Loyola Alumni Bulletin

August 2008

From the Director's Desk

Dear Alumni/ae,

At the very beginning of yet another academic year 2008-2009, Loyola and Loyola Alumni Association greet each one of you my dear alumni/ae. This is the 84th year of Loyola's existence. During the past 83 years, Loyola has served the student community with dedication and commitment. The teaching, non teaching, the Jesuit management and the Jesuits Fathers have worked together very hard and provided the best of education. No wonder still parents want their sons and daughters to be only at Loyola for education.

During the past year too, Loyola true to her name has been standing tall among all the institutions in the country. Loyola has kept up the first position in Arts, Science and moved forward to the second place in Commerce. Kudos to Loyola and congrats to all for the hard work put in for Loyola's growth and achievement.

Loyola is the same to some extent and she is like a ladder. The ladder is in the same place even though all those who make use of the ladder go up and reach the height, honour and glory. Loyola has now grown much. She has put up many buildings and renovated her labs. I request you my dear alumni/ae to join hands in the strengthening process – viz, contributing your mite for building up Loyola by creating more and more of scholarships for the marginalised the poor and the rural and thus help Loyola in the construction process building people. I invite especially the past commerce and economics students to come forward to build the Loyola School of Business Studies.

This is my appeal and request to you my dear Alumni/ae: Come back to Loyola once again and enjoy the spiritual and intellectual atmosphere. Jesuit Alumni Association of Tamilnadu (JAAT) too has great many plans to strengthen itself. We had the executives meeting on 27th July at St.Mary's, Dindigul, to plan for the Academic year 2008-2009.

This is the year when we the Alumni/ae in the South Zone gather at Andhra Loyola College, Vijayawada in the month of October-November to review the functioning of Alumni Associations in our institutions and chalk out plans to strengthen them.

Let us join hands with the management & JAAT to strengthen Loyola & Loyola Alumni Association and strive hard to make Loyola one of the greatest institutions in the World….

Rev. Dr. S. Peter Xavier, SJ
Director, Loyola Alumni Association &
Secretary, Loyola College

Fr. Rector's Message

Dear Alumni/ae,

To think of the Alumni/ae brings great joy and hope for all of us here in Loyola. How delighted I am to come back to you and to communicate with you through this bulletin of ours which is totally dedicated to the cause of building ‘bridges' between you and the present  day 'Loyolites' !

There is a growing realization among the staff and the management, that it is crucial to strengthen these ‘bridges' for the sake of the development of the college in this era of ‘globalized world' and that too, when ‘education' is growing in a mind boggling manner, and on the other hand, though sadly, that it is getting highly commercialized. A deeply disturbing and a paradoxical context of such kind invites us more and more to seek your collaboration and contribution in order to avert such trends well within Loyola first, and then elsewhere too. Needless to mention that you have been greatly contributing in many ways. But more along the line of academic embellishment and advancement at all levels need to be ensured for Loyola's growth through our collaboration.

In this context, I am glad to communicate that, by God's grace, we have started B.Ed. College last year and the building is getting ready. Close on the heals is the ‘School of Business and Economics'; besides an ‘Engineering College' is also contemplated within Loyola campus.

We assure you that there will be more efforts on our part to reach you; and our Alumni/ae association is taking a lot of initiatives. I am happy about it. I shall be greatly obliged if you could contribute your mite to build this relationship for the ‘greater glory of God' with the sense of hope, justice and love.

Thank you,

Rev. Fr. K. Amal,SJ
Rector, Loyola College  

Fr. Principal's Message

Dear Alumni/ae,

I am happy to communicate with you through this bulletin as we journey into the 84th year of academic excellence. This academic year is going to be a year of innovations and achievements. We shall realize all our objectives when we dream individually forming a vision, travel collectively discovering a new horizon and believe totally in our capacity to succeed.

The recently concluded 35th General Congregation of the Jesuits invites us to have compelling and powerful dreams or visions of human betterment. It requires a disposition to do the right things and influence others also to do the right things. This year is the Golden Jubilee year of PG programs in our College, the completion of 30 years of Autonomy and the Silver Jubilee year of the Department of Sociology.

M.Sc. Food Science & Food Processing has been started in this academic year and the College is awaiting permission from the University of Madras for starting M.Sc. Nano-science & Nanotechnology and B.Sc Animation courses. As a positive step towards academic excellence, the college will opt for academic audit by external experts in every discipline by September 2008. We hope the dream of the “School of Commerce” will be a reality.

