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Geology alumni pay back alma mater
The Osmania University gave Rs 5 lakh to each department to give a fresh coat of paint to the buildings, but the Department of Geology was lucky as old students of the 1974 batch took it upon themselves to not only get the building painted but also took up repairs to the 57-year-old building.
Hyderabad: The Osmania University gave Rs 5 lakh to each department to give a fresh coat of paint to the buildings, but the Department of Geology was lucky as old students of the 1974 batch took it upon themselves to not only get the building painted but also took up repairs to the 57-year-old building.
A reunion of the 1974 batch in the United States of America in December 2016 was the place when batchmates decided that they needed to give back something to their alma mater. Within two months, 25 old students pitched in Rs 20 lakh and now the building is spick and span and there is no trace of any cracks.
This is the first time in the history of Osmania University where old students took it upon themselves to repair the building.
Mohammed Baquer, president of Alumni Overseas Osmania, who studied in the Geology Department in 1974, said, “Initially, the university authorities were hesitant to let us do the renovation as there was no precedence. The four bathrooms were in a very bad condition, the roof had cracks and steel rods were protruding. Within a span of two months we have given a facelift to our department.”
In all 96 doors were painted and varnished, old furniture polished, a cemented approach road is now laid and all around grills installed. In front of the department a rock garden was created. Mohammed Baquer said, “Mineral samples would be placed at strategic locations in the rock garden.”
Few students of the 74 batch who settled abroad have already come to Hyderabad to take part in the centenary celebrations and 12 of them are staying in the city. Two have come from Canada and another is expected from the USA.
Dr P V Ramesh Babu, who retired as Additional Director, Atomic Minerals Division, said, “We are also planning to do something on the academic front by bringing the industry closer to the department, so that students will get exposure and also it will improve the employment opportunity.” A committee has been formed by the batch of 1974 to improve the academics which would be headed by P V Ramesh.
Unlike the Arts College and some other buildings in the campus, the Geology Department building does not boast of Indo-Saracenic style architecture nor does it have nor does it have arches and Octagonal pillars but it is functional.
During the renovation work old copper made lampposts and four pillars dating back to the 1930s that were lying idle were found in the campus now found a prominent place at the entrance of the Geology Department.“The university has given us so much and most of us have done very well in life. This is a small way of giving back to the institution that has made boys into men,” says Mohammed Baquer.
