The History of CEG - 1794 - 1994

* .
College of Engineering, Anna University, Guindy; Madras 600 025

End Paper 1: College of Engineering, Guindy (1949)
End Paper 2 : College of Engineering, Anna University, Guindy (1991)
Cover Design: Printing Technology Students (1988-92 Batch)
Dedicated
to
the past, the present and the future students and staff
of
College of Engineering, Guindy
who
contributed, contribute and will contribute
to the betterment of the world, in general,
and the state and the country, in particular
SURVEY SCHOOL
T O
TECH. TEMPLE
(A History of College of Engineering, Guindy)
Contributed
by
GUINDY ENGINEERS - 1966
1794 - 1994
FOREWORD
Writing the history of a great Institution like the College of
Engineering, Guindy is indeed a stupendous task. Posterity would
demand that we make sincere attempts to record the various
events that signified the growth of an Institution, which is closely
associated with the developmental activities of our Nation and
improving the quality of life of its citizens. I am happy that a
dedicated team of Alumni, Faculty and Students has taken
considerable efforts in bringing out this edition of the history, of
the College of Engineering, Guindy. Being the first attempt,
there may be scope for improvement with addition of further
important details. The data and information on many events in
the 200 years of useful existence of the Institution cannot be
easily compressed into a compass of 200 pages of this kind. I
appreciate the efforts put in by this enthusiastic team of Guindy
Engineers and I hope it would be well-received by all alumni and
others.
(M. ANANDAKRISHNAN)
Madras 600 025 Vice-Chancellor
August 15, 1991 Anna University
PREFACE
The aim of this book is to present the salient features of the
genesis, growth and present status of a glorious institution, our
Alma Mater, the College of Engineering, Guindy. During its 200
years of chequered history, the Institution has contributed
significantly in meeting the technical manpower requirements of
our mother land. Starting as a small Survey School on May 17,
1794 with a student strength of eight, it has now grown into a
mammoth institution with three thousand students. pursuing
excellent engineering education. An attempt has been made to
chronologically portray the beginning, the arduous but
impressive growth during the formative days and the giant strides
witnessed in. the recent past by this important seat of learning in
the country.
While no great accuracy is claimed for the matter presented
in the Six Chapters and the Annexure entitled Down the
Memory Lane, the main aim is to provide the details as obtained
from available records to fulfill the desire of thousands of
distinguished Alumni, whose love for this Institution is
immense.
This edition is the fruition of a team effort. Yet, the large
contributions made by some of the Alumni, the Faculty and the
Students must b< gratefully acknowledged. I must acknowledge
the valuable ai*iance rendered by Prof. M. Sadasivam, who has
spent almost the entire period of his service in this College.
He also did a wonderful job of editing the final version.
Thiru C.T. Radhakrishnan, a distinguished Alumnus, provided
extensive data and enthusiastic support. The help given by
Tmt. Lalitha Murali, a free lance journalist and grand-daughter
of Thiru N.S. Narayana Iyer, an Alumnus, is greatly acknow-
ledged.
The Faculty and the Students of the Printing Technology
Division of the College of Engineering have done an excellent
job in bringing out this edition. I would like to place on record
the significant contributions of Dr. N. Sankaranarayanan,
Thiruvalargal K. Vipinendran, T. Kalaiselvan, C. Navarethinam,
R. Elumalai, B. Ramesh, A. Nesakumar, B. Govindarajulu,
C. Rajesh, M.P. Senthilkumar, M.Y. Hameed Gani and
Ms. E. Nagalatha.
Even though the idea of bringing out a book on the history
of the College of Engineering, Guindy was there for some time,
it was the 1966 batch of Guindy students who made the dream
become a reality. My grateful thanks to these distinguished
Alumni for their significant contribution and unstinted support
for this venture. I must particularly acknowledge the dedicated
work of Selvi K.S. Babai, Thiru M.R. Ranganathan and
Thiru N.V. Ramakrishnan of 1966 batch, who worked relentlessly
against odds for the completion oFthis project.
I must thank Dr. M. Anandakrishnan, Vice-Chancellor,
Anna University, a very distinguished Alumnus of this College
for his encouragement and guidance. My thanks are also due to a
large number of Alumni, my colleagues, my students and others
who helped achieve bur long-cherished desire.
I would appreciate useful suggestions for enhancing the
worth of this effort from all those who love our Alma Mater, the
College of Engineering, Guindy.
IK^f
J^K
(T.R. JAGADEESAN)
Madras 600 025 Director
August 15, 1991 College of Engineering
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writing the history of the Great Institution 'College of
Engineering Guindy' is a stupendous task. As Alumini, we have
the privilege of walking back in the Memory Lane, but still are we
competent enough to write the history of our College? We are
engineers but not historians. But the confidence with which the
Bi-Centenary Committee asked us to take up this pleasant but
difficult task made us feel competent to take up this job.
We immensly thank Dr. M. Anandakrishnan, Vice-
Chancellor, Anna University, Dr. T.R. Jagadeesan, Director,
College of Engineering, Madras - the 'Moving Spirit' behind this
effort - and Mr. C.T. Radhakrishnan, whose enthusiasm is the
starting point.
We also place on record the excellent help given to us by
Mrs. Lalitha Murali, a freelance journalist and the grand-
daughter of Mr. M.S. Narayan Iyer, an alumnus of the College
whose M.Phil, dissertation topic was the 'The History of College
of Engineering'. We are also very grateful to Prof. M. Sadasivam
for his valuable help - in giving his 2 published articles, counsel
in layout, editing and proof-reading, e t c
We sincerely thank, from the depth of our hearts,
Dr. N. Sankaranarayanan, Head, Printing Technology Division,
Mr. K. Vipinendran, Lecturer, Printing Technology Division and
an alumnus of the College in doing an excellent job of leading
the production team. We also thank Mr.T. Kalaiselvan,
Mr. C. Navarethinam, Mr. R. Elumalai, Mr. B. Ramesh,
Mr. A. Nesakumar, Mr.B. Govindarajalu - staff of Printing
Technology Division -for their valuable assistance.
This book would not have taken its final shape but for the
tremendous interest and enthusiasam shown by Messrs.
C. Rajesh, M.P. Senthilkumar, M.Y. Hameed Gani and
Ms. E. Nagalatha - final year students of Printing Technology
Division who poured never ending stream of sweat during day
and night and were supported by Mr. S. Ganesh, Mr. K. Srinivasan,
Mr. S. Sethuram, Ms. K. Rajeswari, Ms. Himani Mohan, Messrs.
S. Srikanth, Pankaj Agarwal, M. Subramani, P.S. Perumal and
J. Ajith Paul. To them, we offer our heartfelt thanks.
We welcome your suggestions and cooperation regarding
this effort for bringing out subsequent editions.
We dedicate this book to all those who had taken this great
institution to the Pinnacle of Glory.
Yours sincerely
Guindy Engineers - 1966
<&IS^-
(K.S. BABAI) (M.K. BABA)
Convener Secretary
CONTENTS
I. LANDMARKS
II HISTORY
1. Humble Beginning
2. On the Anvil
3. Comes of Age
4. Chequered life at Guindy
5. Varsity is Born
6. Retrospect and Prospect
III DOWN THE MEMORY LANE
1. Preamble
2. Succession List of Principals
3. Selected Essays
4. Photo Gallery
5. Poet in the Engineer
6. Cartoonist in the Engineer
7. Humorist in the Engineer
17
29
39
55
91
105
115
117
119
121
180
188
194
203
IV PEOPLE BEHIND THIS BOOK 210
1
LANDMARKS
Milestones in the History of C E G
1794 May 17th : Survey School was established by the East
India company and was located in a building near Fort
St. George School. Later, it was shifted to a separate building
erected close to the Astronomical Observatory built
by Mr. Topping in 1792.
1810 The School was closed temporarily due to budgetary
limitations.
1819 The School was restarted on the advice of Major
De Havillard the Inspector General of Tank Department.
(This Department has later come to be known as the Public
Works Department.)
1826 The decision to transfer this School to the Office of
Surveyor General was dropped.
1842 A proposal to establish a College for Engineers,
affiliated to the so-called 'University of Madras' was
mooted. But no decision was taken.
1849 An idea was floated to attach this School to a Private
School for Ordnance Artificers and Apprentices
founded by Major. Maithland. But the Military Board
dropped the idea.
1854 A suggestion was made to have the Institution on the
pattern of the Thomas on Civil Engineering College
founded at Roorkee in 1847 and to include
Mechanical Engineering subject for Civil Engineers
was also suggested.
Survey School to Tech. Temple
1855 The Director of Public Instruction, Mr. A.J.
Arbuthnot, was called on to submit arrangements for
the establishment of an Engineering School or
College. This led to long-drawn controversy between
him and Major. Maithland--as the latter wanted his
own School to be developed.
1857 Lt. G. Winscom was appointed as the Principal to
organise the proposed College.
1858 The designation of the Survey School was changed to
'Civil Engineering School'.
1859 The school moved to the "Kalasa Mahal" at
Chepauk. The School was renamed as Civil
Engineering College. The scope was still to train
Upper and Lower subordinates.
1860 Capt. Carpendale succeeded Lt. G. Winscom as the
Principal.
186.1 The College was affiliated to the University of
Madras.
1862 The College was finally raised to the status of an
Engineering College. A class for Photography was
formed. The first "Survey Camp" was held at the
hilly grounds of Pallavaram.
