Govt. College of Engineering : Golden Jubilee Alumni Meet
I attended the global alumni meet organized by student alumni association of Govt. college of Engineering, Aurangabad on 26th and 27th Jan. 2010.
I had decided to attend it months ago and was very excited to travel to Aurangabad alone on 26th Jan.
I entered the college campus on 26th Jan at around 5.30 pm. There were hundreds of people already registered and some ahead of me in the line to register.
Just before the event started, 1600 alumni had registered and were present on the campus!
The evening was full of surprises, excitement and lots of nostalgic moments for everyone!
Out of 23 students of the first batch from GECA who graduated in 1963, 17 were present with their wives on both the days!
There were lots of other students from 60s, 70s and 80s! Most of the retired Principals, HODs and other staff were present too!
Everyone was acting like a student hugging each other, trying to recollect name, commenting on the baldness and other physical changes! The atmosphere was full of smiling faces, laughing groups and lots of nostalgic emotions.
The space between main building and workshop was used to arrange for around 2000 chairs, a dais and a pandal for food. The arrangement was very good. The students of SAT (Student alumni team) had taken lots of efforts and I could see it right from registration counters. Each one of us was greeted with a red rose. The chairs were arranged in terms of batches so that it would be easy for the alumni to find each other.
Mr. Prashant Deshpande, alumnus of 1986, conducted an event called "E-coffee with GECA" for about 45 minutes. People from all over the world who had logged in sent their wishes for the event.
Then the "Sangeet Rajani" started with professional orchestra. Alumni were encouraged to present songs, mimicry etc. Again, the people from 60s and 70s were enthusiastic and sang very good Hindi and Marathi songs. This inspired me and I also sang the song which I had sung with my classmate in the one and only gathering during our Third Year 19 years ago! It was very nostalgic moment for me. I wished my classmate was there to accompany me! This time I was alone! I think I managed it quite well! :)
Slowly, the professional singers started picking up the mood of the crowd and sang all the latest Marathi and Hindi foot tapping songs and medleys. People were dancing and cheering crazily. One batch had come up with the idea of dressing themselves up with Maharasthtrian "Phetas"! They were looking very handsome and enjoyed the evening by dancing in front of the stage with all the songs!
I met my batch mates from Electrical, E & TC branches. But from CSE and E & TC I was the only girl representative attending this event!
Overall, the representation of 90 through 2000 batches of E & TC and CSE was very low. I think most students from these batches have settled outside India or outside Maharashtra.
The dinner was full of Chaat, North Indian and Maharasthtrian food variety. The service was extremely well organized and the overall arrangement done by the caterer was outstanding.
The second day morning session started at around 10.30. The auditorium was full and later over flooded. The student alumni team had made sure that senior people sit in the
front and hence did not have to climb too many stairs. All the students from 90s and later were requested to sit at the back of the auditorium and they took full advantage
of it! :) People were whistling, commenting, laughing and cheering their favorite teachers, principals and other dignitaries.
The alumni president Mr. Jabinda had a short and sweet speech. He left the podium with a Sardar joke as is the tradition of his speeches, he being a Sardar himself! :)
There was a very heart warming and nostalgic slide show of old and new photos of college campus presented by Mr. Mukund Kulkarni. I liked his commentary on each photo.
Also, a movie put up by the current students complete with latest Hindi background score about "College days" was a real emotional experience for me! Hats off to the efforts of the students and the alumni association! The movie is available on the alumni web site currently.
Then the felicitation program for the students from first batch started. They got standing ovation from the whole auditorium. I am sure it must have been an unforgettable moment for them! Also, most of the retired Principals and HODs from the college were felicitated.
The first lady engineer of our college, a mechanical graduate of 1967, Ms. Girija Deshpande was also felicitated.
After the felicitation, a number of alumni went on the stage one by one to announce their plans to help the college in some or other way. Some students announced donations towards different causes; some showed interest in taking responsibility of industrial training, hiring, lab setups etc. Some offered donations in terms of equipments.
The program ended with a very positive note and lot of enthusiasm shown by everyone to do something for the college.
On the way out, there were booths of local entrepreneurs who are GECA alumni to showcase their products. Also, there was a booth selling golden jubilee merchandise. I liked the idea and bought a coffee mug with GECA picture on it. I also bought a T-shirt that has Golden jubilee year embossed on it. There were other souvenirs like picture frames, key chains, hats, back packs etc. I admire the idea because I am sure the alumni association has made quite a lot of money by way of selling these.
The lunch was also very well arranged with a variety of food items.
I also visited the Girl's hostel and entered my room with permission from the current residents. I talked to them. They were very friendly and bright people! The only issue I found was that the rooms have been over crowded with 5 students living in a room where only 3 should live. The hostel is already 2-storied and still insufficient for the influx of students. When it was constructed, it was a single storied building with about 20 rooms. In each room only 3 students were accommodated. Anyway, I found that the students are happy that they at least have a place to stay and it is cheaper than private accommodation.
I left Aurangabad at around 3 pm on Jan. 27.
I am thankful to the whole staff of GECA (especially Mrs. Madhuri Joshi whose enthusiasm and passion is unmatched) and the student alumni team for their hard work efforts to make this event so successful and memorable for us!
