Going strong at fifty: Rajini’s college celebrates milestone

Acharya Patha Sala Evening College of Arts and Commerce at N.R. Colony, the city’s first evening college which has offered thousands of employed people a chance to complete higher studies, celebrated its golden jubilee recently.

The college, which has churned out many famous alumni like superstar Rajinikanth and lyricist M.N. Vyasa Rao, turned 50 in late 2014, but the golden jubilee celebrations were held only in the last week of January.

Recalling her days in the college, Ms. Vijaya said lyricist Vyasa Rao, Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Pundalika Halambi, and gamaki M.R. Satyanarayana were her classmates. She told

The Hindu that the Kannada Sangha was very active during her time and one year, they published a book titled

Hattu Mattondu, a collection of articles by students. “We were lucky to see the release of this book by G.P. Rajaratnam (writer). N.S. Lakshminarayana Bhatta (poet) reviewed it,” she said.

Mr. Vyasa Rao said the students never felt it was “only an evening college” and got all the benefits of a day college. “Our lecturer N. Chandrashekar was instrumental in introducing us to the works of Kananda writers and poets. Top literary personalities as Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre and G.P. Rajaratnam were among the guests who addressed us there,” he said.

College principal Suresh Patil said, “The objective of Ananthachar (college founder) was to impart education to the less privileged.” He added with pride that a paper delivery boy who studied in thecollege is now a lecturer.

However, the establishment of more evening colleges in the vicinity has eaten into Acharya Patha Sala’s intake. “The student strength has come down to 500 from over 1,000 a few years ago.”