CHENNAI: The Vels University, Pallavaram, celebrated its silver jubilee along with its Chancellor Isari K Ganesh’s golden jubilee on Saturday. To mark the occasion, the university opened the central instrumentation laboratory and released a silver jubilee magazine.
“I still remember Ganesh coming to my office as a young 25-year-old. Now, he has built an empire,” said chairman of Apollo Hospital, Prathap C Reddy. He added “This is the same super-human ability that should be used by youngsters to build the nation.”
Vels was started by late actor and politician, Isari Velan to serve society. His son, the present Chancellor, launched a pharmaceutical sciences course in 1992 when he himself was just 25 years old. Later, one institution was started per year.
The institutions grew to be a Deemed University in 2008. The university now has more than 25,000 students studying in various departments. DMK leader M K Stalin who was present to greet Isari K Ganesh distributed the prizes for the best non-teaching staff members. “When I was studying in law college, I remember Isari K Ganesh doing his masters in Pachaiyappa’s College. We used to stand together for the language and the nation in our struggles,” said VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan.
Actors Surya and Karthik appreciated the efforts of the Chancellor for helping them in the Agaram foundation. They also thanked the Chancellor for the free education the university imparts to several students.
Actor and producer Vishal remembered the moral and financial support given by Isari K Ganesh who has also produced movies. “There could be no other best educational supporter than Isari K Ganesh,” said actor and politician Sarath Kumar and Radhika Sarath Kumar. Many veteran actors on the stage appreciated the efforts of the university and the Chancellor for supporting education to grow in the state.
The crowd was pleased to see a ‘Bigg Boss’ star Gayathri and the actor-couple Prasanna and Sneha who were present along with actor Chinni Jayanth. The gathering attracted a large number of actors and politicians, including DMK president M Karunanidhi’s wife Rasathi Ammal, former minister Arcot Veerasami and directors Vasu, Shankar and Bakiaraj and actors Nasser, Ponvannan, Mansoor Ali Khan and Mayilsami.