Monday was almost like a festive holiday at Basavangudi’s famous The National College, which is known for its sober, academics-only ambience.
In the presence of hundreds of students, the college proudly honoured its famous alumnus, A.S. Kiran Kumar, who took over as Chairman of the prestigious Indian Space Research Organisation and Secretary, Department of Space, with a Mysuru peta.
A nostalgic Mr. Kiran Kumar spent half a day in his alma mater , going down memory lane. He recollected his entry into the college as a 16-year-old in 1969, the year Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, and of the three years he spent at the hostel.
The ISRO chief enthused the gathering about India’s exciting space programme, its national benefits and assured them that it would be people-friendly and not elitist.
Mr. Kiran Kumar visited the hostel and ate lunch from the college canteen with his hosts, former teacher and current National Education Society president A.H. Rama Rao and the college management committee members. Some youngsters mobbed him for autographs, suggestions and sound bytes.
Addressing the staff and students for about 30 minutes in Kannada, Mr. Kiran Kumar recalled, “My stay at this college is the most influential chapter of my life. As a small-town boy (from Hassan), I just had one dream – to do my PUC in this college.”
Although this dream did not turn into reality, destiny brought him to National College to pursue B.Sc. (Honours) in physics two years later. He gave up plans to do medicine and stuck to the course, and went on to do M.Sc. and M.Tech at the Indian Institute of Science.
Mr. Kiran Kumar recalled that the hostel was also home to the founder and former Vice-Chancellor late H. Narasimhaiah.
“It’s a great feeling [to be back here.] This is where I learnt the values of life. I was greatly influenced by Dr. Narasimhaiah’s life and values of simple living and high thinking. We tennis in this auditorium,” he said.
His advice to the present generation: be diligent; don’t fritter away precious time or the opportunities of youth.
