About the Madras Institute Technology Alumni Association (MITAA)
It is coincidence to get the word coined MITAA, which means sweet in Hindi. MITAA has witnessed 50 sweet eventful years. The year 2016 is the Golden Jubilee year for MITAA. If we look back at the formation and growth of MITAA it is astonishing. Thanks to the unstinted efforts and foresight of stalwarts like Prof. M. V. Radhakrishnamurthy, Mr. T.A.S. Balagopal (1st Batch), Mr. S. Ramaswamy, Mr. B. Venkatraman, Mr. P. Krishnaswamy (late) and others who laid the foundation for the formation of MITAA in the year 1966.
The objective was simple. Alumni have to do something back to the alma mater and take the flame of spirit higher and higher in the spheres of Education, Industry and Entrepreneurship. The first General Body meeting was held on 14th April 1966 and was headed by Mr. V. Gopalan (1st Batch) as President, Prof. C.J.G. Chandra (1stBatch) as Vice President, Mr. P.S. Subramanian (6th Batch) as Secretary and Mr. B. Venkatraman (4thBatch) as Treasurer. Prof. K. Srinivasan was the Dean of the Institute at that time.
From 1966, MITAA started spreading its wing far and wide creating chapter after chapter around the Globe. The Bombay chapter was started in 1968 under the stewardship of Mr. C.J. Ravi (1st Batch). It further triggered to start chapters at Neyveli, Hyderabad and Calcutta chapters in 1969. MITAA Bangalore Chapter (MITAA-BC) started in 1972. Further new chapters were started at New Delhi, Trichy, Cochin, Singapore, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and USA. Most of the chapters continue to function successfully till date. Few of them who have slowed down their activities are in the process of being revived.
When MITAA witnessed its Silver Jubilee year in 1991, a grandeur function was organized in the month of February. A three day program packed with Lectures, Seminars and an Industrial Exhibition (Vision 2001) marked the occasion. His Excellency Dr. A.P. J. Abdul Kalam, India’s revered President, an alumnus of the Institute delivered the eighth C. Rajam Memorial Lecture on this occasion. A charitable trust named the AMITA Trust was formed. The Trust was to help poor and meritorious students financially, to help alumni entrepreneurs using the expertise of the alumni seniors, and to raise funds for the Institute for noble cause.
When MIT witnessed its Golden Jubilee year in 1999, MITAA assisted in collecting and donating a tidy sum of money. A souvenir was brought out by the MITAA to mark the occasion. Mr. K.B. Chandrasekhar of the 32nd Batch an NRI, donated Rupees One Core and the AU-KBC Center for Information Technology was formed at the Institute and he is continuously putting in the money to promote high tech research and foster entrepreneurship.
MITAA continues its march towards achieving the objectives set during inception and solicits the co-operation of all its members in the form of active participation and suggestions for improvements and means of augmenting the resources to sustain its activities.
About the MADRAS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT)
When there is a need to humanity, the almighty appears in human form and does what is needed. Thanks to the foresight of a group of philanthropist-cum-luminaries, in the year 1949, the Madras Institute of Technology was born. At a time when all the engineering colleges were only offering traditional subjects like Civil, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, the founder decided to go in for four new disciplines of Engineering in Aeronautical, Automobile, Electronics and Instrumentation. This was a courageous and pioneering step, which was amply justified by the subsequent striking growth in these fields made by the country. Instrumentation as a branch was not even heard of in this country at that point of time and it was only much later that other Institutions included Instrumentation as a branch in their curriculum. A second departure was made from convention in that the courses were designed as three year courses and entry was open to science graduates offering Diploma in MIT (DMIT).
The first Convocation of the Institute was addressed by the First Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the year 1952. The late Mr. N Srinivasan a specialist in the field of Aeronautical Engineering and a former Deputy Chief Engineer of the HAL, Bangalore, took over the reins of the Directorship from Mr. M K Ranganathan in the year 1954 who by then through his selfless hard work had set the way for the Institute in the path of glory. Mr. Srinivasan further developed the Faculty of Aeronautical Engineering and he was responsible for the establishment of the MIT Athenaeum, a student organisation for extracurricular activities. Professor K Srinivasan Acting Director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) took over as the third Director in 1960 and continued to be the Director till 1971. During his tenure he was responsible for starting PG courses in Aeronautics and Electronics. The implementation of the recommendations of the Reviewing Committee of the GOI in 1963 and obtaining financial agreements took place during his tenure. In 1971 Prof. T. Krishnan, a specialist in the field of Radio Astronomy took over as the fourth Director. In February 1975 the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Institute were inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Prof. S.P. Hore was the Director then having taken over from Prof. Krishna. The Union Finance Minister Mr.C.Subramanian inaugurated the Alumni guest house which was handed over by the President of the MITAA to the Institute. Prof. Hore was largely responsible for the successful completion of the Silver Jubilee activities by forming a well-knit team of the Alumni, staff and students and consistently guiding them.
The Institute was brought under Anna University in the year 1978 when the University was formed. From this time on-wards B.Tech degree was offered to the qualified students who were admitted with Science graduation. Further the Institute witnessed a change in admission criteria mixing lateral entry for the science graduates at second year extending the course duration to four years with candidates coming from 10+2 system. After a thorough revival presently only higher secondary students are admitted and the admission to science graduates is totally removed. Now the Institute has 8 faculties.
Our Beloved Founder:
Mr. Chinnaswamy Rajam (1882 – 1955) who in later years was acknowledged by the late Dr.C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, as “a pioneer in the industrial field” made a very humble beginning, by trying his hand at various activities like running a grocery shop, canvassing orders for a tannery firm, running a leather goods showroom etc. In 1918 he started the India Company carrying out various activities, started the Kumbakonam Electric Supply Corporation Limited in 1932, Nagapattinam Electric Supply Company Limited in 1933 and India Steel Rolling Mills in 1933. It was during the construction and commissioning of the steel rolling mill that Rajam felt the urgent need to develop indigenous manpower to reduce the high cost of hiring foreign manpower and that set in, the process of establishing Engineering Institute in the country. In 1944 when he lost his wife he decided to reduce his personal comforts and wanted to serve society to the bet of his ability. He sold two of his bungalows which at of that time fetched him rupees Five Lakhs and the entire proceeds were donated for starting of the MIT. Thus was started an Institute thanks to the foresight of a visionary. The only repayment that can be made to him would be in the form of outstanding Alumni who can carry forward his mission by contributing their mite to the country in the form of technological achievements and excellence. The later generations of the Rajam family, have also been associating themselves in all the activities and advancement of the Institute very enthusiastically. The MITAA salutes its founder and remains indebted to him for his contribution.
We would be failing in our duty if at this point of time we do not acknowledge the great contribution made by the Founder who was essentially responsible for the establishment of the Institute.
Mr. Rajam was ably assisted by a number of distinguished personalities viz., Sir Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the second president of the Indian Republic, Mr. M Subbaraya Iyer (1885 – 1963), Mr. K. Srinivasan (1887 – 1959) Editor of “The Hindu”, Mr. C R Srinivasan (1889 – 1962), Editor of the Swadesamitran, Dewan Bahadur L Venkatakrishna Iyer, Mr. M K Ranganathan the Founding Director of the Institute and others.
To quote Brett Wilson “ One of the best ways, I know to find real and lasting significance in life is to enrich the life of others “ Our beloved founder Rajam and his family have enriched the lives of more than 50,000 professionals by transforming science graduates and higher secondary students to talented engineers . Our salute to founder’s family.