Mangalore: Dr Veerendra Heggade graces BEM Institution's 175th anniversary
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Jan 24: "When BEM Institution invited me for its 175th anniversary celebration, I happily agreed, because I was also a part of the institute’s 150th year celebration. Moreover, my father the late Ratnavarma Heggade also studied in this institution,” said Dr D Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala.
He was speaking at the penultimate day of the five-day event marking the culmination of the 175th year celebration of BEM Institution.
He further said, "The arrival of Basel Mission brought in many changes in society, especially in the field of education. They also involved themselves in business, politics, economics, and agriculture. They influenced the lifestyle of people. Though our country had a history of 5,000 years and had a good education system even before they came, it was only for the upper class and not for the poor."
Dr Heggade also unveiled the blueprint of the 3D future building project plan which will be built at a cost of Rs 2 crore. The project as has been undertaken by Prakash Simons, builder/architect and president, UBMC, in memory of the 175 years celebrations of the institution.
Walter J Maben, in his keynote address, said, "Protestant Christian missionaries came to India from Germany and Switzerland, deputed by the Evangelical Mission Society, known as Basel Mission. In those days, there were superstitious beliefs among people and due to this the upper class suppressed the lower class. Education was restricted to the upper class and the lower class was deprived of education. Later, after the arrival of missionaries it gave education to all irrespective of caste, class, creed, and sex. It also worked with the motto, 'In front of God all are equal'."
On this occasion, 11 retired teaching and non-teaching staff were felicitated.
Raghavendra Rao, former president of MUDA, Suresh Ballal, Roshan Kumar, PUC principal, Jayanthi Purushotham, and Alwyn Colaco were present on the occasion.