Mangalore University has got a new spacious auditorium at its Mangalagangotri campus now.
Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily inaugurated the “Mangala” auditorium in the presence of Minister for Higher Education V. S. Acharya on Friday. Executive Director and Member Secretary of Karnataka State Higher Education Council K.M. Kaveriappa and Vice-Chancellor of the university T.C. Shivashankara Murthy were present.
K. Chinnappa Gowda, Registrar (administration), said the auditorium had 3,045 sq. mt. floor area. It comprises 395 sq. mt. area in cellar, 2,150 sq. mt. area on ground floor (main hall) and 500 sq. mt. area on first floor. The building had been completed in two years.
The building has 26 Corinthian design pillars. The main hall can accommodate 1,000 people. The total cost of the building has been estimated at Rs. 11 crore. The university has so far spent Rs. 8 crore. The remaining amount would go for false ceiling, lighting, and sound system inside the main hall and landscaping. All the works were expected to be completed in three months, he said.
The 29th convocation of the university would be held in the hall for the first time on Saturday. With the opening of the auditorium, the university could organise functions even during rainy season, he said. Mr. Moily inaugurated a new welcome arch to the university campus on the occasion. The arch has been built at an estimated cost of Rs. 40 lakh.
Mr. Acharya, at the function, said funding to universities in the State had remained a challenge to the State government as a funding pattern would have to be found out.
Mr. Moily said that universities should provide complete autonomy to deserving colleges having good track record. Such colleges should be well-governed ones.
Mr. Kaveriappa, former Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the auditorium building had rainwater-harvesting facilities. Prof. Murthy said the university would complete all its infrastructure works within a year.
