A Rewarding Day | @ Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru Today
24th February 2025 | Talestra 2025
This morning at 5.30 I was up for my usual coffee-stroll in Narayanapura, Bengaluru. While walking down the road, I was surprised to see many bikers and walkers draped in woolen wear. Indeed the chill morning breeze of Bengaluru had enveloped us full-time! So for once, instead of having my regular coffee, today I took to chai to beat the chilly weather.
At 8.30 am, Dr. Santhosh came to my room to invite me for breakfast. We walked across the main gate to the staff rooms, where Dr. Santhosh showed me around his cabin.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Dr. Ben Milton, Dr. Tejas, Dr. Brighton among others who were there to welcome me. We all had breakfast together in the Staff Canteen.
Then, we headed straight to the auditorium.
Kristu Jayanti College is an architectural marvel in itself.
Even Fr. Principal’s room was so pleasing to the eyes, and invigorating to the mind, as it was adorned all over with indoor plants of all hues and shades.
Fr. Joshy Mathew who heads the department, is commitment-personified. We had a lovely time of interaction over coffee as well. I was pleasantly surprised to know that, the Department of English has a staff strength of 53 faculty members, in a College strength of 15,000 students.
Talestra 2025, saw students from many city Colleges turning up with such enthusiasm on them. I was happy to give the Key-Note Address, as part of the activities of the Writers’ Association. Then, I was taken to the grand auditorium of Kristu Jayanti College, where the II MA English Literature students were about to perform a play. Entry to the play was free but students had to register in advance. To my surprise the entire auditorium with a seating capacity of 1,200 was filled to the brim.
When I asked the faculty members about student behaviour during a play performance, they said that, students always maintained the Jayantian Code of Conduct, and never disturbed their fellow audience when a play is performed.
True to his words, the audience was glued to their seats, applauding and cheering the players at the appropriate times.
It was indeed a mind-blowing performance by the students of II MA English.
I was so happy to be invited by Fr. Principal Dr. Augustine George to sit with him in the front row, along with Fr. Joshy Mathew, HoD, Dept of English to watch the stellar performance of the players.
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| With Fr. Principal and the HoD, Dept of English Fr. Mathew |
The fact that the members of the audience gave a standing ovation to the cast and crew is testimony to the success of the performance. Interestingly, the play was directed by a student of II MA, under the supervision of a faculty coordinator Dr. Steffi. Everything about the play was impeccable, and everything went like clockwork, with no odd, jarring pauses, or noisome squealings from the microphones at any point of time.
I was glad to take a snap with Fr. Principal and the HoD along with a host of vibrant faculty members of the Dept, Dr. Santhosh, Dr. Brighton, Dr. Ben Milton and Dr. Tejas.
I was delightfully surprised to meet the architect of the College, a very simple, cool and calm personality, Fr. Som Zacharia, Director Infrastructure Planning and Development, who is the brain behind the brilliant architectural design of each of the buildings of Kristu Jayanti College. The best of all is the design of the Humanities block.
I told him, ‘Father, not even a single square feet of space has been unutilized or under-utilized here. Every space has been put to the best use’.
One has to see the architecture to believe it.
It is 10 pm now, and just now, got back from Bengaluru, by car. It was a long journey, of about six hours, 😊 that too, driving through the busy Bengaluru highways and byways was a challenging experience.
But at the end of the day, it was a rewarding one!
Hope to write more on this day’s memories, sometime soon.
For now, attaching a few memorable snaps of the day, thanks to Dr. Santhosh.
Dr. Santhosh, is our past student, an illutrious alumnus of our Dept who is doing so well in KJC. His dedication to his vocation is phenomenal.
And so are Dr. Ben, Dr. Brighton and Dr. Tejas, all our vibrant past students. I told them that I was thrilled beyond words to see them shine and making an impact, in such a blessed and wonderful college.
MCC-ians rock wherever they are! So happy to see this in action today at KJC! 😊
Viva la MCC! Viva la KJC!!
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