Mangaluru: St. Aloysius College (Autonomous) organised its annual national-level Aloysian Fest from February 1 to 3. The three-day fest commenced with a formal inaugural programme on February 1. The chief guest for the occasion was K Kishore Alva, Executive Director, UPCL (Udupi Power Corporation Limited) and Joint President of Adani Groups Ltd. The guest of honour was Govind Padmasoorya, actor and TV presenter. Rev. Fr. Dionysius Vas SJ, Rector, St. Aloysius Institutions, presided over the function.

A cordial welcome was accorded by Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ, Principal of St. Aloysius College (Autonomous) wherein he quoted the great theologian and mystic Thomas Merton-“Every moment and every event of every human being’s life on earth plants something in his soul.” He also congratulated the students for organising the mega event.

“College fests are the most effective way of bringing the youth to a safe platform and enhancing their social interaction, thereby facilitating an exchange of cultural ideas and thoughts”, expressed Kishore Alva. He remarked that the fests are the time where one breaks from a monotonous routine and showcases their talents. He recollected his days at St. Aloysius and felt grateful to the mighty institution. He also emphasised the importance of cultural activities and sports in building the students’ future. “Apart from focussing on careers, students must also concern themselves with society building”, he said.

Govind Padmasoorya, an alumnus of St. Aloysius College and an energetic actor, was overwhelmed to be a guest in his alma mater and deemed it to be his greatest success. In his speech, he gave the students five effective points of success-Fight your fears, be yourself, dream big, choose wisely and be grateful.

Rev. Fr. Dionysius Vas SJ, in his presidential speech, acknowledged the success of the two alumni and remarked that the college was humbled by the glorious achievements of the students.

The Aloysian Fest is an umbrella of seven fests- Artbeat, Composite, Acme, Imprints, Spinout, Aloysiad and Astitva, bringing together several colleges and providing a platform for thousands of students to exhibit their talents. It is an inter-collegiate fest which elevates the spirit and soul of every Aloysian.

The exuberant 3-day Aloysian fest drew to a close on February 3 with the valedictory programme that was held in the Mother Teresa Peace Park in the college at 3:30 PM.

Polali Jayarama Bhatt, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Karnataka Bank was the chief guest for the occasion and Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ presided over the function.

“Education is not a preparation for life, but education is life itself”, said P Jayaram Bhatt. He emphasised the importance of education, stating that learning is a continuous and dynamic process that one goes through till the end of his life. Quoting the great Indian philosopher Acharya Chanakya, he said, “If one wishes to seek true education, then he must shun these eight activities–all pleasures that tempt sense; tastes that gratify the tongue; anger and greed; personal beautification; too much entertainment; excessive sleeping and extreme indulgence in anything.”

In his presidential address, Rev. Fr. Praveen Martis SJ lauded the hard work put into making the fest a memorable one. He congratulated the staff and students, as well as the various colleges that participated and contributed to the success of the fest. He highlighted the significance of the three Es, i.e., Energy, Effort and Enthusiasm that went into the making of the fest.

There were a total of 30 colleges that participated in the fest. The programme concluded with the prize distribution ceremony, where the winning colleges were felicitated by the guests present on the dais.

The dignitaries present on the dais also included Dr. A M Narahari, Registrar of St. Aloysius College; Rev. Fr. Pradeep Sequeira SJ, the Finance Officer; Dr. Mukund Prabhu and Dr. Narayan Bhat, coordinators of the Aloysian Fest, vice principals of the various streams and Aman Ahmed, President of Students’ Council along with the staff and student coordinators of the seven fests.