Spice May issue ipad LR

EDUCATION
SPECIAL
SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS FOR VELS
BY DR. ISHARI K GANESH
As we celebrate 25 years of
the Vels Group , many fond
memories come back to my
mind. On this joyous occasion, I am
reminded of the vision shared by my
father, the late Shri Isari Velan and
our numerous discussions to start a
school that would help us provide
quality education in conjunction
with a constant urge to contribute to
society. The idea of starting colleges
too was mooted by my father and
he encouraged me to focus on
establishing educational institutions
soon after my studies.
Transforming our dream into
reality was never an easy task. June
6, 1992, the day we registered the
Vaels Educational Trust, is still deeply
etched in my memory. We started with
the Vels College of Pharmacy in 1992
with just 32 students, and the Colleges
of Physiotherapy and Arts & Science
the very next year. With every passing
year, we leaped towards setting up
educational institutions offering
various disciplines including Business
Administration, Maritime Studies, Hotel
Management and Engineering. Vels
has also established several schools
including Vels Vidyashram, Vels
International Pre-School, Vels Kinder
Kids and Vaels International School in
multiple campuses in Chennai. Mahavir
Institute of Medical Sciences and
Meghna Institute of Dental Sciences
are the two new inclusions in the Vels
group in the state of Telangana. Sri
Venkateswara Dental College and
Hospital and Venkateswara Nursing
College are the two premier institutions
offering dentistry and nursing courses
in Chennai. Today, the Vels group is
spread across 11 campuses with over
20,000 students in its fold. Even as we
focused on adding several disciplines
into our fold, we never lost the vision of
attaining autonomy status that enables
us to offer innovative, in-demand,
career-oriented courses.
(The writer is Founder-Chancellor, Vels
University)
STUDY IN INDIA VERSUS STUDY ABROAD
With over 3,000
colleges to choose
from in the United
States alone and so
many universities almost like the
metro stations in London, it can be
a daunting task to decide on where
to study, leave alone study in India
or abroad. Here are some distinctive
features of international education.
ACADEMIC RIGOUR
Don’t be surprised if you find
that your yoga teacher is also a
photographer. We as individuals also
enjoy variety, not just in life but also
in the exploration of subjects and
majors that we choose. This is a given
in the case of most international
universities, especially in the U.S.
CHARUSHILLA NARULA BAJPAI
FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
There are more than a 100
independent scholarships that
most Indian students can apply to.
Moreover, universities internationally
also offer merit or need-based
scholarships. “Thanks to being away
from home, my child has learnt
money management skills and takes
decisions on her own,” says a mother
whose daughter studies abroad.
PERSONAL GROWTH
It is not uncommon to come across
highly motivated students, wanting
to ‘change the world.’ Globalisation is
not just a concept that these students
study in geography, it is their
everyday reality.
EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
Few parents would want to send
an 18-year-old to a far-off country
and a different culture. Emotional
stability and a preparation for what is
to follow in the months and years to
come is very important.
(The author is Founder Director & Key
Mentor, University Connection, New
Delhi)
100
MAY 2017