1864 The first set students who passed their B.C.E.
Examinations came out of the College. The first
Bachelor of Civil Engineering was Mr. S.
Subbarayachariar.
1866 Mr. Powell, Director of Public Instruction, strongly
urged that the graduates of the College must be
given posts with responsibility and remuneration
adequate to fit the education received. Only 2 out of
landmark
the 13 students passed were appointed as Assistant
Engineers.and those two students happened to be of
British origin.
1868 Minimum entry qualification for admission into the
College was raised from Matriculate to pass in the
First examination of Arts course. Matriculates could
join only in the subordinate course. A library
catalogue was printed for the first time.
1872 The first graduate from this College became the first
native Assistant Engineer following a Government
Order for the appointment of natives for the post of
Probationary Assistant Engineers.
1877 The College was affiliated to the University of
Madras.
1878 Lt. H.D. Love was appointed as the Principal.
1879 Due to extensive reduction in the intake of engineers
into PWD, the numbers joining the College were
diminished.
1880 Employment register was opened and assistance was
given to pass*ed out students to get employment
outside P.W.D. Course duration was increased to 3
years with practical training. For the first time the
persons who had 2 years of practical training in
Mechanical Engineering were designated as
Mechanical Engineers.
1881 Government of India ordered that 6 vacancies in the
Engineering establishment in P.WD. to be filled from Indian
Engineering Colleges after 1885.
1884 As suggested by the Principal, the South Indian
Railways alone tried satisfactorily the experiment of
appointing Indian Engineers. Government of India
sanctioned 24 permanent posts of sub-overseer for
those passed out of civil engineering colleges, and
one was allotted to a graduate passed out from
Guindy Engineering College.
1885 College awards for Proficiency changed from 'Books'
to 'Instruments.'
1886 A scheme for recognition of the College by the
Government came into effect.
1889-1891 Special skill development programmes for Artisans
and Maistries were introduced.
1890 College gets furniture produced by students in the
workshop.
1894 With the introduction of Mechanical Engineering,
the B.C.E. degree was changed as B.E. (Bachelor in
Engineering). The College became the first
institution in India to award Mechanical Engineering
Degree. Early morning Survey Practicals changed to
full-day Survey Classes, and Visiting Faculty from
P.W.D. were introduced.
1904 The reorganised Committee of the College
recommended to shift the College to Saidapet and to
make it as a residential Institute.
1912 The entry qualification for joining B.E. was made a
pass in Intermediate. The duration of the course was
increased from 3 years to 4 years.
1920 The College was shifted to its present campus at
Guindy.
1925 First Indian Principal, Thiru. G. Nagarathanam
Iyer, was appointed. He was an alumnus of the
College.Old Boys' Association was started.
landmark
1930 Degree course in Electrical Engineering was started.
1931 Mechanical Engineering Association was started.
1932 First batch of students in Electrical Engineering came
out of the College. The College and University of
Madras became the first in India to introduce Degree
in Electrical Engineering.
November, 14 : 1932, Civil Engineering Association
was started.
Severe depression and unemployment was the order
of the day.
1933 College Magazine was started, and it was priced at
Re. 1/- per copy.
For the General Body meeting of the Old Boys'
Association held on Jan. 20, only 2 old boys
attended, apart from fhnse in the College.
The Staff Club functioned from a tent.
1935 Research Degree in Engineering was introduced.
First Engineering Exhibition was held from January.
1936 First change in Time-Table. Duration of period
changed from 1 hr to 50 min. and number of
periods increased from 5 to 6 per day. Survey classes
started at 6.30 a.m.
1938 Hindustani Premi Mandal inaugurated on Aug. 22.
Eirst Drama by students staged on Aug. 6.
K.L. Rao gets First M.Sc. Degree by Research from
University of Madras.
Co-operative Society was started with 60 memebers
on Feb. 8.
3rd College Exhibition was held.
1939 Miss. Oosha Devakaran Desai, First Indian Lady to
join Engineering course in Poona College.
1940 Andhra Sahithi Samithi was started.
'Block Unions' for Hostel Blocks HDFC formed.
Miss. Leela George and Miss A. Lalitha were the first
two 'Lady' Engineers of Guindy.
1942-43 Accelerated course brought into effect with no
vacations and 3 batches passed out in two years, during
World War II.
1943 Tamizhar Kazhagam was started.
1944 Book club was started.
Sir Mervel, former DPI passed away.
Starting of an Electrical Communication course was
under consideration.
After a lapse of four years, Engineering College
Hostel Silver Jubilee was celebrated with open-air
dinner.
'Board Visitors' (Board of Revenue) recommend
abolition of Diploma courses.
February 1944, 150th year celebrations, SirT. Austin,
Advisor to H.E. Governor of Madras, presided.
Landmark 7
New regulation with final examination at the end of
every year was introduced.
1945 Society of Electrical Engineering was separately
started in July after having functioned with Mech.
Engineers' Association for some time.
Mechanical Engineering Association was separately
started in October.
Degrees in Telecommunication and Highway
Engineering were started for the first time in India.
1946 Engineering Exhibition was held. Officiating
Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Lt. Col. Paul
gets Rao Bahadur title.
Engineering Colleges at Coimbatore and Annamalai
Nagar were started.
Prof. Karl Terzagi (U.S.A.) addresses the students in
the Geotechnical Symposium.
First Ph.D. in Engineering (through Research) was
obtained by Prof. K. Sukumaran and two students
obtained M.Sc. degree by Research.
1947 The Kannada Sangha was staited.
War certificate exams in the Technical Wing of
UOTC. 1st Madras (BN). 5 out of 15 cadets passed.
Two more Engineering Colleges were started, one at
Anantapur and the other at Visakapatnam. The
Anantapur College was housed at Guindy to begin
with.
To celebrate Independence Day, "Freedom Arch"
was erected by the students.
November 14 : "Mock parliament" was held.
Highway Engineering Association was started.
1948 Malayalee Association was started.
NCC was started on July 15. 3rd Madras (Engrs.)
with 60 cadets.
Social Service League was formed in November with
20 members and gets a donation of Rs. 65 from
Student Christian Organization of College.
College Boxing Team won Lalitha Shastry shield
after a long lapse.
The power farming society formed on Aug. 15.
1949 September 1 : General body of the College Student
Association met to consider the motion of censure
against President & Secretary. Motion failed.
First time debating and essay competitions were
introduced.
Canteen was started on Feb. 12.
Highway Engineering Association was inaugurated
on Aug. 12.
Old Drama hall was inaugurated on Oct. 29.
Mahatma Gandhi bust was unveiled in Hostel.
Attendance Register to be maintained by various
departments instead of by the office. 75% minimum
attendance in every department was made
compulsory.
30.12.49 to 6.1.50 Fifth Engineering Exhibition.
Landmark 9
1950 Science Association was inaugurated on Nov. 21.
First Old Boys' Rally was held on Sept 13.
Welfare Committee was formed on Aug. 13.
Transport Committee also formed in August.
1951 Radio Committee was formed.
Open Access Library System was introduced.
College campus having come within the city limits,
PWD had no money to pay taxes levied with
retrospective effect.
Improvements to AMT Blocks were carried out along
with remodelling of M Block.
Highway Lab. secured fund allocation.
Hostel Committee purchased 5 cows for Night Milk
for Hostel inmates.
Canteen served Badam Halwa & Fruit Salad for 2
annas. The price of 3 Annas was tried and given
up.
Entry point designation of College graduates
changed from Supervisor to Junior Engineer in the
PWD.
Hostel Committee and Jaggery Manufacturing
Society was started.
Dr. J J. Rudra, former Principal passed away.
Common Room Committee was formed on July 30.
10 Survey School to Tech. Temple
1956 Degree in Mining Engineering was started.
1957 Intake of students increased from 175 to 275 for the
College. A short-term course for three months to
provide in-service training for Supervisors and
Engineers from the field in Public Health was
started.
'Tamizhar Kazhagam' name changed to 'Tamil
Manram' and first Tamil article in the magazine
appeared.
1958 Highway Engineering course was abolished.
1959 Five-year Integrated B.E. course was introduced. PUC
was made the minimum entry qualification for B.E.
course.
1962 NCC Rifles started.
College Tamil Debating team represented' by O.A.
Sivakumaran & MR. Ranganathan won Rangaswamy
Memorial Cup donated by PSG Arts College for the
best team in Tamil debating in Tamil Nadu Colleges,
for the first time.
1963 Duration of PG courses increased to two years 'Post-
B.Sc'. B.E. Degree course was introduced with 3 years
duration.
1964 Old Boys donate Rs. 25,000/- for scholarship.
NCC Rifles closed.
New cadre of Asst. Professors created.
University affiliation for High Voltage Engineering
was given.
Landmark 11
1965 In June, a new guest house, College Canteen
Building, Auditorium, Library, Fundamental Engi-
neering Research Building, PG Hostel and Staff
Quarters were inaugurated.
1966 First batch of 'Post B.Sc' B.E. graduates came out
of the College. 3 girls one in Civil, one in Electrical
and one in Electronics (Miss Babai, Ms. Indra,
Ms. Prabhavaty passout of Post B.Sc.
First woman Mechanical Engineer, Ms. Sarojini of
the Five-year Integrated course graduated from
Guindy.
1968 With a thorough revision of syllabi 'Semester Pattern'
was introduced for undergraduate programme. From
July, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
was introduced as a New Elective for M.Sc. in
Mechanical Engineering.
