CHENNAI: : Annamalai University should take the lead in helping to re-orient the education policy of the country, B.K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar, chairman, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Coimbatore, said on Friday.

At a function to mark the 125th birth anniversary of the university's founder, Annamalai Chettiar, Mr. Vanavarayar said the policy should be restructured to make it relevant to the challenges faced by youth in the 21st century.

It should have certain components including imparting the significance of the country's cultural heritage, the sacrifices made by freedom fighters and human resource development.

On the present education scenario, he said: "In our anxiety to spread education, we have somewhere lost the meaning of education."

Praising Annamalai Chettiar for the way he built the institution, Mr. Vanavarayar said the university had, in its formative years, the benefit of services of great scholars such as V.S. Srinivasa Sastri, R.K. Shanmugam Chettiar, C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar and U.Ve. Swaminatha Aiyar. About 75 years ago, it was not that easy for an individual to set up a university.

Today, it was not difficult to form a varsity. But "do we have the same spirit for commitment and excellence while establishing a university?"

Annamalai Chettiar's management practices should be included in textbooks on management, he added.

Musician honoured

M. Chokkalingam, Madras High Court Judge, presented the award instituted by the Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar Memorial Trust after the late industrialist-educationist to Tamil music exponent, So. Muthukandasamy Desikar.

The award carried a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh and a citation. The Annamalai University was formed with the purpose of providing education to all segments of society, he said.

M.A.M. Ramaswamy, patron of the Trust, said Annamalai Chettiar was devoted to popularising Tamil music.

M.A.M.R. Muthiah, president of the Trust, said the award was given every year to musicians.

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