KOCHI: On Saturday, 92-year-old Saly Dominic took a journey back seven decades. As she trudged past the entrance to the main building of St Teresa’s College with the help of a walker, she was transported to her days as a student of the institution. Saly was the oldest of over 130 participants at the alumni meet, SEAR 2023, organised by the economics department of the college.
“I am happy to be back in my college after so many years. A lot of new buildings have come up, but apart from that, it’s the same college I had spent my good old youthful days,” she said.
“At every alumni meet, we try to gather our former students to celebrate and recollect their memories of their college days,” said Mary Liya, assistant professor and head of the department of economics. “We are happy to have one of our eldest economic graduates at the function. The interesting fact about Saly mam is that her mother, great grandmother and granddaughter are all alumnae of St Teresa’s,” Mary said.
“Kerala is one of the states that has promoted education in a big way. And our teachers and principals at St Teresa’s played their part,” said Dr Mary Joseph, a 1969-batch alum who served as professor of Cusat’s School of Management for 28 years.
Recounting one of her cherished memories, Mary said that being a woman-only college, St Teresa’s didn’t have any student politics then, hence no leave. “Whenever there was a strike at the Law College, we would rush to our principal and tell her that students from the Law College may arrive anytime and that she must disburse classes,” Mary said, chuckling. “We would then go to one of our friend’s houses for chit-chat or head home,” she added.
As many described their college life at St Teresa’s as a ‘home away from home’, Saly was going through the old class photos she had brought along with her to the event.