The Alumni Hall was occupied by enthusiastic alumni and retired professors. They might have looked old, but they were still young at heart! They entered fifteen minutes in advance to catch up with their old friends.
The Teachers’ Day celebration, organized by the Alumni Association of CEG (AACEG), took place on the 5th of September in the Alumni Centre, CEG at 6pm. Five staff from various departments were welcomed to take their seats on the dais.
The presidential address was delivered by ER. D. Vasudevan, AACEG President. Then,members of the dais were felicitated one after another, with each of them delivering a short speech. The compere briefed the audience with their impressive profiles and awe-inspiring achievements. It is noteworthy that all five of them credited their success in their respective fields to some of the teachers they had encountered in their lives.
Firstly, Mr. Ilamparuthi, Professor & Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, stepped up to the podium and shared his experience. Next to address the gathering was, Dr. S. Sampath Kumar, Professor of Mechanical Engineering. His speech drove home the message that even the most seemingly unfathomable concepts could become understandable when they were related to real- time examples. Up next was Mr. M. A. Pannerselvam, a Professor at the Electical and Electronics department, affectionately known as MAPS by his students, who spoke a few words. An overwhelming poem compiled by K. P. Shankar, an alumnus of CEG, 1976 batch, Mechanical department, was also read out. It described the nobility of the teachers and their profession.
Dr. N. Kumaravel, a Professor of Eminence from the Electronics and Communication department, shared his experiences. His speech emphasized the fact that in the due course of teaching, the teacher got trained better by the learners themselves. Dr. Chellapan, Principal, GKM College of Engineering & Technology, Chennai and Retired Professor & Dean of Anna University, while talking about his education and career, made a reference to the crucial role played by his teachers. The anecdotes he shared made it evident that there was a lot to imbibe in ourselves from everyone. In a way, everyone becomes our teacher, provided we have a receptive mind!
All the other retired CEG staff ,who were present at the occasion, were honored by their alumni. Dr. P. Hariharan, Associate Professor, Department of Manufacturing Engineering, delivered the vote of thanks. The program came to a close with the National Anthem.
“The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind” - Kahlil Gibran.
Soon after, the sounds of these wise teachers stopped inside the hall and started to spread around the Alumni Center, as they made their way out.
