Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

CM lauds contribution of Jesuits

— Photo: V. Raju

FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a jovial mood after the inauguration of Andhra Loyola Institute of Engineering and Technology in Vijayawada on Monday.

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has lauded the contribution of the Jesuits to education in the country.

Participating as chief guest at the XI South Zone Jesuit Alumni Conference – 2008 at Andhra Loyola College (ALC) here on Monday, Dr. Reddy, an alumnus of the institution, said that the “amount of service the Jesuits have done for education is remarkable”.

Dr. Reddy said though he studied in the ALC, a Jesuit institution, just for a year during 1963-64, it left a strong mark on him. The impression was so strong that he handed over a degree college set up in the name of his father Raja Reddy in Pulivendala to the Loyola group “without a second thought”.

“I met Fr. Paul Satyanarayana in a furniture shop. He mentioned that the Jesuits were planning to set up an institution in Rayalaseema. Without a moment’s hesitation, I told him that he could take over the degree college that I was running, lock, stock and barrel,” Dr. Reddy said, adding he was very much impressed with the “great” way the ALC was run. He said he would have liked spending the entire day in the college, but for his busy schedule.

The Chief Minister, who arrived about 30 minutes behind schedule, went through the programmes in a hurried manner. After inaugurating the new building of the Andhra Loyola Institute for Engineering and Technology, Dr. Reddy arrived for the conference and addressed the gathering only for about 10 minutes. He neither interacted with old students nor went down the memory lane to recall the days he spent on the campus, disappointing many among the audience.

The Chief Minister said his Government recognised the tremendous importance of higher education, and, hence, taken a policy decision to provide higher education free of cost to SC, ST, BC and minority students.

There were about 400 engineering colleges in the State, including the 200 opened last year. The students admitted into engineering or a medical college did not have to pay even a single rupee as tuition fee. All they had to do was submit their caste certificate, and all their fees would be paid by the government. The State Government increased the budget for the backward classes from Rs. 300 crores a year to Rs. 1,500 crores a year. It was planning to pay the fees for the economically backward students among forward castes as well.

Earlier, Andhra Loyola College Alumni Association director Fr. A. Theckemury gave a power point presentation on the illustrious alumni of the Jesuit institutions all over the country. Starting with Nobel laureate Ravindranath Tagore, Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal was also a student of the college.

College Principal S. Emmanuel, talking about the developments, said that a new ladies college was under construction. Correspondent and Rector Fr. D. Showraiah welcomed the Chief Minister and the gathering.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

IT firm planning to provide job opportunities
Ayesha case: Koneru clarifies
Violinist dead
Take the high road to this New Year!
CM lauds contribution of Jesuits
E-clubs in the offing
Opposition walks out against PPP
Row over user charges on garbage lifting
Controversy over KDCA request for land
Vijayawada Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu