100 Years of a Glorious Past that Inspires the Future of Osmania

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By Jawahar Malhotra

HOUSTON: The one thing that could be unequivocally said about the Osmania University Centenary Celebration at India House last Saturday, May 27 is that it certainly was very festive and carefree, like what happy and exuberant alumni would do for their alma mater. Though there were certainly the elements of a formal event – the dances, songs, recognitions and awards – all of these were framed with a more carefree atmosphere and audience participation that was encouraged, never mind that the University’s Vice Chancellor was in the audience.

After a social hour that was heavy on appetizers catered by Briyani Pot (who also catered the buffet dinner) and liberal on the free flow of alcohol and drinks, the organizing committee got the program started with an introduction by Osmania University Alumni Association of America president Harinath Medi, a ’67 graduate of civil and structural engineering, who quipped that he had been president for 8 years. An estimated 3,000 alumni live in the US and a substantial number came from the Deccan Queen here to the Bayou City.

Event Committee member Mahendra Korivi, who is easy with his words of light humor, introduced the emcee for the evening, Ajay Chunchu, a DJ and entertainer who usually does receptions, weddings and other events. Chunchu is part Punjabi on his mom’s side and part Hyderabadi on his dad’s side and studied in Mumbai. He stepped out in front of the stage, showman style, in shades, a black suit, black shirt and black bowtie, singing Mein hoon Don, then segued into Kuch bhi nahin hai age tumhere and Oh mera dil ke chein, mixing it up with jokes, playful humor and tidbits on Osmania.

Chunchu kept up the pace throughout the evening and livened up the program, encouraging people to clap along, and the loud whistler who chimed in from the back row needed no encouragement! After a slide show on Osmania’s history, prominent alumni and pictures of past and present Vice Chancellors (and a documentary video that refused to cooperate); the stage went to Adarsh Menon and Akila (both of whom have a parent who studied at Osmania) who were great singing the duet “Diwana hua badal”.

This was followed by nicely choreographed performance by Nithya Hari and her Bollywood Dancing Stars group of four dancers, Monica, Jaithra, Joshika and Likitha. Nithya worked in a last interactive dance in which she invited a person from each table to join her in front of the stage. Rounding out the entertainment was Vijay Shenoy who sang the qawalli number Eh meri Zohar jabin, tujhe maloom nahin and Mahendra Korivi, who can never resist an occasion to sing, doing Hame aur jeena ke chahat na hoti.

In between the performances, Harinath Medi spoke in Hindi about Osmania U. starting with a short two verses about the alumni’s love for the institution. “It is not decoration but “deco-re-shaan” (look at its beauty),” he quipped, keeping his speech short, funny and purposefully informal, befitting the evening. He explained that the alumni association gave scholarships and computers for the handicapped at the university. “Today is a fun-raiser,” he emphasized, and then introduced his event committee, and later his friend, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. S. Ramachandram.

Looking like he was unfrazzled by the levity of the program, and equally relaxed, Ramachandram gave a brief rundown on the history of Osmania University and its accomplishments. “We have 53 departments, 12 faculties, 250 faculty members, 2,150 non-teaching staff, 20,000 students and have graduated 10 million in our history,” he said, adding that the alumni has excelled all over the world. It has been bestowed the University Par Excellence by the Government of India and is ranked 5th in India and 1st in state funded universities.

Ramachandram described the new programs he has instituted to make OU globally competitive with a vibrant environment for teachers and students and to strengthen research. He said that the state government had sanctioned Rs. 200 cr ($30.5 million) of funding and that OU needed to improve the infrastructure, hostels, academic research and add an incubation center and a skilled development center. He said that he was meeting with many community leaders during his tour of Centenary celebrations in Chicago, San Jose, St. Louis, Charlotte and Houston about their help with fund raising and other support.

Another alumnus of OU who shared the spotlight with Ramachandram was Dr. Karun Sreerama who has recently been appointed as the City of Houston’s first Indo-American Director of Public Works and Engineering. He said that he remembered Ramachandram from their time in D Hostel while they were at OU and he was honored to be able to meet him in person many years later. Another notable alumni introduced was Aziz Jamaluddin who lives in The Woodlands. Medi and the other event committee members to passed out appreciation plaques to Ramachandram, Sreerama, Jalaluddin and others before the program ended and dinner was served.