Robert Bruce Foote, considered the father of Indian prehistory, delivered lectures on geology in 1861 and 1862 here, and as far back as 1938, students designed an automatic dosa machine which became hugely popular.
‘College of Engineering, Guindy - A journey through time 1794-2014’, a book brought out by the CEG Tech Forum, relies as much on archives, old college magazines and newspaper cuttings as it does on its alumnus’ memories to reconstruct a 220-year-old eventful journey.
From black-and-white photographs of the materials and telecommunications laboratories to the changing logos, the book not only traces the origins of the institution that started as a Survey School in Fort St. George, but is also a compendium of interesting nuggets and insights into its evolution.
From student elections to canteen menus, from its architecture to the establishment of various departments, the book not only attempts a chronological account of the oldest technical institute in the country, but also offers glimpses of a vibrant campus life.
For instance, it describes how a transport committee was formed in college to ferry students from Saidapet and Mambalam to its campus. “There was a 26-seater Ford V-8, a 16-seater Morris van and an eight-seater Morris car that belonged to the college. The cost was three Annas per mile for the van, and four for the car,” the book notes.
It chronicles the repercussions of the Great Depression on engineers here. It also delves into the transformation of the institution from a predominantly European institute to an Indian one, its contribution to the city and its infrastructure, as well as the developments in recent years.
