Rev. Fr. Denzil Lobo S.J.

I am very happy to inform you that his Excellency Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, the PRESIDNET OF INDIA was with us on 28th March 2003 to declare open the new INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, RESEARCH & MAGEMENT Centre of St Aloysius. Mr George Fernandes, then Minister for Defence , and our alumnus was also with us on that day. It was a great day for all of us. Over 5000 students, staff, benefactors and friends were gathered on that day to listen to the President of India. Everyone was enthralled when he spoke to us, and reminisced his days while he was a student at St Joseph’s College, Trichy. Please check the site for snaps on Presidential visit.

I am very happy to read the sentiments expressed by many of our Alumni on our WEB PAGE. We at St Aloysius College feel elated that you do remember your College. We note with satisfaction that you do well in life and hold key positions. We are really proud that our alumni have spread throughout the world. I am happy to inform you that I have a special section where profiles of our Alumni who have made significant contribution to the world at large are also included.

Every year, so many of our students leave the College. Some were here for just 2 years, some others for 5 years and a few for over 12-15 years ! When you leave, you carry with you beautiful memories of your classmates, teachers, the various corners and corridors of this vast campus. I have watched with happiness some of you coming back on short visits to relive "good old times ". Some time back Prof. Kini from Mumbai visited SAC campus. He is over 82 years of age. He requested me to take him to Xth std class room. He sat at the exact location where he used to sit... and recollected those days while he was studying in the High School.

Something is happening at St Aloysius. Surprised? Look up our WEBSITE. More buildings have come up. New courses are introduced. We are now in professional education, with M.C.A. ( Master of Computer Applications ) begun three years back We introduced MSW( Master's Degree in Social Work) and B.Sc (Bio technology) in 2001, M.Sc- Biotechnology in 2002. ..more Post Graduate Degree programmes to follow. Fr. Leo D'Souza's doctoral level research lab. in Bio Science is now functioning in the newly constructed GONZAGA block where the PUC section has been completely shifted. The main building, extended after the centenary, has now the 'COELHO BLOCK" appended to it, housing the library, an audio-visual centre and the first-ever language laboratory in Karnataka. This year the PUC section has been completely bifurcated. It is independent, and Fr. Swebert D'Silva, S.J. is the first Principal of St Aloysius PU College. Keeping in mind the future expansion of the PU College, we have almost completed building one more building, just behind the present ARTS & Commerce Block. It is going to be a 9 storey building, which will house all the Science Depts. The new block known as XAVIER SCIENCE & RESEARCH BLOCK.

PRESENT STATUS

There is more to follow. The leadership of Aloysius College in education is of a very different order. You will agree that the student is the focus of our attention. It is in this college that he gets committed and total attention in both academic and extra-curricular fields and makes him/her ready to face life.

To continue this work among the youth we cannot allow the question of finances to dictate terms. The fact is, with the present policy of the government, we need Rs 70 lakhs to pay the salaries of unaided staff !. Money also has to be found to fund new courses in IT, to build adequate laboratories and offer education with competitive edge. We cannot tax the student with fees he cannot pay and therefore we must turn to other sources.

But we have you. You studied here and so you understand that facilities we want to create are needed for the students. Inside you, your heart swells up with pride when someone mentions St Aloysius College, so you want to be a part in the growth of this Institution.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

But I did not tell you what we have planned for the next few years. Behind the main building, what was known as the Centenary ground will now become the hockey ground. A most modern INFORMATION TECHNOLGY, RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT building has come up on the old hockey ground next to the auditorium. We will house the present M.C.A. course and many future courses in IT, some of them in collaboration with some Jesuit universities abroad ( Loyola University, Chicago ). It is here that we will prepare youth for challenging assignments in information technology and management. We have applied for MBA program. We will begin it next academic year. We will also start M.Sc- Bioinformatics, and RESEARCH in neural nets, Genetic Algorithms, Fuzzy Logic and Bioinformatics.

The PUC section will soon have an auditorium of 1500 capacity. The hostel is also going to have a new wing to accommodate over 100 students.

In another a year and half ( Jan 2005 ) the college will celebrate 125th anniversary. We would like as many of our alumni and friends to come and be with us during a week long celebrations.

We are planning a MODERN LIBRARY , which will be kept open up to 9 p.m., a POST GRADUATE BLOCK, to accommodate many of our PG Programmes, and also a PG Hostel – with very good facilities offered to our PG students.

ESTIMATED COST & FUND RAISING

I know nothing about St Aloysius will surprise you. Our PU block cost us Rs 3 crores, that is not a surprise. So don't be surprised if we estimate another Rs 6 crores for the IT building and the auditorium and 5 crores for the Xavier Science & Research Block…and more amount to be spent for the next projects in hand.

Before you take out your pen to write out a cheque let me say just two things. The first is that, apart from you, we have no one else to turn to. Secondly, whatever you give us is not for building buildings, but for building up young boys and girls who sit inside the classroom with the same look of innocence, awe and love that you had once when you were a student here.

HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR ALMA MATER

That is the only reason how I have the audacity to request an old student like you to help us in one of the following ways.

Please contact Fr. Denzil ( frdenzil@jesuits.net ) for further instructions on how to apply for Tax Deductions.

For Tax Deductions in India

Special 80G tax exemption is available. Our web page has a location to monitor all donations. So when you send in your contribution, it will inspire your friend who is sure to see your name on our web site. Hence you will be doing us a double favour.

Please indicate "Towards IT & Auditorium Building Fund of SAC" when you write out your cheque/D.D./mail Transfer in favour of M.J.E.S., Mangalore. We have a bank account No 7387 in Indian Overseas bank, Hampankatta, Mangalore. ( For Foreign Contributions only).

Thank you for this opportunity of reaching out to you in your own place. In the name of generations of students to come to SAC, I express my gratefulness to your generosity.

With fond memories and regards,

Fr. Denzil Lobo s.j.
Vice- Principal
St Aloysius College
MANGALORE- 575 003