Road Less Travelled! 138th College Day Celebration of St Aloysius PUC

Road Less Travelled! 138th College Day Celebration of St Aloysius PUC

St Aloysius PU College celebrated its 138th College Day on 16th Dec 2017 musing on the theme ‘Road Less Travelled’ in the College open-air Pretorium.

Mangaluru: Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the World”- that’s right. And for that matter whoever got education from St Aloysius Institutions have reached greater heights and have also become great assets to the Nation and also the world. The purpose of having education at SAC is that every student who passes the portals of this College learns to attain the fullness of life not merely by amassing information, but also by transforming into persons with concern and commitment to the marginalized of our society. Before I go further on my report, I felt proud to grace the Annual College Day of St Aloysius PUC (SAPUC) for two reasons- one being an Alumnus of this great institution where I completed my PUC and B Sc, and I salute SAC for making me what I am today.

St Aloysius PU College Celebrated its 138th College Day on 16th Dec 2017 musing on the theme ‘Road Less Travelled’ in the College Pretorium. The glamorous, extravagant and glittering celebrations began with a prayer and welcome dance, followed by the Annual Report delivered by Fr Melwyn Mendonca SJ- principal of SAPUC. Quoting Napoleon Hill said, ” If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way”- and it is the deep desire of our Alma Mater to present to our society and to the world, men and women from our institution with minds bright with knowledge and creativity and hearts burning with genuine love and concern for others. Our college has given prime importance to value education for all our students, including spiritual formation through retreats. SAPUC seek to be the place where search for knowledge complements with a sense of responsibility to the life of the community, where a sense of community sustains men and women in their pursuit of education, fostering a conviction that life is only lived well when it is lived generously in the service of others”.

Thanking all those who were responsible for the growth and success of SAPUC, Fr Mendonca said that with God’s grace, the loving care of College patron St Aloysius Gonzaga, the constant support and encouragement from parents and staff, college management will strive to impart quality education to the students without compromising on values and principles before they go out into the society. The Annual Report with the Video Presentation highlighting the achievements and success of SAPUC during the academic year 2017-18 boasted about the status of the institution.

The Chief Guest, Justice N Santhosh Hedge, the former Lokayukta, and also an Alumni of SAC in his address recollected the memories of his times at St Aloysius Institutions and emphasized the students to inculcate two important values in their life- Contentment and Humanism as Education without values will make an individual inhumane.

“Mangaloreans are lucky to get education from the institution run by the Jesuit priests. You should be grateful to be the students of SAPUC-once you get out from here, whatever career you choose, you’ll always cherish the education that you got from SAC. Your education at this institution will benefit the nation and also the world. As you move into the real world you’ll thank SAC for the education you got here. Like Mahatma Gandhi who said, ‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world’- go and make a difference in the real world, and you’ll always remain a proud alumnus of your Alma Mater.” added Justice Hegde. He congratulated the Principal, Staff and Students of St Aloysius PU College on their excellence in the field of Academics and co-curricular activities.

Fr Dionysius Vaz, Rector of St Aloysius Institutions presided over the function and in his presidential address motivated students to be Men and Women of Identity and Integrity by being Creative, Critical and Compassionate. “The vision of this institution is to empower youth through excellence in education to shape a better future for humankind. It is the deep desire of this Alma Mater to present to the world and to our nation, men and women with minds bright with knowledge and creativity and hearts burning with genuine love an concern for others. Always be proud that you are a Aloysian” added Fr Vaz.

Also gracing the dais were the Finance Officer Fr John Lang Bosco SJ, The Vice Principal Charlotte D’Souza, the PTA Vice President Lokanath G and the Student Council Secretary Calvin Lobo and Joint Secretary Samyavi Rai. The Meritorious students and sports achievers were honoured with mementos and certificates. The welcome address was presented by Shruthi Lal, Student Convener of College Day and the Chief Guest of the day was introduced by the College Day convener Bhavani M P. The college President Sushan K Attavar proposed the vote of thanks. Mind-blowing, glamorous and glittering Cultural extravaganza that followed the formal function added colour to the event and was a feast to the eyes. All the performers put a fantastic show which was loudly applauded by the huge mass of audience. These students simply rocked the scene.

While concluding in my perspective- “No matter what corner of the world you are, you’ll always be proud to say ” I am an Aloysian”. This institution is the most preferred institution, and one who receives education here will be a great asset to the nation and also the world. We need to respect our mentors and teachers who led us to the right path and gave us good education. The truth is, times have changed. Long gone are the days when a teacher’s presence alone demanded respect — from students as well as their parents. Today, in a society where good morals are on the decline and self-centeredness is on the incline, teachers can’t afford to educate students the way our teachers did back in those days. Teachers have to get respect the hard way, and they have to earn it. So my humble request to the students-kindly respect your teachers and elders- you’ll feel good”.Long Live St Aloysius PUC!