Sincerely yours,

Rev. Fr. A. Albert Muthumalai, SJ
Principal, Loyola College

Change of Guard in Loyola

Prof. G. Ramamurthy Vice-Principal (Administration) Shift – I Rev. Fr. P. Susai, S.J. Director, Loyola Hostel & Vice-Principal – Shift - I Rev. Fr. S. Arockiasamy, S.J. Vice-Principal (Administration) Shift – II Prof. Alston Rosario Vice-Principal (Student Affairs & Academics) Shift – II Rev. Dr. S. Rajanayagam, S.J. Dean of Media Studies Prof. G. M. James Dean of Foundation Courses Dr. P. Sagayaraj Dean of Sciences: Shift – I Rev. Fr. L. X. Jerome, S.J. Dean of Sciences: Shift – II Dr. J. Dhanaraj Dean of Arts: Shift – II Rev. Fr. Xavier Vedam, S.J. Director cum Vice-Principal for Outreach Dr. M. Lazar Selvaraj Director, Training & Placement Cell

Dr. T. Pathinathan Director, Ignatian Institute of Career Development Prof. Keith Gomez Counsellor ( Shift – I ) Dr. A. Dayalan HOD, Department of Chemistry Prof. S. James Sundararaj HOD, Department of English Prof. M. R. Arul Raj HOD, Department of Social Work Dr. S. A. Rajarajan HOD, Department of Tamil Rev. Fr. G. Arockiaraj, S.J. President of Sports & Games and Deputy Director, LIVE Rev. Dr. Joe Arun S.J. Co-ordinator, Loyola – South Bank Programme Dr. S.J. Kingsley Co-ordinator, M.Sc. (industrial Biotechnology Management) Loyola - Lille Catholic Programme Rev. Fr. Joseph Antony Jacob, S.J. Campus Ministry

Loyola on Top

Loyola College has continued to remain for the past 7 years in the list of the top 10 colleges in India ranked by India Today (see the issue of June 2, 2008). In 2008 also Loyola is ranked first in both Arts and Science.

India Today Ranking (2002 to 2008) Loyola College position

	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
Arts	1	1	3	3	1	1	7
Science	1	1	1	1	3	4	1
Commerce	2	3	3	8	4	4	4

Source: India Today Magazine, May / June 2002 to 2008

Loyola Alumni Association

Loyola Alumni Association is one of the very active wings of the Loyola College. The total membership of the Association is 18,289 as on 29th July 2008. Nearly 1,980 final year students have become members of Alumni Association in the last academic year alone.

Loyola Alumni Association and Loyola's growth:

• Loyola Alumni Association had its AGM on 21st April 2007.
• Loyola Alumni Directory (2004-2007) was prepared and distributed among the new graduates on January 18, 2008 on the day of the Convocation.
  For the first time the Loyola Alumni Pin was introduced and given to the new graduates.
• Loyola Alumni Day was celebrated on 26th January 2008. Members gathered in Lawrence Sundaram Auditorium and discussed to various issues
  relating to Alumni/ae Association.
• Loyola Alumni Association, through the Online Alumni Directory / Loyola Alumni Bulletin gives information about the activities of the College and
  invites the members for the Alumni meetings and request the Alumni/ae to get involved in the various activities of the College.
• Some of the Alumni participated in the National Conference on Autonomy and a dinner was hosted to the delegates during the National Conference
  on Autonomy.
• LOHO – Meets: – Loyola hostellers meet every year to celebrate their fellowship with their family members.

LAA and Training and development of students:

• Loyola Career Expo 2007 - joined hands with Students Service Centre and conducted successfully the Career Expo for the year 2007-2008.
• Rev. Fr. Jerome D' Souza, S.J. Third Alumni Endowment Lecture was delivered by Mr. Sashi Kumar, Chairman, Media Development Foundation
  & Asian College of Journalism on 27th March 2008.
• Loyola Alumni Association collaborated with Ignatian Institute of Career and Development (IICD) for CA Motivation Seminar & Awareness
  Programme about IAS & IPS services.
• Tournaments – Bertram, Murphy, Francis Memorial Hockey tournaments. LAA encourages the Physical Education department by providing certain
  awards.
• Alumni Association sponsored the Reliving Experience conducted by various Depts. like History, Social Work.

Financial Assistance:

Financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 2, 50, 000/- was given to the poor and deserving students for payment of their semester fees, hostel mess fees and semester examination fees.

JAAT Affairs : Alumni & JAAT

• JAAT Prominent Alumni Day: Loyola Alumni Association orgainsed JAAT Day on 26th January 2008. The prominent Alumni/ae of the JAAT were
  invited. More than 150 delegates attended the gathering. The very purpose of the meet was to regain the Spirit of Jesuit Alumni/ae. It was a
  wonderful experience to be together and experience the fellowship.
• National Congress: 10 delegates from Loyola College attended 5th National Jesuit Alumni/ae Congress, which was held on 7-9 September 2007
  at Loyola Campus, Trivandrum .

