For enlightenment, emancipation and excellence
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It is time to focus on the strides made by Christ College, Irinjalakuda, as the institution celebrates its Golden Jubilee
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CELEBRATION TIME: Christ College, Irinjalakuda.
A year-long academic and cultural extravaganza is on to mark the Golden Jubilee of Christ College, Irinjalakuda.
The management, staff and students along with the alumni and well-wishers are highlighting the social, cultural and educational heritage of this Calicut University-affiliated, NAAC-accredited college during these Golden Jubilee celebrations.
The legacy
Christ College took shape in 1956 at Mangadikunnu - then a hill on the outskirts of Irinjalakuda municipality in Thrissur district - when the visionary Fathers Gabriel and Clemens, with the people of Irinjalakuda, spearheaded the setting up of this institution higher education.
Classes began at that college in June 1956. It was a fulfilment of a long-cherished dream of the people of the region, especially K. L. Francis, K. P. John, M. P. Kochudevassy and M. C. Paul.
Ecclesiastics Seraphim and Dismas undertook the mammoth task of completing the construction work. Fr. Clemens became the first manager and Fr. Gabriel, the first principal. The latter continued to hold the post for 19 more years, nurturing the college.
Christ College was formally inaugurated by B. Ramakrishna Rao, the then Governor of Kerala, in1957. Christ College is dedicated to Christ and upholds the motto `Jeevitha Prabha'.
The growth of the college was remarkable. From a humble beginning, with three divisions in pre-university batches consisting of 244 students and 14 teaching staff, the college has now become a full-fledged establishment offering 10 degree courses and seven postgraduate courses, and having a research centre and an annual student strength of 1,300 and a group of 80 teaching and 43 non-teaching staff.
The vision of the succeeding principals - J. V. Ambookan, Jose Stephan, Thomas Achandy, Jose Chittilappilly, C. A. Thomas, Francis Kurissery and C. O. Jose - was vital for the evolution of the college. The present manager, Paul Alengattukaran, and the principal-in-charge K. I. Wilson have been playing their role in further nurturing the institution.
Among those who studied at the college and went on to make their mark in the academic and literary spheres were Satchidanandan, former secretary of the Kendra Sahithya Academy; stalwarts of Sasthra Sahithya Parishad the late E. K. Narayanan, C. J. Sivasankaran and M. K. Chandran; author of theological masterpieces Issac Alapatt; Pro Vice-Chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology N.D. Inassu and columnist G.S. Paul.
Promoting arts
Arts have been an everlasting fascination of the college. Arts Kerala - an erstwhile cultural forum of the people of Irinjalakuda, based at the college in the 1970s - had a paramount role in promoting the cultural heritage of the region.
The fine arts club of the college has been instrumental in fostering the talent of students. The college has a special place for `Kolkali' and group dance and has won many laurels. Many alumni are now celebrities. P. Jayachandran, playback singer, and Kamal, film director, are only few among them.
Football and volleyball were the main games of the college in the 1970s and 1980s and led to the college receiving several accolades. The prodigies moulded at Christ College include Arjuna award winner Cyril C. Vellur; footballers Sharaf Ali, Stanly and M. F. Paul.
An inter-collegiate football competition for the `Kandamkulathy Lonappan Memorial Rolling Trophy' and volleyball competition for the `Old Students Rolling Trophy' are fiercely fought events in Kerala. In recognition of its sporting culture, a degree course in physical education was sanctioned in 1994.
The campus
Once used as a graveyard for the victims of smallpox, the 62 acres of Mangadikunnu has now become an esplanade with rolling hillocks and lush green meadows. The college stands atop this exuberant botanical garden. The ambience of the campus has inspired many film-makers to make it a setting for their films.
Facilities
The central library of the college has 63,000 books. Nearly 140 periodicals and journals are subscribed today. A broad-band Internet connection is also available in the library.
Men's hostel, quarters, canteen, bank, post office, fitness centre are close at hand. A computer centre, a centre-for-continuing-education and an off-campus centre for distance education are the other facilities on the campus. Various organisations, associations, clubs, forums, unions and cells are actively involved in coordinating the extracurricular activities and in the empowerment of the students.
A zoology museum at the Zoology Department has interesting and rare specimens.
A geological museum at the Geology Department has on display samples of fossils, sedimentary rocks, minerals and ores. A water-testing lab is also working in this department. There is also commerce museum at the Commerce Department. Physics and Chemistry Departments too keep well-maintained in-house labs. EKN Memorial Library has good collection of physics books. The English Department uses a language lab to train communication skills.
Research and consultancy
Most of the faculty members have research degrees and are pursuing active research. A number of UGC-sponsored major and minor research projects are under way. Research Review - an interdisciplinary journal - is an annual publication from the college.
Interdisciplinary courses
Arts and science colleges have immense potential for conducting interdisciplinary courses. UGC-sponsored career-oriented vocational courses - known as add-on courses - are being conducted in Applied Electronics and Hygiene.
The vision
Autonomy is the ultimate aim of this iconic institution of the central Kerala. Autonomy - academic, administrative, financial - is a pre-requisite to achieve the objective of making the institution a competitive centre of innovation, excellence and advancement.
P.D. SHAJU
Senior Lecturer,
Department of Physics
Christ College, Irinjalakuda
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