicitor general of India, Padma Bhushan K.V. Kamath who is the current chairman of BRICS Bank headquartered in China and many more. Until 2011 it was conducted every year and since 2014, every 2 years. Since 2014 St. Aloysius College Alumni Association SACAA has taken the responsibility of organizing it with the support of the Management.

This year the organizing committee with the help of the Jury had chosen five more eminent Aloysians. They were : P. Jayaram Bhat, the non executive chairman of Karnataka Bank; Dr. V. Ravichandran, CEO of DIYA systems and Glow Touch Technologies and a great philanthropist; Dr. K.V. Rao an eminent scientist and Director of Regional Science centre, Pilikula Nisarga Dhama; Joseph Gonsalves, at 96 years of age he is serving as the chief traffic Warden of Mangaluru City; and Jeevan Saldanha , a first generation entrepreneur and an innovator. The Awards ceremony began with a mesmerizing welcome dance by M Sc students of SAC, followed by welcome address by Archie Menezes, the energetic and dynamic president of SACAA, who also gave a brief description the Awards and its origin.

Following the inauguration by lighting of the lamp by dignitaries on the dais namely Fr Dionysius Vaz Sj- Rector of St Aloysius Institutions; Fr Praveen Martis Sj-Principal of SAC; Archie Menezes; and the five awardees, without wasting any time the special moment of the evening, honoring the five achievers was conducted, where the awardees were presented with a shawl, peta, fruit basket and a citation plaque. Following were the recipients of the ‘Eminent Aloysian Alumni Awards’:

P Jayaram Bhat:

P Jayaram Bhat: A committed banker and a sensitive financial manager, P Jayaram Bhat has an M Sc. Degree from the prestigious Mysuru University. Destiny has rightly guided him into the banking profession. His sheer hard work and dedication has taken him to the highest position in Karnataka Bank, one of the renowned banks in India. Widely admired and respected, our esteemed Awardee has been a recipient of several awards and recognition. He has lived the values of his Alma mater. He has never settled for anything less than excellence in his assignments and always reached out to people who deserve help, a real ambassador of the Aloysian ethos.

Dr V Ravichandran:

Dr V Ravichandran: is an extremely successful entrepreneur, a progressive thinker and a magnanimous philanthropist. His business acumen and leadership qualities are ideally tempered with deep erudition and an excellent academic track record. An inspiring teacher, a Fulbright scholar and a PhD holder, Dr Ravichandran is a true role model to the youth. He has founded and nurtured several technology services and technology education companies. His venture, Diya Systems has bagged the STPI Best Performer Award for consecutive three years. Eminent philanthropist, Dr Ravichandran has a heart that always goes out to the less privileged of the society- a true Aloysian indeed.

In his acceptance speech, Dr Ravichandran said, “This is the day that I will remember forever, having received this prestigious Award from my Alama Mater. I am also happy that I am receiving this award in the presence of my wife, and my father-in-law who is 92 years old. I owe this award specially to my wife, who has played an important role in the success of my life. Whenever I talk about my wife I cry, but today will be just the opposite. She was the pillar and backbone of my business when I started, and today it has grown to greater heights employing nearly 1500 men and women. I also owe my success to all my employees, it was due to their support and hard work my business has reached greater heights.

My days at St Aloysius College started in the year 1965 when I pursued my science studies- and I am grateful today for all the tutors and attenders who were part of my life then, and it was because of them what I am today. To everyone who has played an important role in my life, including my parents, wife, children, well-wishers, especially the Jesuit priests of this prestigious institution, I owe this Award to you all” added Dr Ravichandran.

Dr K V Rao:

Dr K V Rao: A brilliant Scholar with an excellent academic track record, Dr K V Rao has always been a proud member of the faculty of this College for more than three decades. As a Professor of Physics, he has not only guided and mentored thousands of students who, today, have reached great heights but also has touched generations of students by his simplicity and unassuming personality. He has PhD from the prestigious Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. He has been recognized by the government as well as private organizations to advice them in the fields of Science and Technology. He is a crusader for promoting and popularizing the scientific spirit among common people. Presently, he is the Director of the Pilikula Science Centre, Mangaluru- a man with a mission for the cause of science.

In his acceptance speech, which was kind of elaborate where he narrated about his teaching and experience with his students, Dr K V Rao said, “I had good and also bad experiences with my students. Once a student had challenged me that he will stab, but luckily I am alive today-he had some college record issues. Other than that my teaching experience at SAC has been a smooth and fruitful one. I had received maximum support the Jesuit priests, management, colleagues and students. My success as a science tutor was mainly due to my students, where many have attained great positions in their lives- and that makes me happy. At Aloysius, it has its own charm, its values, traditions, culture- and that is what we all cherished. Let Aloysius shine much bigger and better, and reach greater heights.

Joseph Gonsalves:

Joseph Gonsalves: A man deeply committed to the values of Jesuit education, Mr Joseph Gonsalves, popularly known as Joe Gonsalves, is an inspiration to all. Educated at St Aloysius College and Institute of Marketing, London. Widely travelled and deeply engaged in incorporated companies throughout the globe, Mr Joe Gonsalves has never deterred from the values of his Alma mater. His commitment to excellence, discipline and social consciousness is worthy of emulation. He has also been a champion of civic sense, especially traffic regulation in the city of Mangaluru. This commitment to civic society has propelled him to be the Chief Traffic Warden of Mangaluru at this age- a champion for St Aloysius.

In his acceptance speech, 96-year young man Joe Gonsalves said, “St Aloysius Institutions has made me a complete man, for which I owe my sincere gratitude while receiving this memorable award. As they ‘Once an Aloysian, always an Aloysian”- and I mean that, that I will remain an Aloysian forever, and I feel proud of it. My heartfelt thanks to the Jesuit priests who had nurtured me and taught me the moral values. An institution which was born 138 years ago, is still alive and growing to greater heights, producing many eminent and achievers serving the world. My humble request as the Chief Traffic Warden in the City, I call upon a few Alumni’s or present Aloysians to come forward and spend at least couple of hours volunteering in the traffic warden job. You will be doing a good job, serving the commuters and motorists, in maintaining safety on the streets of Mangaluru. Thank You, and I will cherish today’s moments forever”.

Jeevan Saldanha:

Jeevan Saldanha: An avid sports lover, a young and dynamic leader, Jeevan Saldanha has risen to great heights at a young age by sheer hard work, creativity, imagination and single-minded devotion to his goals and the betterment of the society. He has to his credit, the development of the first Color Sorting Machine for the Optical Separation of seeds and grains with the help of Raman Research Institute. His brainchild, Spectrum Industries, prides itself in having satisfied clientele from more than 25 countries in the world. As the president of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he has been instrumental in raising issues and concerns of the civil society with public servants and persuading them to take meaningful remedial measures. A true Aloysian, Jeevan Saldanha has a passion for excellence, without compromising the core values of altruism and compassion.

Being the young awardee among the rest awardees, young entrepreneur Jeevan Saldanha expressing his emotions and thought said, “This is the best award that I have received so far since it comes from my Alma Mater, and I adore it with pride and joy. My sincere thanks to all my tutors, and the Jesuit priests of this institution, also my beloved wife, and my dear mother {who is celebrating her birthday today} for all their love and support, and also for playing a major role in my life. My suggestion to the young entrepreneurs is that, where I quote Swami Vivekananda, Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success” and that’s what I did, and became successful in my enterprise. With hard work, determination and dedication I attained success, and also with the support from my wife, and loving care from my mother, my life has been a well-lived one-thank you all, especially St Aloysius Institutions for molding me to be a better citizen of this country. Long live St Aloysius”.

Fr Dionysius Vaz Sj in his presidential address said, “Winners never quit, quitters never win. Success isn’t given-it’s earned. Success is to be measured by the obstacles he/she has overcome while trying to succeed. No one has travelled the road of success without crossing the streets of failure- and today’s five achievers are the examples. God has never promised us easy journeys-he only promised us great destinations. The real measure of our Jesuit institutions lies in “Who our students become, what they value and what they do later in life and work. Today’s distinguished eminent alumni awardees speak in volumes of their achievements, and we should be proud of it”.