Alumni Chapters:

The Mauritius Chapter was started in the last academic year during the month of November 2007.

Loyola's march towards 2025:

Loyola 2025 was held on 20th November 2007 at Loyola Campus, to plan for the centenary of Loyola. The alumni gathered at Loyola in order to have a vision for Loyola – Loyola 2025. Many suggestions were offered to make Loyola greater still.

Future plans:
•  To take lot of efforts to strengthen the Association
•  To strengthen the Alumni Association by contacting the Alumni who are living abroad
•  To strengthen the bond between the Loyola Placement Cell & IICD and other centres of Loyola and Alumni Association. By linking the
    corporate bodies with the institution LAA will play the important role of a catylist
•  To collaborate with the Outreach team by conducting various medical camps through the Alumni
•  To raise fund for the School of Business Studies

Training & Placement Cell

The Students Service Centre, as it has been known from its inception, has been changed to Training & Placement Cell. Dr. Lazer Selva has been appointed as its new Director for the next three years. It must be noted here though the name has been changed only this year, the concept of training and placement has been keenly followed by the last three Directors namely Profs. G. M. James, Bernard D'Sami and T. Eugine.

Around forty five national and multinational reputed companies visited the campus in the last academic year (2007-2008) and 383 students have been placed in various high yielding positions. Apart from that, many companies have hired students for part time project works and MOUs have been signed with some multinational companies such as TCS and Wipro and CTS facilitating training of our students in the required areas of career development.

We are looking ahead with many more such possibilities of training and placement in this academic year too. There is a great rush already this year from the reputed companies. Negotiation is on with reputed organizations for helping us to train and place the poor and the marginalized who otherwise do not match the standards of the great companies that visit the campus.

Sports and Games

The Dept. of Sports strives to out do its own past performances. It has brought glory to the College in all the disciplines of sports. Our athletes and sports stars are making a mark in the international arena also.

In the field of athletics Balamurgan of 2nd B.A. Economics represented Junior India and won the gold medal in the 110 meters hurdles at the junior SAF games. C. Arivoli 2nd B.A. History also represented the country at the junior SAF games and won the silver medal in javelin throw. In football Pradeep Kumar of 3rd B.A.History represented junior India for the tournaments in France and Germany. In chess V. Vishnu Prasanna of 2nd B.Com. won numerous accolades at the international stage. To name a few he won the International FIDE rated chess championship in Cochin and he achieved International Master Norm in the Asian junior chess championship. He has qualified to represent India in the upcoming world junior championship. In Cricket N. Einstein of 1st year B.A. Sociology has been selected as part of the India Under - 19 Squad which is currently playing the World Cup Match in Malaysia. Thalaivan Sargunam, J.Stephen, K.Anand and I.K.Rohit represented Madras University in the tournament held in Malaysia against their national side and emerged victorious. In Kabaddi – Siva Thalil III B.Sc. Mathematics a student represented Junior Indian team. R. Abishek represented India in the International Table tennis tournament.

In the National Competitions, our teams have bagged the A. L. Mudaliar Sports Championship, and won the St. Joseph's College South India Championship trophy. 18 of our athletes represented Madras University at Chidambaram and won 6 gold medals.

The Table Tennis team won the first prize in all the 11 tournaments held in South India . In tennis Vijay Sundar Prashanth won the gold medal at the All India University Meet. The kabbadi team won the prestigious Madras University tournaments and four students are in the University team. The cricket team lifted the Gurunanak Trophy, the University A-Zone Cup and the All India Dharbamba Trophy. The Hockey team won three tournaments last year. It also got the Chennai District First Division Hockey Shield. Our football team brought us six trophies. About eight players have got into the University team also. We are making a mark also in Squash and Rowing.

Thirty of our sportsmen have found employment in various organizations.

The sports day for shift I was held on 29th Feb. 2008 with Mr. T. Rajendran IPS, Inspector General of Police as the chief guest. Sociology department won the Annual Athletic Championship's Fr.Jerome D'Souza S.J., Memorial Trophy and Economics Department got the Fr.Gordon SJ, Memorial Trophy for the Annual Team Championship.

The Sports for shift II was held on 1st March 2008, Mr. M. Rajendran IAS, was the chief guest. The Rev.Fr.E.Charroin Memorial Trophy for the winners in the March Past went to the Computer Science Department. This department won also the Inter-Departmental Team Championship and the Annual Athletic Meet! Congrats!

