The valedictory of the centenary celebrations of the University of Mysore will be held on July 22. Vice-President M. Hamid Ansari will be the chief guest and deliver the valedictory address at the amphitheatre in the sprawling Manasagangotri campus at 5 p.m. on July 22.
President Pranab Mukherjee had inaugurated the centenary celebrations almost a year ago on July 27. The valedictory has been scheduled on July 22 as it on this day a century ago (in 1916) that Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the then Maharaja of Mysore, gave his assent for the formation of the university. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the flagship programme of the centenary fete — The 103rd Indian Science Congress — in the Manasagangotri campus in January.
Vice-Chancellor K.S. Rangappa told presspersons here on Monday that Governor Vajubhai Vala will preside over the valedictory. The former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be the special guests of honour.
Mysuru District in-charge Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister for Higher Education Basavaraj Rayaraddi and UGC chairman Ved Prakash will be the guests of honour.
Meanwhile, the university has instituted three centenary awards — innovation in technology, social sciences and science— in the name of three Bharat Ratnas – Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and C.N.R. Rao.
The “Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya Centenary Award for Innovation in Technology” will be conferred on ISRO chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar.
The former Governor of West Bengal, Gopalakrishna Gandhi, will receive the “Bharat Ratna Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Centenary Award for Social Sciences.”
The “Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao Centenary Award for Science” will be conferred on Prof. H. Sharath Chandra, honorary director, Centre for Human Genetics. Each award carries a purse of Rs. 5 lakh, a citation and a gold medal.
Mr. Rangappa said the centenary awards will be presented once in three years. A committee had been constituted to select the awardees. But the fellowships to encourage meritorious students will be given each year, he added.
Mr. Ansari will also inaugurate two new buildings— The School of Planning and Architecture located near the banyan tree in the campus and Maulya Bhavan (evaluation bhavan) on Bogadi Road near Fine Arts College.
The School of Planning and Architecture is a 70,000 sq. ft. structure and has been described by many as an architecture marvel.
Maulya Bhavan is a 1,00,000 sq. ft. building and has massive conical-shaped pillars matching the pillars of Crawford Hall.
Mr. Rangappa said half a dozen books in Kannada and English will be released on the occasion and the books on Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and Sir. M. Visvesvaraya are the important ones. “Mysuru Vishwavidyanilaya — Nooraralli Savira Sambrama” authored by journalist Amshi Prasanna Kumar will also be released on the occasion.
The university has invited the family members of the former President, S. Radhakrishnan; the first V-C of the varsity H.V. Nanjundaiah and builder of the iconic Crawford Hall C. Perumal Chetty.
Members of the public can attend the valedictory event by collecting passes from the Centenary Office on first-come, first-served basis. Entry is restricted to pass holders. Registrar (Evaluation) Rajanna, centenary fete organising secretary Rajashekar and consultant Niranjan Nikam were present.
Honour for
M. Visvesvaraya
A bust of Sir M. Visvesvaraya, who was instrumental in the founding of University of Mysore, will also be unveiled during the valedictory of the centenary fete here on July 22.
The bust will be installed inside Crawford Hall.