“The motto of St Aloysius Institutions ‘Lucet et Ardet’ which means ‘Shine to Enkindle’, refers to the qualities of the mind and heart. It is the deep desire of this institution to present to the world and our nation, men and women with knowledge and creativity and hearts burning with genuine love and concerns for others. Jesuit education concentrates on three points-Imagination, Creativity and Critical analysis, which is essential to Jesuit education. Jesuit education, the depth of learning and imagination encompasses and integrates intellectual rigour with reflection on the experience of reality together with the creative imagination to work toward constructing a more humane, just, sustainable, and faith-filled world. And when thousands of students exit out of this institution every year, what more do we need to do to ensure that we are not simply populating the world with bright and skilled superficialities. A love for learning, a longing for discovery, and a commitment to pursue the truth are the underpinnings of great personalities. Congrats to our great five alumni achievers, and may God bless them” added Fr Rector.

In his Aloysian Conclave address, P Jayaram Bhat praising his Alma Mater said, “Founded in 1880, St Aloysius College is the oldest college in this part of the country. Although the Institution is run primarily for the education of Catholic youth, the institution also caters to all students without distinction of caste, colour creed and language. It gives special preference for the students belonging to SC/ST and socio-economically marginalized group. SAC aims at an integral formation of the youth, striving to form individuals who are academically competent, morally strong, artistically accomplished, physically fit, socially concerned and personally balanced. Each student is encouraged to take part in the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.”

“St Aloysius Institutions of the Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society, inspired by the person and mission of Jesus Christ, and guided by their motto commit themselves to spread the light of knowledge and wisdom and to kindle the ardor of faith that does justice by forming men and women for others, who are academically accomplished, emotionally balanced, morally upright, socially responsible, ecologically sensitive and professionally dedicated, so that they are a powerful force for the transformation of society. The students of St Aloysius Institution have always taken their education very seriously and many of them have excelled in their academics, and have now become professionals/leaders in various fields to change the world with their contribution/services. To name a few who are the alumni of SAC in various professions : Dr TMA Pai, a visionary educationist who established world famous educational center at Manipal; KS Hegde, Supreme Court Judge; Vinay Hegde, Founder of Nitte Educational Institutions; Justice Santosh Hegde, the former Lokayukta; George Fernandes, illustrious politician; Allan Pereira, Former Chairman of Syndicate Bank; K.V.Kamath, Chairman BRICS Bank (Formerly Chairman of ICICI Bank); Dr K.V Rao, renowned scientist; Aravind Adiga, Man Booker prize winner; Padmashree Anantha Agarwal; Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, the founder of Yenepoya Institutions; V. G. Siddhartha -Founder, Café Coffee Day; Sudhir Shetty, CEO, UAE Exchange; K.L. Rahul, Test cricketer; and innumerable number of other former students who have made names in the fields of education, industry, politics, medicine, judiciary, sport, literature, cinema, music, environment, social work, journalism and spiritual fields.

“I have great respect to my Alma Mater which has made me what I am today. As a science student, the one class I liked most was the Moral Science, where we were taught good moral values which would help in our future lives. I remember my good old days at this college- I still remember we had the best hockey team in the District, where most of the players were Coorgi’s, having trained well by PD Late Benjamin D’Souza. Quoting Bill Gates- “If you are born poor it’s not your mistake, But if you die poor it’s your mistake”. Coming from a rural village, finding it hard to catch up with English at St Aloysius, I tried and succeeded- thanks to my tutors and Jesuit priests who had helped me succeed. Finally being a proud Aloysian, I bow my head to this great institution for making me an important citizen of this country”, added Bhat.

Felicitation address was delivered by Fr Praveen Martis Sj. Juries of the Award selection namely Dr Aloysius Sequeira, Ranjan Rao, Santhosh Kumar Kadri, Allan C Pereira, and Walter D’souza were felicitated, followed by felicitations to some of the members of SACAA who had worked hard for this programme. In the presentation of the awards, help was also rendered by Ms Jenice Goveas-Treasurer/lecturer in Chemistry, along with her helpers, the cute two “Angels” namely Miss Naomi Mascarenhas and Samira D’souza. The vote of thanks was delivered by Peter Oswald Rodrigues, Vice President of SACAA, and the entire ceremony was professionally compered by Dr Alwyn D’Sa, vice principal of admin block, St Aloysius College (Autonomous). The glamorous and memorable ceremony ended with the National anthem, followed by a sumptuous meal.

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