"Post B.Sc' course was abolished.
1969 Degree in Metallurgy was started. B.E. (Honours)
course was introduced on optional basis. The course
on Mining Engineering was abolished.
1970 A full-time Post-graduate Diploma in Traffic Engi-
neering was introduced.
Sept. 25 : 'Scheme foi Enterpreneurs' was started for
final year students.
1971 Semester system introduced for M.Sc. degree. Part
time courses, B.E. in Civil, Mechanical and Electrical
for the benefit of Diploma holders were started.
Separate wing for PG Studies and Research was esta-
blished under the administrative control of the Dean
of Post-graduate Studies. B.Sc. degree in Applied
Science in the Faculty of Engineering was started.
Aug. 23 : Science Association was started.
Symposium on "Bionics" held in September.
Society of Metallurgical Engineers was started.
A new trophy for 'Mono-acting' introduced in the
Arts Section. First Summer School was started and
conducted.
Part time B.E. course was started.
Semester system for M.Sc. (Engg) was introduced.
1972 PG courses in Engineering Design and Applied
Electronics were introduced. M.Sc. Applied Mathe-
matics was also started.
1973 PG Diploma in Industrial Engineering was
commenced.
1974 M.Sc. course in Urban Engineering was started.
1978 Sept. 4 : Anna University was established.
Mr. P. Sivalingam became the first Vice-Chancellor.
Dr. V.C. Kulandaisamy takes over as .second
Vice-Chancellor of Anna University.
landmark I ;!
1981 Undergraduate programmes in Industrial Engineer-
ing, Electronics and Communications, Automobile
Engineering were started.
Post-graduate programmes in I rrigation and Water
Management, Medical Physics, Laser and Electro-
Optics, Business Administration and Production
Engineering were started.
1982 Undergraduate programme in Computer Science
and Engineering (B.E.) and Post B.Sc. Diploma in
Computer Science and Applications were started.
1983 B.E. Printing Technology, P.O. Diploma in
Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering and
M.Tech. in Remote Sensing were started.
1984 Master's Degree in Computer Applications was
started.
1985 M.Tech. in Biotechnology' was started.
1986 Master's programme in Architecture was started. New
schemes for Centre for Water Resources and I nstitute
of Remote Sensing, Recurring grants for Centre for
Water Resources, Centre for Environmental Studies,
I nstitute of Remote Sensing and Microprocessor
Education, Training and Research (1985-1988) were
approved.
CAD/CAM programmes were started in the
Department of Mechanical Engineering.
1987 B.E. course in Mining Engineering, P.O. Diploma in
Footwear Science and Engineering and M.Tech. in
Footwear Science and Engineering were started.
1988 Dr. V.C. Kulandaiswamy, Vice-Chancellor, Anna
University was honoured with "Sahitya Academy
Award".
1988-89 B.Tech. in Rubber Technology, Cross Migration
Scheme in M.E., (Computer Science and Engi-
neering) and M.Sc. by Research were started.
1989 23 Volunteers from various units of NSS headed by
Mr. R. Radhakrishnan, Programm Officer, Unit II
made a cycle expedition to Konai Falls during
March 23-26.
1990 May 11 : Dr. M. Anandakrishnan succeeded Dr. V.C.
Kulandaisamy as-third Vice-Chancellor.
1991 'New Computer Shading Method' for TNPCEE was
introduced.
May 17: College started Bi-Centenary Celebra-
tions.
1966 Batch Students celebrate their Silver Jubilee
year.
Alumni centre is opened
New Central Library Building is completed.
Landmark 15
Quality Circle Forum of India Madras Chapter
started at Guindy.
The student branch of IEEE wins the Vincent
Bendix Awards.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
1.1 Prologue
T
he name Guindy is associated with three famous places,
the Raj Bhavan of Tamil Nadu, the race course in Madras
city and the Engineering College at Guindy. First, the Raj
Bhavan at Guindy, had been known as "Guindy Lodge"
prior to 1813, and the property was purchased by the
Government in 1822, by Sir Thomas Munro, the then Governor,
to be used as a country house for the Governor. It became the
official residence of the Governor in 1946, when the other
residence, in the present Government Estate in Mount Road, was
transferred to the Government. Regarding the second landmark,
some assemblage of racing was conducted on the present site of
the race course at Guindy early in the 19th century, and it was
known as the "Madras Races" from 1887 to 1895. The "Madras
Race Club" was formed in 1896 and registered under the Indian
Companies Act in 1922. The last of the trio, the Engineering
College, Guindy, is by far the oldest, having been started late in
the 18th century. While the Raj Bhavan has offered sojourn for
tens of Governors, and the Race Course has made hundreds of
turf-lovers rich (at the cost of thousands), the Engineering
College has "manufactured" tens of thousands of engineers.
Members of the engineering profession, in and out of India, call
it, with affection, as Guindy.
The soil was prepared and the seed was sown by Mr. Michael
Topping which grew into a mammoth tree. The first phase of
Topping's efforts to establish a School with 8 boys picked by a
simple process of personal selection has, over a period of 197
years, changed into a Hi-tech process of selection by computers.
Before going into the details of Topping's School, it may be
worth seeing the early life of engineers of East India Company.
For more than a century after East India Company had built
their first factory at Masulipatnam in 1611, there was not even a
single trained Engineer in India as the Company was concerned
with Trade and not Engineering.
In the eighteenth century, an Engineer was defined as
follows : "An able expert man who, by perfect knowledge of
Mathematics, delineates upon paper, or marks upon the ground,
all sorts of forts and other proper, works for offence or defence.
He should understand the art of fortification, so as to be able not
only to discover the defects of a place, but to find a remedy
proper for them, as also how to make an attack upon, as well as
to defend, the place. Engineers are extremely necessary for these
purposes. Therefore, it is necessary that, besides being ingenious,
they should be brave".
The East India Company Gunners, who built walls, mounted
guns, erected homes and dug wells, had no qualifications other
than bravery and some ingenuity. When approached for the
appointment of an experienced Engineer in 1677, the Directors
of the Company replied "Our business is Trade and not War.
You will contriveto carry on the work to make it answer our ends
without our sending an Engineer from here, as these sort of men
are found always very expensive".
Immortal Architecture
What the Survey Department has to
contend with.
What nexttoddlers in the Overseer
Class?
However, the Engineers employed from 1700 fell victims of
diseases and died prematurely or were tempted away into proving
disloyal to their employers.
Even in 1763, the Military Engineers were considered as
people who had to plan fortresses, and not officers competent to
command technical troops in the field. During the later part
of the 18th century, the Engineers were well educated and
experienced men. It was said that these Engineers, who survived
the rigours of the climate and the effects of over indulgence in
liqour, either retired as wealthy Nawabs or lost their money at the
tables and died in a debtor's prison. They were gamblers in both
wealth and health. But they had with them the adventurous
spirit of facing up odds boldly, a quality essential for a
practical engineer.
It is this spirit that transformed Survey School of 1794 to
Tech. Temple of today, as is made out in this book within a
compass of 200 pages.
1.2 Genesis of Survey School
Developed from a Survey School, which was established in
May 1794, the College of Engineering is one of the most
venerable of British Indian Educational Institutions, and
certainly one of the most ancient of India's professional training
schools. It owes its inception to Michael Topping, the earliest
Astronomer, and Geographical and Marine Surveyor at the
Presidency of Fort St. George. He proposed an establishment to
carry out the surveys for the construction and repair of tanks,
and to superintend the execution of such works. On 17th of May,
1794, the Survey School, which ultimately developed into the
College of Engineering, was started with eight boys. The School
was erected close to the Observatory which had been built by
Topping two years earlier.
The process of territorial expansion and acquisition of lands
by the English East India Company was gradual in South India. It
was towards the end of the 18th century that the districts of the
Camatic came under their hegemony. Since more land meant
more land revenue, land surveys were meant to help assess the
Humble Beginnings 21^
revenue. Regional administrative requirements of the Company,
coupled with the vagaries of climatic conditions and the
increased expenditure on European surveyors, necessitated the
training of Indians in survey operations. This dire need found its
fruition in the Survey School. The formative years saw incessant
efforts by individuals and encouragement from the Government.
It is worthwhile here to understand the genesis of an intellectual
heritage which, over the sands of time, evolved into a Civil
Engineering College.
Michael Topping, an able surveyor and geographer, was
consulted for the setting up of an observatory. In 1771, he was
deputed to build the observatory. Land was purchased for 5,000
pagodas (pagoda was 3-1/2 rupees) and the observatory was
completed in 1792.
Topping suggested the establishment of a survey depart-
ment. He was directed to send the survey reports to England. He
wanted persons desirous of taking up the surveying work to
attend the observatory. On 30th March, 1793, Topping wrote
to Sir Charles Oakeley, President and Governor in Council, Fort
St. George, emphasising the necessity for draughtsmen to make
copies of the surveys and plans of the Kistna. The need fora class
of surveyors to be attached to the observatory was also stressed.
1.3 Topping's Proposals
To draw survey plans, the setting up of a regular Surveyor
General's office was suggested by Topping for the benefit of the
public and for betterment of Company's land.
The following were some of the features of Topping's
proposals :
1. Two assistants are to be provided to help the
Surveyor General.
2. Ten to twelve practitioner-surveyors, who should
form a regular body under the Company's service,
would assist.
3. The recruits would be taken from schools, viz. the
Male Asylum and English Schools.
Survey School to lech. Temple
4. Head of the Department was to be selected from the
Male Asylum or any other Public School.
5. Since Europeans in India faced numerous problems
like severity of climate, which was irksome, and the
constant need for interpreters and provision of
tents and conveyances, Indian-born children of the
Europeans in India and educated in Public Schools
at Madras might render useful public service.
He further elaborated on the utility of surveying. It would
open avenues for employment, as a few could join the obser-
vatory, some could become draughtsmen and clerks in the public
offices, and others work as artificers in the arsenals and
storehouses. The suggestions were appreciated for their utility to
all the districts of the Presidency.
The Government accepted the opinion of the Board of
Revenue, regarding the usefulness of survey practitioners. It
wanted knowledgeable persons to be involved in surveys. For this
it wanted to know the cost of employing native assistants. After
acquiring practical experience, the surveyors would be able to
identify works for'the supply of water, and land revenue would
also increase.
It was, indeed, a long process of communication before the
surveying school was founded. Topping was required to give a
statement of estimates. Incessant efforts on his part resulted in
the establishment of the office to direct all geographical surveys
on the coast. Surveyors were to have a thorough knowledge
before they returned to the field.
Topping, the self-effacing tireless Surveyor that he was,
selected 8 boys from many schools in Madras, including the Male
Asylum, in a way which was very different from today's objective
tests and computer selection. Knowledge of arithmetic and
writing was made compulsory.
1.4 Establishment of Survey School
Topping's earnest efforts, coupled with the persistent
demand for surveyors and craftsmen, led to the establishment of
Humble Beginnings 2
the Survey School on 17th May, 1794. The first -Super-
intendent was Mr. John Goldingham, who was permitted to draw
50 pagodas per month for his hard work. However elemen-
tary it may seem, the seed for a future engineering college was
sown. The School building was attached to the observatory.
The rn,ain objective was to train a large number of surveyors
in carrying out surveys, for constitution and repair of tanks and to
ensure a continuous supply of water to the lands. The boys
were indentured as surveyors for working in the Honourable
Company. Topping was to prepare an estimate for the erection
of quarters for the apprentices.
The School functioned well. Three boys within 18 years of
age were trained and sent to Dindigul for carrying out survey
and were assisted by 10 lascars. Emphasising the importance of
the institution, Goldingham wanted to raise the total number
of apprentices to 24. Assistant surveyors were placed under
Topping for employment.
Topping died at Masulipatnam in January 1796, while
executing a survey of the Kistna delta. He was succeeded by John
Goldingham, F.R.S. who built the Banqueting Hall in 1.802. The
first batch of apprentices came out of the School in 1799, and
they were sent for surveying to Mysore, Malabar and Persia.
Goldingham gave instructions to them on the completion of
training in the Survey School. They were to be as accurate as
possible in survey, to report on the condition of embankments,
to make survey of wells and tanks that were used in cultivation
and suggest the mode of filling them and other improvements.
Further instructions given were that every survey should be
marked separately and levelling must follow it. In inaccessible
areas, a second base was to be set up. After the completion of the
survey, they were to bring back the reports to the Collector of the
district. These details formed a part of revenue surveys, for the
next 50 years.
1.5 Teacher and Taught
The staff consisted of the Superintendent (who was also
Astronomer and Inspector of Revenue Surveys) on 50 pagodas, a
Mathematics teacher on 35 pagodas, a Draughtsman on 25
pagodas, and a Munshi on 8 pagodas. In addition to the boys of
the establishment, who were qualified to act as Surveyors,
Draughtsmen, Writers and Interpreters, many officers employed
by the Government as Surveyors in the Department also attended
and received instructions. The Superintendent was also given 120
pagodas per mensem to subsist and clothe the apprentices.
The first Survey School in India slowly expanded. Efforts
were made to raise the total number to 24 as planned. Fresh
admissions were made in 1798 and 1800. A language master was
appointed. There were consistent demands for the trained boys
of the School. The Board wanted a capable boy to be committed
to the charge of the Superintendent of Tank Repairs. The School
had to cater to the requirements of the Company. Two boys
equipped with surveying instruments and clothing were to
proceed to Malabar and place themselves under the Principal
Collector, Maj. Maclean.
In 1798, Goldingham was required to send two boys under
the charge of the Superintendent of Tank Repairs. Goldingham
was elevated to the position of Civil Engineer responsible for all
repairs and construction of Company's buildings, both Civil and
Military, at the Presidency. As a result of this elevation,
apprentices in the School got more opportunities for work.This
was a significant year in the history of the School as the
Government of Lord Clive sanctioned Goldingham a sum of two
thousand five hundred star pagodas. Total cost of running the
School was 245 pagodas per month. Increase in remuneration
was always an incentive to work better.
At the end of 1804, Lt. John Warren succeeded
Goldingham. During this period, Engineers and Officers were to
supervise tank repairs and assist the Collectors in their duties.
Till 1809, there was only one Engineer Supervisor. Apprentices
were to work for the Company only and for no one else, as
training involved expenditure.
Humble Beginnings 25
1,6 Trials and Tribulations
The survey school rendered a great service to the State. The
boys who received instruction in the school had a good scope
of being employed. Training for the position of Surveyors,
Draftsmen, Writers and Interpreters were given instruction in
this school. They were sent for tank repairs under Collectors and
the Quarter Master General's Department till 1810. In fact the
founder of the school, Michael Topping wrote to the Board of
Revenue, that Indian born practitioner surveyors would regard
themselves fortunate to be taken in the Company's Service.
The School functioned well till 1809. In 1810, budgetary
limitations forced the School to be temporarily closed. It was
suspended till 1819.
The Inspector of Tank Estimates. Major De Havilland,
proposed that the School be reopened. The Institution was
contributing a lot for the revenue surveys. He formulated a
detailed set of regulations. According to him, the School was to
be attached to the office of the Inspector General of Tank
Estimates and the boys selected were to be between 12 and 14
years of age with good character and ability to speak fluently in
vernacular languages. The salaries of the boys were to be fixed at
Rs. 50 per annum. He suggested that the teacher should be an
experienced Surveyor, and that the boys should be selected from
the Military Asylum or elsewhere and should be apprentk es for a
term of seven or nine years. He recommended that the entrance
examination should be in the 3 R's and vernacular language, and
that the apprentices should be drafted into the Tank Department
as required, eventually to become Assistant Surveyors.
Though it was decided in 1819 to transfer the School to
Surveyor General, the proposal was hanging fire till 1826 when
the Board of Revenue decided that the transfer ordered in 1819
should not take place. Major Havilland was not in agreement
with the transfer of the School to the Assistant Surveyor
General's office. He pointed out the limitations of this transfer.
He felt that a wide spectrum of subjects would not be known to
the boys.
_'!i Survex School U> Tech. IViiiplc
In 1821, the Inspector General pointed out that the transfer
.of the School to the Surveyor General, which had been ordered
two years before, was undesirable. He stated that the appren-
tices were trained as Surveyors, Levellers, Superintendents,
Draughtsmen and Estimate-makers, and that geographical
surveys were only occasionally required. The apprentices would
become familiar with works on Irrigation, acquire a knowledge of
Hydraulics, and the mode of executing works only in his office as
the duties of the Revenue Department embraced the repair of
tanks and water courses, choultries, roads and civil buildings.The
Government concurred with this view and the School thus
became an integral part of the. Civil Engineer's Department of
the Board of Revenue. From this time onwards and till 1846, the
Revenue Surveyors trained at the School were the only Upper
Class Subordinates of this Department, afterwards called the
Public Works Department.
During the period 1826-1846, European non-commissioned
Officers of the sappers were first appionted as overseers. In 1836,
the school was re-organised and its strength increased and the
boys were given greater responsibilities. Apart from surveying
and levelling, projecting and inspecting of small works and
estimate-making were also under their purview. This enhanced
the services rendered by the boys for public good.
Boys were admitted after an entrance test. The course for
one and a half years comprised Algebra, Mensuration, Trigono-
metry, Building Construction, Surveying, Drawing and Estimate-
making.
1.7 Towards Renaming
In 1842, the need to establish a College of Engineers was felt
to meet the increasing requirements of the Public Works
Department. A wide range of subjects was covered in the
proposals. The Coiicge was to be a part of the University of
Madras and Civil Engineering was to be taught. The object of the
College was to train officers as engineers and civilians as
upper subordinates. The Marquess of Tweeddale who succeeded
Elphinstone, as Governor of Madras, in 1842, wrote that a
Humble Beginning* 27
College .imparting Civil Engineering education would prove
beneficial to the country and for public service. The relevance of
professional and industrial institutions for uplifting the social
and mental faculties was stressed. In 1843, the Board also wanted
a Collegiate Department of the University comprising Medical
and Civil Engineering which would prove beneficial.
The Court of Directors did not think that the establish-
ment of a (sollege was necessary. They pointed to the lack of
preparedness among the Indians and the inadequacy of general
education. In such circumstances, it was felt that the establish-
ment of medical and civil engineering college would not serve
the purpose. Hence, no significant change took place. But the
School continued to function creditably. It had a lasting
influence on the Public Works Department. Supervisory posts
were also granted to the boys of the School with experience.
ON THE ANVIL
2.1 Efforts at Elevation
T
he service rendered by the Survey School to the state was
highly appreciated. The issue of" starting a College of
Engineering was again brought up in 1847. In order to
enhance the efficiency of the Public Works Department, a
plea was made to the Government for introducing classes in
Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Law and Jurisprudence. Scholastic
demands steadily increased. As a result, a plea for instituting an
engineering class in the University was made. Thereupon, the
Home Government approved of this. In the ^Seventh Annual
Report of the Governor of the University of Madras in 1847, the
Board opined that, by introducing Civil Engineering in the
University, the social status of engineers would be elevated.
A School for ordnance artificers and apprentices was set up
in 1842, in the Gun Carriage Manufactory by the
Superintendent, Major Maitland. It was an unaided institution.
Since it functioned efficiently, suggestions were made in 1849
for an amalgamation of the Survey School with this school. Major
Maitland considered this feasible as every student could be
perfect in one trade. The Military Board disapproved of it. Their
observations showed the need for starting a technical college. It
was stated thus: "a master workman must know his trade and
know it well, but a Civil Engineer has a craft of his own, his skill
is his science; his tools are his formula and his surveying and
mathematical instruments; his labours are for the most part
those of the mind; his studies those of projecting and
controlling; and he must therefore be one of a very different
class and status in society as well as of totally different
attainments from those of the mechanic, whose labours he had
to direct". Public Works Commissioners, when referred to,
recommended the establishment of an Engineering College
based on that set up by Thomason at Roorkee. The proposed
College was to train students in three branches for the Public
Works Department:
1. Subordinates Engineers
2. Upper Subordinates
3. Lower Subordinates
The Principal was to be an Officer of the Corps of
Engineers. All the students were to receive stipends ranging from
Rs. 5 to Rs. 50 per month.
2.2 Changes in School
A renovation of the School was requested. Since the School
had to cater to the Public Works Department's demands, better
buildings and finance were requested. A separate
accommodation for Maistries was also demanded. Suggestion for
the abolition of the School was mooted. This made the
authorities feel the indispensability of Assistant Surveyors in
Government Services.
On the Anvil S1
Due to increasing demand and work, another clerk was
appointed. Educating Europeans in the School was an expensive
affair. The severe climate, the language problem and the
conveyance cost were the practical difficulties in educating
Europeans for employment in the Public Works Department.
Natives could find employment easily and the cost of education
would be very low. Admitting natives was essential to advance
technical education in the Presidency. Due to a well-planned
training programme, boys despatched as Assistant Surveyors
could attend to all works executed in the Madras Presidency.
One of the main aims of the School was to meet the
demands of the Public Works Department. To meet the demand,
boys were sent to the field as soon as the training was completed.
A large number of them was involved in many projects. In 1851,
apprentices were wanted in the Godavari anicut. The demand was
so much more than the supply that even inexperienced youths
had to be employed.
Sir Henry Pottinger, Governor of Madras, wanted to
introduce professional education in the University. In his minute
dated June 6, 1981, he wished that "the Madras University's
sphere of usefulness may, in the fitness of time, be extended to
the establishment of classes in all higher departments, such as
Medicine, Surveying, Engineering, etc".
Despite the awareness of the Governor, the Board and the
Government, nothing concrete was achieved.
The year 1853 was one of uncertainty. There were fears of
the School closing down. The apprehension of a shortage of
qualified subordinates was one reason to keep it going.
Supply from the Sappers and Miners of educated Non-
Commissioned Officers to the Public Works Department was
discontinued in 1853. This affected the work and efficiency of the
Public Works Department. This exigency was to be met by the
Survey School boys. Realising the shortage in the supply, the
Government wanted to set up a School in Civil Engineering.
2.3 Wood's Despatch
The Wood's Despatch of 1854 was a landmark in the history
of education in India. It stressed the importance of Civil
Engineering as the natives started becoming aware of this
profession. The educational policy from 1855 to 1858 was
determined by this despatch. It reported the success of the
Thomason College of Civil Engineering at Roorkee and stated,
"similar places of practical instruction should be established in
other parts of India and especially in the Presidency of Madras
where works of irrigation are so essential not only to the
prosperity of the country, but to the very existence of the people
in times of drought and scarcity". This was a new approach to an
old problem.
In the same year Lord Dalhousie, the Governor General of
India stated that a comprehensive system of instruction was to be
provided at Madras for all classes of the Public Works
Department. This included Europeans, East Indians and Natives,
whfiher artificers, foremen, overseers, surveyors or Civi'
Engineers. The Government's decision was laudable as. they
concurred with the Governor General.
2.4 Separate Institution
A separate Institution was definitely in the offing. The
availability of Civil Engineers in India was not adequate to meet
the requirements of the Public Works Department. They were
sent from England. . It was a drain on the resoures of the
Company and such trained personnel could be made available in
India by starting a separate college. Viewing the urgency, the
Government sanctioned the establishment of a Civil Engineering
College at Madras. Inspite of the several advantages of the
School, the efficiency of the surveyors educated in the School was
questioned. The Public Works Commisioner's opinion was also
not favourable.
In 1855, a scheme for a College of Civil Engineering at
Madras was submitted. A great step was taken in 1855 when
Mr. AJ. Arbuthnot, the Director of Public Instruction, was
On the Anvil 33
deputed to submit proposals for the establishment of an
Engineering School or College. A detailed report was submitted
which included the formation of three departments in the
College, provision of scholarship instead of stipends, provision of
a boarding establishment of limited Civil students and barracks
for Military students, and courses of instruction. These were to be
determined by the Public Works Commissioner. The staff was to
consist of an Officer of Engineers, a Professor of Engineering
and Architecture, two Mathematics masters, a Surveying master,
a Drawing master and a mechanic. A workshop was also to be set
up.
The Government of Madras approved of these arrangements
in August. But it suggested that every student must be required
to master one trade or craft at Major Maitland's School. In 1856,
the Supreme Government gave up the idea of amalgamating
Major Miitland's School w*ith the proposed College. This was a
very important decision. The idea of amalgamation was plaguing
the Survey School for a long time. Major Maitland's School was
to continue as such, and Maitland was to be put in charge of
practical teaching.
The Public Works Department, the largest employer of those
passing from Survey School, wanted to revise the methcxls of
instruction in the School. This was to enhance the efficiency in
the Department. The Public Works Committee was full 01 appre-
ciation for the School. It ordered that all candidates for the
Overseer grade should attend the Survey School for instruc-
tion under Mr. O'Hara. This was to the credit of the School.
Mr. Faber, who presided over the Committee, advised the
expansion of the Survey School which had 46 students. In order
to improve the capability of the students, a scheme of \ests was
recommended for Assistant Engineers, Assistant Overseers and
Sub-Overseers.
The School was a boon to the Survey Department as the
needs were met by it. Positions of Assistant Surveyor and Revenue
Surveyor were Tilled by the School.
Boys were despatched on surveys to Zainindari lands
between Masulipatnam and Vizagapatnam. They had to plan and
;V4 Survey School to Tech. Temple
draw maps after proper survey was done. The practical training
provided in the early years of its existence continued. Boys were
sent to irrigational channels and to the waters of the Krishna and
Godavari. Devicottai was another place where boys were
despatched to survey the water channels for proper utilisation of
lands there.
A progressive legacy was formed in the Survey School which
benefited the Madras Presidency. Civil Engineering, as such, was
gaining in status, due to the service rendered by the Survey
School.
The Madras Senate made provision for two degrees:
1. Graduate in Civil Engineering or the GCE, and
2. Master in Civil Engineering
The two courses were expected to equip the students with a
detailed education in Engineering. The Director of Public
Instruction (D.P.I.) was appointed in 1855-56. The first
landmark in the University Education was the establishment of
the three Universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1857.
Civil Engineering was one of the several branches introduced in
these Universities.
2.5 Civil Engineering School
In 1857, Lt. Col. George Vivian Winscom of the Madras
Engineers was appointed as Principal, with a staff salary of
Rs. 600 and a house rent of Rs. 150. He was to draw up a scheme
for the additional establishments required and for the courses of
instruction. The aim was to prepare men for the various kinds of
Engineering works needed in the Madras Presidency for
Government or for private companies.
In October 1858, the Government of Madras directed that
the Survey School should hereafter be called as the Civil
Engineering School with provision for two masters, and a fee of
Rs. 3 to be charged from each student. The Survey School, which
was first attached to the Board of Revenue and the Chief
Engineer's Office, was adopted as the basis of the Civil
Engineering School.
On the Anvil 35
In January 1854, Arbuthnot suggested the expansion of the
School. At the outset, the School imparted training for the
grades of Assistant Engineers and Sub-Overseers and the total
number of students was limited to 70. Twenty stipendiary
studentships were established for European and non-European
non-commissioned officers and soldiers of Her Majesty's British
and Indian regiments serving in the Presidency.
Those who qualified in the entrance test were placed under
the Principal to draw pay, ration and clothing from the Military
Department. A third department was set up late in the year for
training draughtsmen, estimators and accountants. The course of
instruction for lower department was only practical, but for the
higher department, theoretical instruction and practical training
was imparted.
In 1857, the Survey School contained 46 students. Winscom
was appointed Principal to organise the proposed College with
the Survey School as a basis. He proceeded to Calcutta to
examine the Civil Engineering College which had bjeen opened
just a year previously, at Fort William. The following remarks
were made to him by Principal Lt. Williams and they are not
inapplicable at the present day.
"Text-books are evils, though doubtless indispensable,
especially when for the use of those who evince so much
readiness in getting up a subject by rote. Choice of them is much
hampered by the poverty of the students generally. The evil
effects of text-books may, it is hoped, be met by the professors
generalising, as much as possible in their lectures, and by a set of
books for consultation placed apart in the library and open at all
times to the students".
2.6 Shift to Kalasa Mahal
The year 1859 was a significant year in the history of the
Institution. During the year, the palace of the late Nawab of the
Carnatic at Chepauk was converted for the use of Government
Offices, and Captain Winsom was required to use a portion of
the main building in Kalasa Mahal for the School and some of
On the Anvil 37
the outer buildings as the barracks. The School moved in to
Kalasa Mahal.
Curriculum was extended and the Survey School was
amalgamated with the College. An entrance test was held to
select good students. 36 military and 83 Civil candidates
presented themselves for the entrance exam, 20 military and 26
Civil candidates qualified themselves for admission. An increase
in the number of students was seen in 1859.
2.7 Engineering College
On September 19, 1859, the institution was named as Civil
Engineering College and later on, in the same year, as
Engineering College.
Inspite of the difficulties encountered with the newly
established College, accomplishments were laudable. There weFe
two departments :
1. The Senior Department and
2. The Junior Department.
The Senior Department was for the education of Engineers
and the Junior Department was for the instruction of candidates
lo fill up the inferior positions in the Public Works Department
The fees taken from students were utilised to purchase boolts
for the library. The first examination was held in 1860. The
college had a military character as the number of military
students were nearly double the number of civilian students.
The staff consisted of the Principal, a first Assistant
Mr. James Brad'shaw, two Junior Assistant Masters, two Munshis
and clerical staff.
The aim of the College was definitely to impart a better
system of education to the Subordinates working in the Public
Works Department.
The subjects taught were Surveying, Plotting, Planning and
Estimation, Costume Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
Hydraulics, Elementary Mathematics, Tamil and Telugu
languages.lt was felt that these would help the students when on
duty. To overcome the difficulties involved in practical training,
the Principal despatched the boys to the Gun Carriage
Manufactory and the Arsenal.
Additional class-rooms were provided by the removal of the
Board of Revenue from a portion of the Chepauk building to the
Government House. In* the following years, a First Department to
train commissioned officers and civilians as engineers was
introduced. The College was all set to make a good start. It was a
continuous process of experiment and development.
COMES OF AGE
3.1 College in Infancy
T
he Survey School culminated in the Civil Engineering
College, which was in its infancy in 1860. The following
years saw the growth of a great tradition. Captain Vivian
Winscom, the first Principal, observed that the efficiency
and capability of students was far better than that of the students
admitted so far. Boys passing out of the College were intelligent.
In consonance with the introduction of classes, staff organs
sations were expanded. Metamorphic changes took place in the
following years. The College came to be called as the College of
Engineering in the last decade of the 19th century. The Civil and
Mechanical Engineering courses in which the College was a
pioneer saw their fruition in the following years. Employment
opportunities were numerous and varied. Indians received
education and found employment in increasing numbers.
3.2 First Department
The First Department was created in 1862 to train
Commissioned Officers and Civilians as Assistant Engineers. This
was a two-year course for the Degree of Bachelor of Civil
Engineering (B.C.E.) of the University of Madras. B.C.E. was at
the graduate level with a First Examination in Arts (F.A.)
Diploma or Manic Examination as the minimum qualification.
Civil students were non-residents and they were 7 in number.
The number gradually increased with awareness among the
people. In 1880, there were 10 Civil Division students. Fee was
reasonable at Rs.16 for this class. Though it was a successful
course, the Principal in 1871-72 pointed out that language was a
problem. The natives did not comprehend English and the
Europeans did not comprehend vernaculars. This affected prac-
tical work.
The first batch of Assistant Engineers passed out in 1863
S. Subbarayachariar was the first Bachelor of Civil Engineering of
the University of Madras in 1864. This was indeed a great honour
to him and his'descendants.
3.3 Second Department
The object of the Diploma course was to train young men
for the Upper Subordinate branch of the Public Works
Department. This Second Department was open to European
Commissioned Officers and soldiers of European regiments and
civilians. Certificates as supervisors and Taluq overseers were
awarded under this Department Matriculate students were
admitted without examination. This was a two-year course. Thirty
stipendiary students were admitted into the Department in 1865.
Commanding officers of the various regiments recommended
these students. In 1880, the number of the military students was
less than that of civilians. All amenities including pay, rations
and clothing were provided to them. Annually five vacancies
existed in the Public Works Department wherein students of this
Department found a placement.
Scholarships were awarded to encourage young minds. Five
governmentscholarships to the value of Rs. 7.50 were awarded
Comes of Age 41
for two years to Civil Division students on the basis of
competitive examinations. This department contributed im-
mensely to the efficiency of the Public Works Department.
3.4 Special Class
In I860, Captain Carpendale succeeded Captain Winscom
as the Principal, In addition to the First or Senior Department
and the Second Department, a Special Class for Drawing and
Estimating was instituted in 1861. In 1862, the Officers'
Surveying Class was formed. The main object was to train
Draughtsmen and Estimaters for Engineering Course and Sur-
veyors for duty in the Revenue Survey Department or for any
other Survey Department. All works like buildings, bridges, roads
and irrigation works were to be carried out with the help of plans
and specifications.
Captain W.H. Edgecome observed, in 1866, that the course
of study in the Special Survey Class should be revised and
formulated to meet the requirements of Revenue Survey
Department and the Public Works. In order to improve the
efficiency, the need for viva-voce and more practical training was
suggested.
3.5 Multi Facets
In order to help the students to interact with experts and
experienced engineers, a series of lectures was organised. In
1861 and 1862, a course of lectures on Geology was delivered by
Bruce Foote of the Geological Survey. And, in 1863, lectures
were delivered on Chemistry by Dr. Wyndome of the Medical
College. This was followed by a course of lectures on Chemistry
and Geology delivered in alternate sessions by persons specially
appointed by the Government. It was heartening to note that, in
subjects like photography, Indians were to be seen. But only very
few students took up photography. Due to inadequate staff
facilities, this class was discontinued in 1898.
The students used to spend some days at Pallavaram in
surveying the hilly terrain. In 1866, Mr. Gilby, the Senior
Instructor in Surveying was granted a horse allowance(!) of
Rs. 25 to .enable him to supervise the out-door survey work.
From 1868, F.A. was made the standard for admission to the
Engineer Class instead of Matriculation. The Matriculates could
get into the Subordinate Class only, while those with a pass in the
F.A. could aspire for a seat in Engineering Course. In 1875,
there was a move to restrict the College to the needs of the lower
grades of the executive, in view of the establishment of an
Institution at the Cooper's Hill. But it was Mr. Powell, the
Director of Public Instruction, who resisted saying,"It would be a
retrograde and impolitic measure to abolish the Senior Depart-
ment of the Civil Engineering College, as such a move would
practically debar the natives of the Presidency, and the
Europeans and the Eurasians settled permanently in it, from
admission to the Higher Ranks of the Public Works
Department".
A number of scholarships to motivate students was
announced. Candidates standing first in the First Department
and in the Second Department were given scholarships. Even text
books were granted to them. This brought about a healthy
competition among the students. Frojn 1886, scholarships
ranging from Rs. 8 to Rs. 30 were open for competition among
students.
Accommodation was further extended in the College. The
whole of the upper storey of the palace and a portion of the
lower storey were appropriated to the College.
3.6 Practical training
The best possible facilities were provided by the College to
impart practical training. The Gun Carriage Manufactory and
the Grand Arsenal served as training spots for the Mechanical
Engineering Class. Students had to delve into the subject by
observing the mechanisms and the drawings. Students were taken
to brick kilns and they saw brick laying, mortar making, casting
iron and laying of cement.
( :<IMH"N of Age
Drawing and Estimating were dealt with in detail which
enhanced the scope for employment. Despite the facilities given
as early as 1863, the then Principal, Captain Edgecome, pointed
out the need for adequate practical training and urged for the
re-establishment of the Mechanical Class.
A corollary to practical training was the study of vernaculars.
Europeans found it difficult to converse in them. Vernaculars
were imparted and a course was framed accordingly so that they
could converse with Indian subordinates in the Public Works
Department. As years passed by, practical training improved. In
1886, the whole programme was re-organised.
3.7 Back Bone of Institution
The back bone of advancement in any institution is the
Principal and his staff'. The Principal of the College belonged to
the Corps of Engineers. He was stationed in the College premises
in a house well-constructed for him.
Proximity to the College enabled him to help students at
any time. All Military students were housed in barracks under his
surveillance. The Principal and Professor of Engineering were
the first two of the supervisory staff. In addition, there was one
Professor of Mathematics who was the Store-keeper. Photography
was taught by one of them. In 1885, additional teachers were
appointed to improve the teaching in Surveying and Drawing.
Staff and student interaction was appreciable right through.
Till 1872, there had been thirty stipendiary military
studentships. The Public Works Commission made a plea in its
report of 1870 for the employment of more natives as Overseers.
Lord Napier suggested that the number of European Non-
Commissioned Officers and Soldiers at the College should be
reduced to ten and that ten stipends at Rs. 8 be made available
for Native Sapppers. This facilitated native participation.
