I would have joined ‘KRSJTI’ (opposite UCE) for degree program in textiles since a job was promised in Bangalore after graduation but my admission letter was misplaced in the house. I could have got admission at Mysore Medical College, but didn’t apply since I was afraid of seeing blood. I am happy that I joined UCE for pre-professional course in engineering during 58-59. There were only 197 first classes from all branches in erstwhile Mysore state for the first batch of PUC in 1958.
We cannot forget the ever smiling face of Dr BR Narayana Iyengar entering the college and going to his office. I think he is a bright product from MIT. Here in PPC we were fortunate to have senior professors from Central College, like Prof. Santhanam and Srinivasa Raghavan who were teaching Chemistry and Physics wearing Mysore petas.
Basic drawing courses were handled by Mr. Abdullah Sheriff who could write 3 dimensional complicated drawings with ease .It was just like some person was dancing. Mr. Arabatti, who is no more, used to help me in drawing class; Teachers like Prof. Lingaiah and Prof. MC Gupta who later became my senior colleague at IITM were also taking drawing classes. Mathematics was taught by many experienced teachers like Mr Made Gowda who was very friendly with students and worked many previous examination problems. Prof YGK used come to class without any notes. If we tell calculus or trigonometry, he used to start with that. I am very happy that Prof. YGK sons were my colleagues later at IITM. The highlight of second year was the Extensive survey camp for 15 days for all branches at Ghati Subramanya.
I was given mechanical engineering branch at the beginning of third year. I had the misconception that mechanical engineering means employment in factories. Got inter change to civil engineering since my friend Prof TS Ramamurthy had taken civil engineering was one year senior to me. Because of this change, two of my friends got mechanical and electrical engineering branch interchange. During breaks between two classes, we would go to Mysore Bank canteen.
We had many very affectionate teachers like Prof. Giriyappa, Prof Srinivasan. Prof. Krishna Murthy used to come neatly dressed with a coat. We had elderly teachers like Prof. SV Sundaram Iyer and Prof. BLC Rajan. When some very good students didn’t get first class in final year (only 7), Prof. Rajan remarked it is just like a horse race. In trials, the horse was doing very good but in finals way far behind. Prof DB Narasimhaiah used to enter college in a car with lot of books carried by an attender. His hand writing was like pearls. He used to start writing from top left and come down and an attender used to rub the board. Prof. BK Ramaiah who had just joined from Purdue was nick named “terror” during survey camp. He was particular of marking North direction and indexing in drawing sheets.. He used to tear away the drawing sheet if it was not properly indexed. Prof HVM was an exceptional teacher, teaching prestressed concrete. Prof KRC used to solve problems with all details. Third year and final year survey camps were really memorable. It is nice to recollect those days when we as students used to sleep on floor together in the choultry. I was one of the Secretaries for the final year camp. I cannot forget small issues when “Thondekaayi” was used for curry when it was cheap.
In the final year educational tour, CV Byre Gowda who was standing near the door fell down and all of us had to pull the chain to make the train stop. It is still fresh in my memory of CVB with a bandage on his head when we were visiting Birla mandir the place where Mahathma Gandhiji was shot dead. In later professional years, CVB came all the way driving from Pittsburg to New Jersey to meet buddies as he called During the educational tour, a few of us had royal treatment because of our friend Sureshwara,s father was a famous astrologer. I could meet him after many years in Chicago temple and happy to note that recently his book” Ramayana-then and now” was released. I used to cycle from my house near Commercial Street and reached college through Cubbon Park and there was hardly any traffic. I think during final year, I cycled through Vidhana Soudha and saw the building opposite to GPO where Sir MV had passed away on that day.
I cannot forget the quadrangle activities in between two tall trees and active participation of Banappa and Javarappa and others. We had very good basket ball players like Venkatesh in our class. One of my kudumi friend used to shave off his head just before the examination after missing many classes. BHL Gowda was my happy friend in BE and ME and also my colleague from 1965 to 2001.
All the 5 years spent in the college of Engineering; BANGALORE were memorable and fruitful which helped me to go to IISc . This motivated me to do PhD at IITM as a faculty member. Teaching profession has been rewarding and especially serving at IITM campus which provided me a platform for doing research and consultancy and to be in touch with young students. It also helped me to do social work in addition to other academic activities.
I am indebted to college authorities, my esteemed teachers and friends. Sad to note that some of our Alumni are not alive now and also we miss some of our friends for this golden jubilee reunion due to their personal commitments. Let all of us continue the bondage and keep relations with one another hence forth.
– Er. P.A. Aswatha Narayana, Batch of 1963 Civil
The article has been borrowed from the Souvenir of “Suvarna Sammilana” – of 63 and 64 batch Reunion. We are thankful to the 63-64 batch who shared the Souvenir with us and permitted us to use contents from it.
