Karnataka

A visit to alma mater makes silver jubilee year memorable

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silverMysore Aug 11, 2013: At a time when most of the people have made waterfalls their destination for weekends, owing to copious rainfall that has brought the natural attractions alive, a group of 72 doctors from different parts of the world had a different plan. A visit to their alma mater to make 25 years of their joining (the institute) memorable.

The alumni here belong to the Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC and RI), formerly Government Medical College, Mysore. The fast-growing social networking site Facebook and other technologically advanced communication means has brought them all together.

On Saturday, 72 alumnus belonging to the 1988 batch of the State’s premier institution, accompanied by their family members, relived every bit of their days as students, going around every corner of the heritage building of the college on Irwin Road. The day being a holiday on account of second Saturday, helped the former students go on a nostalgic tour in classrooms that had been kept open on request.

Dr Umashankar, a neurologist running Bangalore Neuro Centre and the brain behind bringing back his batchmates, told Deccan Herald, Chowdegowda a member of the group, who teaches anatomy at Cochin, in Kerala, ‘enacted the professional role for his batchmates at the anatomy department at MMC and RI’. Later, it was tea time and the defunct pond was turned into the hospitality zone.

Apart from Mysore, Mandya, Madikeri, Bangalore, Bijapur, Tumkur, Hubli and other districts in the State, doctors practicing in the USA, UK, Canada, West Indies and other countries made it for the day, Umashankar added.

A mention must be made of two graduates from the same batch serving at the MMC and RI — Dr Sunil Kumar, orthopaedic, and Dr Savitha, paediatric. Also, Dr Shashidhar, Dr Renu and Dr Anitha from USA, Dr Srinivas Murthy and Dr Shekar from Canada and Dr Anil Kumar, Dr Mamatha, Dr Rajiv and Dr Harish from UK travelled thousands of miles only to meet their old pals.

The idea to reorganise all the 118 batchmates took shape two years ago, when Umashankar wanted to make the silver jubilee year a celebration with a difference. He found support in Dr Prasanna and Dr Anil Kumar along with whom, he (Umashankar) was regularly organising a similar event involving 30 batchmates. Eventually, they succeeded in roping in 72.

What came in handy for them was Facebook and e-mails, through which they could connect with other friends who had spread across the globe.

On August 8, they came to the city of palaces and stayed in a hotel. Entertainment was unlimited with a melange of events.

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