Udupi: St Mary’s and Don Bosco educational institutions, Shirva organised a common condolence meet to pay homage to the former President Bharat RatnaDr APJ Abdul Kalam on Thursday, July 30.
Speaking on the occasion on behalf of all the educational institutions, DrPadmanabha Bhat, Head of the Department of Political Science, St Mary’s College, said, “India has lost a great leader, scientist, former first citizen of the country, a teacher and above all, a youth icon of the country. He has proved that poverty has nothing to do with the ability to progress in life. He had great love towards the students of this country and spent almost all his time in talks with the students after his retirement as the President of India. His death is a great loss to the country particularly the student community.”
Fr Stany Tauro, Correspondent of St Mary’s and Don Bosco Institutions, remembered the occasion when he met and travelled together with the former President during a programme organised at Fr Muller Medical College and Hospital at Mangaluru. He said, “Bharat Ratna Dr Abdul Kalam had great love towards the student community. He had travelled the length and breadth of the country motivating students.”
The meeting was attended by Fr Dr Anil Castelino, Campus Director, St Mary’s Institutions; Fr Stephen Louis, Assistant Parish Priest, Our Lady of Health Church; Prof. Rajan V N, Principal, St Mary’s College; Irine Mendonca, Principal of St Mary’s Pre-university College; Flavia Furtado, Head Teacher, St Mary’s High School; Florine Rodrigues, Head-mistress Don Bosco Higher Primary School; IrineRodrigues, Headmistress, Don Bosco English Medium Higher Primary School; Gretta Noronha, Headmistress, Don Bosco English Medium High School; Prof.Jagadeesh Acharya, Co-ordinator of St Mary’s PG Department of Commerce; Prof. Laxmi Acharya, Co-ordinator of PG Department of Social Work; Wilson D’Souza, Vice-President of Our Lady of Health Church; William Machado, Secretary of Our Lady of Health Church; student representatives of all institutions, executive committee members of Parent Teachers Association, staff and students of the institutions.
The programme was compered by Prof. Melwin Castelino, Head of the Department of Management, St Mary’s College Shirva.