The management under Rev. Fr. K. Amal SJ, our Rector, gives full support to the Physical Director, Prof. Vijay Kumar and Mr. Senthil Kumar, the Asst. Director, who form our sports persons with the help of a dedicated team of coaches. Our heartfelt thanks to each one of them.

Students' Union 2008-2009

The Election for the Union was held on 20th June 2008 with Dr. John William as Chairman of the Election Committee and Dr. K. S. Antonysamy as the Chief Election Officer. The following were declared elected:

Saravana Kumar. C, of Advanced Zoology Department (President), Kishore Sindhia of Economics Department (Vice-President), S. Ezhil Raj of Plant Biology and Biotechnology (Secretary), I. Mohamed Izadeen of Computer Science (Joint Secretary), and Ms. Chandra Vadana D.R.S., of Visual Communication (Associate Secretary).

The Students Union was inaugurated by Mr. S. K. Dogra, IPS, ADGP, Chennai on 16th July 2008. He spoke on the importance of motivation and hard work as the rings of the ladder of success. Dr. K. S. Antonysamy, Dean of students, appreciated the support of the Management to the Union and said that during this academic year, the leaders will not be “mere organizers of cultural programmes” but will encourage also activities related to academics. The union has already organized a one-day seminar on the “Concluding observations of the UNO Committee on Economics, Social and Cultural Rights.”

On 21st July 2008, a National level debate on the Civil Nuclear Deal was held with Dr. Achin Vanaik, of Delhi University, Mr. Prapel Bidwai, Columnist, Dr. Lawrence Prabhakaran of Madras Christian College and Mr. C .D. Meyyappan, Member, AICC, on the panel.

The union plans for a kaleidoscope of events like cultural shows, departmental festivals and seminars on current issues.

Retiring Staff

• Mr. K. F. Samikannu has put in 42 years of dedicated service as office Assistant. He always performed his duties with smile. His sense of belonging and loyalty to the college is highly commendable and worthy of emulation.
• Prof. S. Ravichandran, Former Head of the Department of Physics has put in 32 years of fruitful service at Loyola. He is appreciated and admired by his students for his integrity and his teaching abilities. He is an ardent champion of the rights of the teachers.
• Dr. S. Xavier Jesuraja, Former Head of the Department of Physics has put in 29 years of fruitful service. He sought Voluntary Retirement as he was appointed as Member, Tamilnadu Public Service Commission by the Government of Tamilnadu. Being a committed teacher, he was always student oriented.
• Prof. G. M. James, Head of the Department of English has served 26 years in the college. Earlier he was a faculty member of Loyola Evening College for about 5 years. He is compassionate to the students and he is a forward thinking person with unflinching loyalty to the College. He is a team man and he stood for the rights of the teachers.
• Prof. Keith Gomez has put in 25 years and 3 months. His loyalty to the institution, depth of knowledge in the subject and his devotion to duty are exemplary.
• Rev. Fr. J. M. Das, S.J. has put in 24 years and 6 months of service. He served as Head of the Department of Social Work. Earlier he had served as Vice-Principal, Loyola Evening College . He was very systematic in his approach.
• Dr. J. Dhanaraj has put in 22 years of service. He is a hard working and a sincere teacher. “Punctuality” is his hallmark and he never compromised on principles and he is extremely systematic and an able teacher of Tamil grammar.
• Rev. Dr. S. Peter, S.J. has put in about 20 years of service. He is known for his love for the Alma mater. Having served in many Jesuit Institutions, Father has special love for Loyola. He befriends people easily and his students look forward to his classes which are presented in a scholarly fashion with a clear voice.

Loyola Alumni Association takes this opportunity to thank them for their services to the College and wishes them many more years of good health and enjoyable retired life.

Obituary

With profound sorrow, we place on record the demise of the following during last academic year:

• Mr. J. George, Non-teaching Staff died on 24th April 2007.
• Ms. Catherine Kalavathy, Former Lecturer in the Dept of Mathematics passed away on 26th June 2007.
• Dr. V. A. Murthy, Former HOD of Zoology, Former Acting Head of the Visual Communication Department and Dean of Sciences died on 9th November 2007.
• Dr. T. K. Ragunatha Rao, Former HOD of Zoology passed away on 15th November 2007.
• Dr. M. S. Kasi, Former Dean of Sciences and Reader in Mathematics died on 18th November 2007.
• Rev. Fr. S. M. Felix, S.J., Founder Director, LIVE and Reader in the Dept. of Mathematics passed away on 20th November 2007.

May God grant them eternal peace !