Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore

Mangalore, Sep 6: “Established in 1838 by German Christian missionaries, the BEM educational institutions, located at Mission High School Road will celebrate its 175th year of establishment on Saturday September 7,” said Walter J Maben, president of celebrations committee and management of institutions.

Addressing the press persons at the  school auditorium on Thursday September 5, he said that as part of the celebrations a procession will be taken from the school premises at 9.30 am which will be followed by the inaugural ceremony at 10.30 am.

Guests MLA J R Lobo, Philomena Lobo, principal and  joint director, college of teacher education, Dr M Mohan Alva, and Dr Hannibal R Cabral, will be present.

Briefing about the institution, Maben said that 50 percent of the present building is more than 100 years old and presently houses the lower primary school, high school, and pre-university classes –arts and commerce. The total strength of the institution is 480.

Eminent personalities like noted writer Kayyara Kinhanna Rai, Justice K S Hegde, Rathan Verma, father of Dr Veerendra Hegde, and founder of Vijaya bank M Sundaram Shetty are among the noted people who have studied in the school.

The management has also planned to reconstruct certain wings of class rooms with modern designs at an estimated cost of Rs 2 crore. Most of the students studying in this institution are financially backward.

Speaking further, Maben said that the management of the institution was disappointed in various cases as they did not get support from the government with connection to the development of the institution.

Alwyn Colaco, vice-president, Alwyn Ananda, treasurer, Roshan Kumar, Jayashankar P, Jayanthi Purushottam, Aparna P, and A M Rafiuddin were among those present.