I had decided to attend it months ago and was very excited to travel to Aurangabad alone on 26th Jan.
I entered the college campus on 26th Jan at around 5.30 pm. There were hundreds of people already registered and some ahead of me in the line to register.
Just before the event started, 1600 alumni had registered and were present on the campus!
The evening was full of surprises, excitement and lots of nostalgic moments for everyone!
Out of 23 students of the first batch from GECA who graduated in 1963, 17 were present with their wives on both the days!
There were lots of other students from 60s, 70s and 80s! Most of the retired Principals, HODs and other staff were present too!
Everyone was acting like a student hugging each other, trying to recollect name, commenting on the baldness and other physical changes! The atmosphere was full of smiling faces, laughing groups and lots of nostalgic emotions.
The space between main building and workshop was used to arrange for around 2000 chairs, a dais and a pandal for food. The arrangement was very good. The students of SAT (Student alumni team) had taken lots of efforts and I could see it right from registration counters. Each one of us was greeted with a red rose. The chairs were arranged in terms of batches so that it would be easy for the alumni to find each other.
Mr. Prashant Deshpande, alumnus of 1986, conducted an event called "E-coffee with GECA" for about 45 minutes. People from all over the world who had logged in sent their wishes for the event.
Then the "Sangeet Rajani" started with professional orchestra. Alumni were encouraged to present songs, mimicry etc. Again, the people from 60s and 70s were enthusiastic and sang very good Hindi and Marathi songs. This inspired me and I also sang the song which I had sung with my classmate in the one and only gathering during our Third Year 19 years ago! It was very nostalgic moment for me. I wished my classmate was there to accompany me! This time I was alone! I think I managed it quite well! :)
Slowly, the professional singers started picking up the mood of the crowd and sang all the latest Marathi and Hindi foot tapping songs and medleys. People were dancing and cheering crazily. One batch had come up with the idea of dressing themselves up with Maharasthtrian "Phetas"! They were looking very handsome and enjoyed the evening by dancing in front of the stage with all the songs!
I met my batch mates from Electrical, E & TC branches. But from CSE and E & TC I was the only girl representative attending this event!
Overall, the representation of 90 through 2000 batches of E & TC and CSE was very low. I think most students from these batches have settled outside India or outside Maharashtra.
The dinner was full of Chaat, North Indian and Maharasthtrian food variety. The service was extremely well organized and the overall arrangement done by the caterer was outstanding.
The second day morning session started at around 10.30. The auditorium was full and later over flooded. The student alumni team had made sure that senior people sit in the
front and hence did not have to climb too many stairs. All the students from 90s and later were requested to sit at the back of the auditorium and they took full advantage
of it! :) People were whistling, commenting, laughing and cheering their favorite teachers, principals and other dignitaries.
The alumni president Mr. Jabinda had a short and sweet speech. He left the podium with a Sardar joke as is the tradition of his speeches, he being a Sardar himself! :)
There was a very heart warming and nostalgic slide show of old and new photos of college campus presented by Mr. Mukund Kulkarni. I liked his commentary on each photo.
Also, a movie put up by the current students complete with latest Hindi background score about "College days" was a real emotional experience for me! Hats off to the efforts of the students and the alumni association! The movie is available on the alumni web site currently.
Then the felicitation program for the students from first batch started. They got standing ovation from the whole auditorium. I am sure it must have been an unforgettable moment for them! Also, most of the retired Principals and HODs from the college were felicitated.
The first lady engineer of our college, a mechanical graduate of 1967, Ms. Girija Deshpande was also felicitated.
After the felicitation, a number of alumni went on the stage one by one to announce their plans to help the college in some or other way. Some students announced donations towards different causes; some showed interest in taking responsibility of industrial training, hiring, lab setups etc. Some offered donations in terms of equipments.
The program ended with a very positive note and lot of enthusiasm shown by everyone to do something for the college.
On the way out, there were booths of local entrepreneurs who are GECA alumni to showcase their products. Also, there was a booth selling golden jubilee merchandise. I liked the idea and bought a coffee mug with GECA picture on it. I also bought a T-shirt that has Golden jubilee year embossed on it. There were other souvenirs like picture frames, key chains, hats, back packs etc. I admire the idea because I am sure the alumni association has made quite a lot of money by way of selling these.
The lunch was also very well arranged with a variety of food items.
I also visited the Girl's hostel and entered my room with permission from the current residents. I talked to them. They were very friendly and bright people! The only issue I found was that the rooms have been over crowded with 5 students living in a room where only 3 should live. The hostel is already 2-storied and still insufficient for the influx of students. When it was constructed, it was a single storied building with about 20 rooms. In each room only 3 students were accommodated. Anyway, I found that the students are happy that they at least have a place to stay and it is cheaper than private accommodation.
I left Aurangabad at around 3 pm on Jan. 27.
I am thankful to the whole staff of GECA (especially Mrs. Madhuri Joshi whose enthusiasm and passion is unmatched) and the student alumni team for their hard work efforts to make this event so successful and memorable for us!
Labels: GECA alumni
posted by Pratima | 12:43 AM
|
0 comments
