Mangalore: KMC Class of ’79 Reunites after 30 Years
Media Release
Mangalore, Dec 15: KMC Class of ’79 met for their 30th Anniversary on 12th and 13th December 2009. These classmates had joined MBBS at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore in 1979.
62 out of the 100-plus classmates gathered for the event – from places as far apart as Delhi, Mumbai, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Some classmates also descended from foreign places like SA, South Africa and Middle East. Many had brought their families too.
Indulging in nostalgia is the essence of a class reunion. Hence many activities were arranged to take the classmates for a journey back in time. The meet commenced with a sumptuous lunch at the KMC Attavar Men’s Hostel Mess, where the members relished the tasty food prepared exactly the way it was 30 years back. This was followed by a visit to the KMC campus at Light House hill. The group then moved on to the outpatient department of Wenlock Hospital, where they had done their internship. They stole a few minutes for a sip of coffee at Taj Mahal.
The evening function was hosted at Hotel Deepa Comforts and many of the old teachers were invited to address the classmates. Among the senior teachers who attended the reunion were Dr. M. Shantharam Shetty, Dr. M. Ramesh Pai, Dr. P.N. Krishnamurthy, Dr. M. Sudhakar Shetty, Dr. C.R. Ballal, Dr. Ganesh Pai, Dr. R. N. Sujir, Dr. Laxman Pai, Dr. Seetharama Rao, Dr. Mahale and Dr. B. Sanjeeva Rai. Dr. G. Venkatraya Prabhu, Associate Dean of KMC spoke on behalf of the institution.
Addressing the gathering, leading pediatrician Dr. Santhosh Soans, who organized the reunion said: “This event was first planned five years back observe our 25th anniversary. Unfortunately, things did not fall in place. This time our dream came true.”
Recalling the reason for organizing the reunion, he added: “Class reunions were uncommon in the olden days when people rarely moved far from where they were born. But in today’s world, our work makes us to go far and wide and class reunions are a way to stay connected with our roots and feel a sense of pride in our own individuality.”
Dr. Vasanth Pai made an audiovisual presentation recapturing vivid memories of the past. In a ‘Roll Call’ session, each of the classmates stood up and identified himself / herself before the teachers and pointed out a few highlights of his or her career. Dr. Leela Shankar, now a leading consultant from Manipal Hospital, Bangalore cut a cake and celebrated her birthday. Solemn silence was observed for a few minutes to grieve for five of the classmates who were no more. The day ended with a grand banquet. Dr. Mohan Kumar compeered the programme and Dr.
Hariharamurthy proposed the vote of thanks.
Next morning the gathering moved to Mangalore Club for an informal fun and games. T-shirts were distributed to suit the light occasion. The meet concluded with lunch. It was indeed an emotionally charged meet and all the classmates went back happier and recharged to face the future as a proud KMCite.
Reflecting on the experience, Dr. Santhosh Soans says: “While attending a class reunion, there is always an anxiety about how we compare with our fellow classmates. But the purpose of a reunion is not to judge one another, but to celebrate our unique bond of being classmates, which is like an extended family.”
Dr. Gnanamurthy, Dr. Vijay Kumar, Dr. Sunil Kumar, Dr. Ganapathy, Dr Ashok Pandit, Dr. Sanath Hegde, Dr. Nityananda Rao were among the key organizers of the reunion.