The Madurai Kamaraj University has appealed to its old students to donate funds for constructing a world class multi-purpose auditorium in the varsity campus.
It has made a request to its alumni who are placed across the country and abroad to make contributions. A huge air-conditioned auditorium spanning 57,612 square feet is coming up on the left side of the university’s main entrance and is estimated to cost Rs.10 crore. It will be named as ‘MKU Alumni Auditorium.’ The university is taking steps to get tax exemption for the donors.
The foundation stone laying ceremony would be held next month with the construction scheduled to be completed within one year, R. Karpaga Kumaravel, Vice-Chancellor, MKU, said here on Wednesday. A special website would be created for the purpose in a few days. Donations can be made through demand draft in favour of ‘MKU Alumni Auditorium Fund.’
Committees formed
Those who studied in MKU and received degrees, students of its affiliated/autonomous colleges and distance education stream have been requested to support the university.
Special committees have been formed in the university to reach out to old students with a database of MKU alumni being created. Fund raising for the auditorium formally began at a press conference addressed by the Vice-Chancellor where senior faculty members announced their contributions.
“The auditorium will have facilities to host international conferences, workshops and seminars besides convocation and students’ meets. We want to confine the fund raising activity only to our old students,” Dr. Karpaga Kumaravel said.
Old students located in US, UK, European countries, Australia, Africa and Asia could come forward to make donations and the university too would reach out to them through its centres. Besides, the large number of MKU alumni who are living across the country will be tapped.
Reunion Day
The university is hosting Alumni Reunion Day on August 14 next year to give a ‘home coming opportunity’ for the old students to come together and support their alma mater. “Construction will start in January and fund raising will go on simultaneously,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
A 15-member Campaign Committee for mobilising funds has been formed in MKU with the Vice-Chancellor as its chairman. Other members include G. Marimuthu (Vice-Chairman), S. Krishnaswamy (Secretary), P. M. Ajmal Khan, V. Alagappan, K. Muthuchelian, A. K. Kumaraguru and Dhulasi Brindha.
