WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2020 | AMARAVATI | PAGES 8 Many a great personality worked in this college

Main gate of Government College (Autonomous) First Principal EP Metcalfe Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (the second Noted social reformer Kandukuri President of ) who worked as Lecturer in Veeresalingam Panthulu who worked as man) and AVS Krishna Rao (violinist), Philosophy during 1916-1919 Telugu lecturer during 1876-1877 Gadicharla Hari Sarvottama Rao etc. As part of its introduction of higher cluding 47 under graduation and 14 jamahendravaram on Tuesday, college education, in 1930, B. Sc course with post-graduation programmes and is principal Dr Rapaka David Kumar said MPC group was started, in 1957-PUC currently o�ering 21 value-added cer- that the college follows the principle course, in1958--Arts courses, in 1971, tificate courses. The college made it ‘student is first’ and takes up the chal- Post Graduate courses and in 1998, re- mandatory to all students to study lenge of nurturing the minds of the structured courses in B.Sc were intro- value added courses. students. The college is serving the so- duced. At present, the strength of the col- ciety with vision through value-based In 2000, the autonomous status was lege is 5,000 students. Moreover, the education, he added. conferred to the college, in 2003, it was college has as many as 86,246 books Dr Rapaka said that the pedagogy is accredited with A Grade by NAAC, in including 78,863 textbooks, 23 re- student-centric with an emphasis on 2006, autonomous status was ex- search journals and 7,383 reference all-round growth and progress of the tended up to 2013, in 2011, it was reac- books in its reference section. students. For the benefit of the stu- credited with A Grade by NAAC, in Relating to student support serv- dents many programmes such as sem- 2015, autonomous status was extended ices, the college has Jawahar Knowl- inars, guest lectures, field trips, study College Principal Dr Rapaka David Kumar up to 2020, in 2015, community college edge Centre, career guidance cell, projects, group discussions and reme- was started, in 2016, the college was value education cell, academic cell, dial classes are also being conducted. Madras and Kumbhakonam College in conferred with the title ‘college with learning resource centre, departmen- The college has a number of ameni- Kumbhakonam, the Government Col- potential for excellence’ status by the tal libraries, NSS and NCC units, griev- ties such as science and computer lab- lege was graded as top class in the University Grants Commission and in ance and anti-ragging cells, district re- oratories, spacious classrooms, open . Great personali- 2016, Rs 80 lakh DFST-FIST grant was source centre, eco- and red ribbon gym, open air auditorium, virtual and ties like Dr Sarvepalli Radha Krishnan sanctioned, in 2017, seven job-oriented clubs, women empowerment cell and digital classrooms with interactive (the second ) worked courses were introduced, in 2018, ten others are functioning along with boards, integrated attendance man- as Lecturer in Philosophy from 1916- job-oriented courses were started and Andhra University distance education agement system, digital library, dy- Pylon erected at the college 19 and noted social reformer Kan- in 2019, four PG courses were started. study centre and Dr BR Ambedkar namic website, CCTV surveillance, im- dukuri Veeresalingam Panthulu The college has nine research cen- Open University study centre. maculate canteen and sprawling play SS CHARY worked as Telugu lecturer during 1876- tres and 61 academic programmes in- Speaking to ‘The Hans India’ in Ra- grounds among others. 77. Rajamahendravaram: A sizable num- The alumni of the college include ber of great personalities either Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu (first worked or studied in the Government chief minister of ), KV College (Autonomous) in the historical Reddy Naidu (former Governor of and cultural city which is an abode of Madras Presidency in 1936), Adavi world class education coupled with life Bapi Rju (artist and novelist), Varaha- skills and soft skills. The college has giri Jogaiah Panthulu (father of former been in existence for the last 167 suc- President of India VV Giri), VK Kr- cessful years, the oldest college in the ishna Menon (former Union minister), State. Now, it has attained the status Padma Bhushan PS Rao (ICS and for- as a centre of excellence and a smart mer Governor), Justice Koka campus for inspiration. Subba Rao (former Chief Justice of In- The college has produced great stal- dia), Justice V Pardhasaradhi, Justice warts of India as well as many great MS Ramachandra Rao, Justice M Kr- personalities worked in the college. ishna Rao, Bhamidipati Kameswara Initially, it came into existence as a Rao (humorist), Kavi Kondala Venkat Zill Parishad High School in 1853 and Rao (lyricist), M Narasimham Pan- in the year 1885, it was upgraded into thulu (former member of Madras Pub- a college. In 1891, the college obtained lic Service Commission), Dr Suri Bha- the a�liation to the Madras University gavantham (noted Physicist), C and in 1926 it was a�liated to the Venkatachalam Panthulu (first AP Bar Andhra University. Council member), D Seshagiri Rao On a par with Presidency College in Panthulu (Kakinada Municipal chair- Students studying under the trees at science block in the college