3.8 Placement Opportunities
There was no guarantee for a positive placement as
an Assistant Engineer. The number of students in the First
Department dropped owing to the difficulty in procuring jobs
for them in view of* their labour, time devoted and the cost of
education. Prospects of employment were less. In spite of this
uncertainty, students applied in order to get some employment.
The Government, however, suggested that their services would
be utilised when occasion arose. In 1867, only two had been
appointed Assistant Engineers, and the remainder had either
accepted subordinate posts or were unemployed. In 1870-71, it
was thought that the First Department existed only in name.
In 1874, Ratna- sabhapati Pillai who passed the B.C.E. was
appointed as the probationary Assistant Engineer. Even in 1874,
there was no guarantee for appointment. A sudden spurt in the
number of students was observed in 1871-72, as employment
possibilities loomed large. In the same year, the Government
also assured appointment to the grade of Assistant Engineers
annually in the Public Works Department, feut, till 1880, there
was no appointment in the Public Works Department.
In 1877, the College was affiliated to the University of
Madras which paved the way for great changes.
In the seventies, the First Department lost its Military
element and consisted of Civilian undergraduates, principally
natives between the ages of 16 and 22-who were admitted on
production of the University First Arts certificate. A Survey Class
for Military Officers was established to enable young officers to
get trained in Revenue Surveying or other Surveying. The class
was in abeyance from 1864 to 1867 and was permanently dis-
continued after 1868. In 1879, a reorganisation of the Public
Works Department was effected, involving extensive reductions
and, as a result, the total numbers in the College fell rapidly. In
1873, the College was transferred from imperial to provincial
services.
Due to extensive reductions in P.W.D. during 1879, the
numbers joining the College seriously diminished. In 1880,
standing orders were drawn for the College, employment register
was opened and arrangements were made to assist passed-out
students to obtain employment outside the P.W.D.
Comes of Age 45
The year 1881 saw the Goverment of India order that six
vacancies in the Engineer establishment of the P.W.D. should be
filled from Indian Engineering Colleges after 1885, three from
Roorkee and one each from Madras, Poona, and Calcutta.
During 1884, the Principal urged that trial should be
made of local men on the numerous Railway surveys and other
projects. The South Indian Railway tried, with satisfactory
results, the experiment of appointing an Indian to its Engineer
establishment.
3.9 Reorganisation of Institution
The year 1880 heralded the approach of a complete re-
organisation of the Institution. The Principal, Lt. H.D. Love,
submitted a scheme for improving the courses of instruction and
rendering them more practical. It included independent field
work, in place of class work, by students in Surveying; practical
work in setting out, brick laying and well sinking, cement testing,
carpentry; the inspection of works in progress (a practice which
had fallen into disuse); obligations on natives to qualify in a
vernacular other than their own; introduction of design, etc. On
the suggestion, in 1880, of Col. Macdonald, D.P.I., the Engineer
Course was, extended to 3 years and the Subordinate Course to
2-1/2 years.
It was in the eighties of the 19th Century that Tech-
nical Education was given a serious thought. The Education
Commission of 1882 was set up to review the implementation of
the Wood's Despatch wherein the need for technical education
was first mentioned. It declared that "there is a real need in India
for some corresponding course which shall fit boys for indus-
trial or commercial pursuits, at the age when they commonly
matriculate".
In 1882, there was a move by the Chief Engineer to have
admission to the Sub-Engineer and Overseer Classes open to
Matriculates, who could produce a certificate of having attended
workshops and kept workmen's hours for a year, and who were
able to walk twenty miles in six hours and to ride twenty-five
miles in three-and-a-half hours. But the Principal made a
4(i Survey School to Tech. Temple
remonstrance on behalf of the Institution and the cause of
Technical Education against these proposals. In 1884, the
Government of India sanctioned a permanent establishment of
twenty-five Sub-Overseers, the vacancies being filled, as far as
possible, by men "who had passed out of the Civil Engineering
Colleges - Roorkee five, Calcutta two, Madras one, Poona two.
The first Madras student to profit by the Guaranteed Post (G.P.)
scheme was Mr. S.A. Subrahmanya Aiyar, B.A.,B.C.E., who
passed out in December 1884.
From 1885, the College prizes consisted of various useful
instruments instead of books. Some of the types of instruments
were silver lever watch, parallel rule, magnetic compass, optical
square, field glass, colour box, set of scales and clinometer.
There was keen competition between Europeans and Eurasians,
on the one hand, and the natives, on the other (many times the
latter scoring over the former!).
Several changes culminated in the reorganisation of the
College in 1886, when the reorganisation scheme was finally
approved. The year 1886 was particularly significant as the
Civil Engineering College came to be known as the College of
Engineering.
In 1900, Sir E. Buck was deputed to look into the position of
Technical Education in the provinces. He suggested setting up
independent departments at the centre and in the provinces.
However, some headway was made in 1901 at the Simla
Conference, which concluded that the Education Departments
should promote Technical Education.
The scheme also sought to ensure guaranteed employment.
An Assistant Engineership in the Public Works Department for
the Engineer Class, Overseership for the Engineer Subordinate
Class, draughtsmanship for the Draughtsman Class, were
assured. Confirmation of the Surveyor posts in the Madras
Survey Department was given.
To assess the merit of students, a Board of Examiners was
appointed by the Government to conduct the final examinations
domes of Age 47
of the Senior Department. The College, however, continued to
conduct the examination of the Surveyor and the Draughtsman
Class.
The Sub-Overseers and Maistries Class was introduced for
the sons of artisans and for those with practical experience. This
had a tremendous positive effect on Technical Education at the
lower level.
3.10 Reconstitution of Staff
In order to cope with the increasing workload, a
reorganisation of staff was thought necessary. Mechanical
Engineering was to be introduced and, for improvement of
courses of study, additional staff was required. Besides, Technical
Education had to be promoted and students desirous of taking
up jobs in railways and at other places needed special attention.
For all these purposes, staff strength had to be increased.
As a result of the reorganisation in 1886, Mr. A. Chatterton,
B.Sc. was appointed Professor of Engineering and
Mr. E.W. Middlemast, B.A., Professor of Mathematics. In 1888,
the new building was occupied. This was an extension to the
existing building on the south side built at a cost of one lakh
of rupees. The building was designed by Mr. Chisholm in the
Indo-Saracenic style in keeping with the rest of Chepauk
buildings.
It is of interest to note that, in 1889, the Government
ordered that passed men of the Engineer Class "should not be
allowed a preference in the Upper Subordinate ranks over men
who have been expressly trained for that grade only".
The Mechanical Engineering Class for Sub-Overseers and
Maistries Class were not formed in 1887. A decline in the
strength of the other three classes was felt. The reasons for this
were the difficulty in getting employment, the increase in the
length of the course and the rise in fees. These together
out-weighed the benefits accruing from these courses. Therefore,
superior and inferior grades of Government were brought within
the reach of the students.
Engraved gold and silver medals were presented to the most
distinguished students from 1888 in Engineering and Subordi-
nate Classes.
Surveying field work was done by each class for a for full day
each week. Practice in the gymnasium was made compulsory.
College Workshops were started, and each class had practice for
one morning per week The College Workshop was fully utilized,
the students being employed in chipping, filing, turning and
screw-cutting in iron and in sawing, planing and making tables
and other College furniture in wood.
Emphasising the importance of practical training, it was
made compulsory for every student to obtain a certificate in
practical training. A plea for coordination of theoretical
instruction and practical training was made. To implement this,
Civil Engineers were sent to large Public Works and instructed in
the preparation of materials, practical construction details,
labour management and accounts. In 1890, the first batch of
students completed their practical training of two years - the first
year in a workshop for all classes, and the second year on
civil works for the Civil Engineer and Upper Subordinate Class
and in a Workshop for the Mechnical Engineer Classes.
Mr. V. Devasikhamuni Pillai, who spent the second year in the
Madras Railway, was the first Mechanical Engineer of the
College.
A Model Room was set up during this period. Govern-
ment Technical Examinations Were introduced in 1890.
Systematic instruction in gymnastics commenced in 1888.
From 1890, the courses were rendered as practical as possible.
From 1891 the classes went out into camp for Survey field work
at a distance from Madras. A new workshop and the experi-
mental laboratory were commenced in 1892.
The library consisted of a lending and a consulting branch
with a total of 3,085 volumes of which 122 were added in 1893.
Since 1889, there had been a steady increase in the use of library
facilities. Reading room facilities also existed.
Comes of Age 49
3.11 Introduction of Mechanical Engineering
In 1880, Col. MacDonald, the Director of Public Instruction,
suggested the introduction of Mechanical Engineering. The
Committee appointed by the Government recommended the
introduction of Mechanical Engineering, which was offered
alongside Civil Engineering.
In 1894, after 100 years of the existence of the College, the
University of Madras introduced a Degree in Mechanical
Engineering, and the B.C.E. degree was changed into B.E.
Degree. The College did not have a separate course in Mecha-
nical Engineering, but some students of the College passed the
B.E. Degree examination in Mechanical Engineering from 1895.
The University of Madras was the first university in India to
introduce a Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
3.12 Developments from 1895 to 1920
In 1895, orders were issued for the reduction of practical
courses from two years to one. The Surveyor Class was developed
into one for the training of Lower Subordinates and the first
batch of students passed out as "Sub-Overseers and Surveyors"
in 1897. In the Engineering laboratory, a 100 ton testing
machine was erected. In 1894 orders were issued that the Military
Upper Subordinates for Burma P.W.D. should be supplied by the
Madras College.
