TKMCE Alumni Activity
LAPTOP SPONSOREDThe Qatar TKMCE alumni chapter sponsored 16 laptops for deserving first year students at an expense of Rs. 6.3 lakh. The machines have been handed over to the respective senior advisors for delivery to the students. This gesture, having come at a time of financial slow down and heavy job loss, is very generous, and reflects the depth of their attachment to the alma mater.
The 1985-89 batch alumni contributed Rs. 7.7 lakh to provide laptops to needy students. This covered the cost of 20 laptops. Additionally, Epicor Software India contributed 15 laptops as part of Corporate Social Responsibility. This was thanks to the initiative taken by Mr. Suresh Prabhu, then Managing Director of Epicor, who belongs to the same batch. These 35 laptops cover all the needy students in 6th semester. The laptops have been handed over to the respective senior advisors for delivery.
‘The Stars of 1985 Trust’ formed by the 1985 alumni batch of TKMCE sponsored 50 laptops, enabling the deserving students to attend online classes. Representing the 1985 alumni batch, Dr. Sunil Kumar B., Director, Indian Institute of Infrastructure and Construction, Chavara, Mr. Paul Edward, Project Head, Air Arabia, Dr. K.K. Abdul Rasheed, Principal, Musaliar College of Engineering, Chirayinkeezhu, and Prof. Muhammed Asim, Former Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, TKMCE, handed over the laptops to Dr. T.A. Shahul Hameed, principal, TKMCE. The Stars of 1985 Trust has always extended relentless support for college initiatives.
An Endowment fund was constituted by TKM Alumni to support the management’s initiative of starting 5 new laboratories to strengthen the advanced research required as part of the Bachelors, Masters and doctoral programs that are part of the curriculum requirements. This was initiated by few likeminded alumni during a discussion during April-May 2020, connected to the institutional ranking and future developments of our alma mater on the WhatsApp group “Thought, Knowledge, Mindset”.
There was an instant response from a few alumni which led to the launching of fund with the blessing of our beloved chairman, Janab. Shahal Hassan Musaliar, the TKM trust officials and the Principal Dr. Shahul Hameed. A committee was formed with Er. Antony Prince (1968M), Dr. P A Muhammed Basheer, Er. Lal Abdul Salam, Er. Azeez Chollampat, Er. Anees Moideen, Dr. Haroon, Dr. Ayoob Sulaiman and Dr. Shahul Hameed as members. Later on the Alumni Coordinator Dr. Sudheer was also added to the committee. The fund started with a pledge of Rs One lakh each from 5 members of the Committee. Committee carried out extensive discussions and finalized the funding requirement of about Rs 2 Crores for the 5 laboratories.
It was decided to make a personal appeal from the Chairman of the committee to Alumni through e mail. Such a campaign is now in progress and about 1200 Alumnus have been contacted so far for monetary and nonmonetary support by way sharing experience and expertise, mentor ship, lectures and talks, industry- academia interactions etc. Due to the current state of the world and pandemic the monetary response is not very encouraging which is understandable. The committee has also received some excellent nonmonetary offers which are now being processed with various departments and faculty to establish how best these offers can be utilized.
As for the status of the 5 Laboratories, following are the progress.
1. Centre for AI
PG classes have already been started online in the month of December. The lab is in furnishing stage with seating for 25 scholars, space for servers and faculty cabins. Dr.Pramod Kumar Naik has joined as the Head of the Centre. We have ordered for High end Dell systems and servers which we await to receive by Jan end. Then it will take two weeks for installation and configuration. The formal inauguration is planned in the third week of Feb. The total funds spent by Feb must be around 80 Lakhs.
2. Centre for Resilient Infrastructure
Formally not kicked off though many works related to structural design, sustainable development and water resources have been taking place there in civil dept. We plan to formally roll on in the third quarter of this year.
3. Centre for Interdisciplinary Research
Construction is in midway and we expect its completion in April. Rs 1 crore is earmarked for construction and works became slow due to COVID-19.
4. Technology Business Incubation:
Not kicked off yet as we see space constraints. We have to identify space near our hostel premises
5. Energy research Lab
The works are going in the identified space and will be formally opened in Feb if everything goes smooth
“We look forward to have a strong support from Alumni for the growth of our Alma Mater established on the philanthropic ideas of our beloved founder Janab. Thangal Kunju Musaliar.
I sincerely like to thank the support of the Trust, Management, Global Alumni, Committee members, the Principal Dr. Shahul Hameed, Dr. Sudheer the Global Alumni Coordinator, the tireless work of Mr. S G Raj, the Alumni Relations Officer and the endowment committee members.”
Antony Prince,
Chairman - TKM Alumni Endowment Fund
The new committee was formulated in the 2019 AGM, but the charge handover took place only in December 2020 due to practical difficulties caused by the Covid. Many important activities have happened during this period as well. The most important among them is “back to home project". Back to home project was a noble venture undertaken by our institution to build home for the flood affected people. Various alumnus and alumni group supported the project. About 14 houses were handed over to the stakeholders. Two of them are under construction. The other major work carried out under Alumni Association is “Centre for civil service Aspirants – Modernization of Main Library".
Association also provided financial aid for the following academic enhancement programs
(i) The students of TKMCE for the conduct of “Trika’20
(ii) The students of EEE to go for a competition Electric Solar Vehicle Championship (ESVC). The Merit Evening 2020 was launched in October as an online program.