Chennai: A feeling of warmth permeated the gathering at the felicitation of renowned educationist Dr G. Viswanathan, founder Chancellor of VIT. As president of Friends of USA, he was nominally the host of the party too at which the US Consul General, the amiable Robert Burgess, led a host of speakers in congratulating Viswanathan on his attaining 80 years.
Many diplomats in Chennai who attended lent the proceedings its international flavour. The UK Deputy High Commissioner Jeremy Pilford-Bedford the Singapore Consul General Roy KHO, the Japanese Consul General Kojiro Uchiyama, The Malaysian CG Saravanan and a host of honorary consuls and representatives of trade were present, besides the former German ambassador to India, Robert Matussek.
The fellowship was as warm as the speeches at the select gathering on Friday evening. Mr Robert G. Burgess noted that the creation of elite, international class institutions like VIT has led to some students heading to India from the US too. He said the Fulbright scholarship represents a distinguished tie-up between USA and India in the academic field.
VIT chancellor Viswanathan amusingly noted that India was poised to overtake China as the most populous nation by 2024 that too without any government help. He
also pointed out that numbers in population was also a strength and India, with a very young median population, was well placed to contribute to the modern world. Mr K.S. Ranganthan, founder president and force behind the organisation, Friends of USA, said it was time that VIT came to be known as ‘Viswanathan Institute of Technology’, a point reinforced by Mr Vikhrem Parrekh, Treasurer, Friends of USA. Winding up the pleasant function was R. Mohan, Resident Editor, Deccan Chronicle, who pointed out globalisation was the keyword now and the creation of elite high-tech institutions in India can contribute to overall development of AI and computing power.