In 1900, qualified Engineer students were ruled eligible for
the temporary Upper Subordinate Establishment of P.W.D. wkh
the prospect of eventual transfer to the permanent establishment
while qualified Engineer Subordinate students were held suitable
for appointment to the temporary Upper and Lower Subordinate
Establishment with similar prospects.
In 1901, Mr. W.H. James, B.Sc., was appointed Professor of
Engineering, and Mr. J. Webster, Instructor in Mechanical
Engineering.
In 1902, tours for the inspection of irrigation and other
important works were initiated.
Survey Camp at Pallavaram
Mechanicals on Tour
Comes of Age 51
In 1901-1902, the College held classes for:
1. Engineers
2. Engineering Subordinates
3. Sub-Overseers and Surveyors
4. Draughtsmen and Surveyors
This College was the only college imparting engineering
education in the Madras Presidency. A memorable change took
place in 1904. A committee was set up to look into the needs of
the College.
The new courses introduced were :
1. Civil Engineering
2. Mechanical Engineering
3. Upper Subordinate and Lower Subordinate classes
The duration of the courses was three years. In order to
inspect and report on the functioning of the College, a Board of
Visitors was set up to advise the Director of Public Instruction
and the Government. B.A. was made the entrance qualification
for the Engineer Class.
A number of facilities was provided. Laboratory buildings
were considered for improvement. Due to inadequate accommo-
dation facilities, the Government decided to transfer the College
to Saidapet. The cost of maintenance was high. For the Engi-
neering class, the minimum qualification continued to be B.A.,
i.e. Graduate in Maths or Physics. The duration of the course
of study for graduates in Civil and Mechanical Engineering was
increased to four years. Higher course engineering students
prepared for B.E. degree exam of the University of Madras. The
staff was strengthened to meet the increasing number of students
and the courses. The posts of Professor of Electrical Engineering,
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Engi-
neering were added in 1915. Survey camps were held for all
classes in January. Earlier, it was held only for senior division
students. Examinations were held by the staff rather than by an
independent Board of Examiners. A Probationary Subordinate
Class was conducted for matriculates and school leaving certifi-
cate holders. Upper Subordinate Class consisted of students who
were capable of showing progress. The rest of the students came
under the Subordinate Class.
In 1912, the College consisted of four classes :
T. Engineering Class
2. Upper Subordinate Class for training subordinates
for the P.W.D.
3. Lower Subordinate Class for training lower sub-
ordinate surveyors and draughtsmen for surveyor
department, railways, etc.
4. Probationary Subordinate Class for training candi-
dates before they entered the Upper or Lower sub-
ordinate class.
A school was established at Visakapatnam by the College. As
an incentive, scholarships were regularly awarded. The College
was transferred to Guindy in 1920.
Col. H.D. Love retired from service in 1907 and was
succeeded by Mr. W.H.James. Mr. C.L. Cartwright, M.I.M.E., was
appointed as the Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Sergeant
W.C. Old, an Overseer of the P.W.D. was appointed as Instructor
in Surveying and Drawing.
Under revised rules, sessional examinations were held for
the first time in April 1908. In 1910, a class was formed for the
training of officers of the Salt, Abkari and Revenue departments
lasting for two months. The College rules were again modified in
1911.
"The course for the Engineer Class is extended to four
years and the Intermediate examination of the Madras University
substituted for the B.A. degree as the qualifying examination for
entiy.
The Probationary Subordinate Class is instituted to serve as
a feeder for the Upper and Lower Subordinate Classes".
Mr. B. Hanumantha Rao retired in 1912 and was succeeded
by Mr. K.R. Ramaswamy Iyengar, M.A., L.T. An important
Comes of Age 53
change was introduced by the decision to provide for the
teaching staff by the temporary transfer for three-year periods of
officers from the P.W.D. Mr.P.V. Manikka Nayakkar, B.A., B.E.,
was appointed Professor of Civil Engineering in 1914. A hostel to
accommodate 50 students was opened in Tiruvateeswaranpet.
In 1915, Mr. H.B. Mathews was appointed Professor of Elec-
trical Engineering and Mr.F.N. Mowdawalla, the Electrical
Laboratory Assistant. The Professor of Mechanical Engineering
took the students of the Mechanical Engineer class to Khandalla
near Bombay on a visit to the Tata Hydro-Electric Works and this
was the first time that a party of students was sent out of the
Presidency.
A College of Engineering Association was started with the
object of stimulating, among its members, interest in general,
technical and industrial subjects and also for promoting social
intercourse in the College.
Mr.H.W. Barket was appointed Professor of Civil Engi-
neering in 1916. Three Electrical Engineering scholarships were
instituted with the object of attracting the very best class of
students. In 1918, Mr. Mowdawalla resigned, and Mr.P. Subba
Rao, B.A., a Diplomate of the Indian Institute of Science, was
appointed the Electrical Laboratory Assistant.
Mr.C.L. Cartwright was appointed Principal in 1920 and the
College moved to Guindy the same year.
C H E Q U E RE D LIFE AT G U 1NDY
4.1 Move to Guindy
T
he year 1920 is a turning point in the history of the
College. From the Kalasa Mahal or domed palace (at
Chepauk, now known as the old Engineering College),
the College moved during summer vacation into the
present buildings at Guindy, built at a cost of Rs. 20 lakhs. At this
point of time, the College was the first and the only College
imparting engineering instruction in the Presidency. Initially, the
main building, laboratories, power house and residential hostel
were constructed.
Mr. W.A. James was chiefly responsible for the lay-out of the
present buildings, and the present and future staff and students
owe him no small debt of gratitude for his skill in the design and
equipment of the excellently furnished Workshops and Labora-
tories now being used.
Although the present imposing structure was commenced ia
1908, for various reasons, especially the delay caused by the War,
the structure was finished and opened for use only in July 1920.
The College is a grand piece of architecture with a long frontage,
and as one approaches it slowly through the long avenues of
trees (then palm, but now Asoka) leading from the road to the
gardens with their neatly-cut hedges, one cannot but be struck
with the rigid solidity, unshakeable mass, measured order and
awe-inspiring expanse of the field of Engineering which the
building so eloquently symbolises in every one of its lines
(including shape E for Engineering) its supremely distinguished
glistening bald head crowning the tower of knowledge. On
entering the white marble floored hall with great corridors to the
right and left, a fine double stair-case faces the visitor. Above the
porch was the Principal's office (now the Dean's) in which the
first thing that attracted attention was the electric master clock
with which the four-faced clock in the tower was synchronised.
On this floor are long drawing offices, lecture rooms and offices
for the teaching staff. The peculiar plate girders (of Indian iron
but English steel) under the ceiling of these rooms and halls are
due to the fact that the usual steel joints were not obtainable
Glistening College Dome
Hydraulic Lab, showing arrangement for testing Hume pipes
Chequered Life at Guindy 59
then and these had to be built up in their present form to be, no
doubt, a cause for speculation to future generations. It is a
master piece in architecture in white cutstone, red sand stone
and brick not matched by many structures of Madras. It is so
perfect in construction that its plinth or cornice, running to
hundreds of metres each, is perfectly level (within half the least
count of levelling staff). It is an asset we can only ill-afford to
neglect.
From the roof, a fine panoramic view is obtained; the
grounds, of over 80 hectares, are bounded on the west by the
Adyar river, on the east by the Kottur tank (now staff quarters
and Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre) and on the
south by the Raj Bhavan and Guindy deer park. On the grounds
are the hostels, the professor's bungalows, and the tennis courts,
hockey, cricket and football grounds.
The ground floor now has the College office, a drawing hall,
Hall of Geodesy and the State Bank of India.
The Strength of Materials, the Mechanical, the Hydraulic
and the Electrical Laboratories, the Workshops and the Powei
House form a group of buildings, to the west of the main
building and, all told, they comprise the finest College of
Engineering in India. A link building and Science Block were
added later on, on the northern side.
Realising the importance of engineering institutions, a
conference of Principals of engineering institutions was held in
1921. In this conference, the functions of the engineering
colleges, the position of these colleges, syllabi and the type of
courses to be offered were all analysed in detail. They were clear
in mind that adequate staff and provision of equipment would
improve the achievements of the Engineering Colleges.
4.2 Staff at Guindy
Consequent on the Government sanction of an additional
Professor of Civil Engineering, Mr. G. Nagaratnam Ayyar, B.A.,
B.E., District Board Engineer, Cocanada, was appointed to the
post on the 16th of August 1920. The second Professorship in
Civil Engineering was filled by Mr. K.C. Chakko D.Sc., in 1921.
Mr. C.L. Cartwright became Principal in 1922 for a second,
longer spell.
In 1920, a single Subordinate Class intended to replace the
Probationary Upper Subordinate (U.S.) and Lower Subordinate
(L.S.) classes was formed. Two years later, this Class was
abolished, reverting to the old system.
Mr. P. Subba Rao was appointed to act as Professor of
Electrical Engineering in 1923.
The year 1924 saw the College furnishing a Platoon for
the University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC) under the
command of Lt. K.C. Chakko.
News was received from England of the death of
Col. H.D. Love, RE. who was the Principal of the College for 28
years from 1879 to 1907.
During this year, the U.S. and L.S. classes were abolished in
the College and were concentrated in the Engineering Schools at
Trichy and Vizag.
The performance and participation of Indians in the
College activities, both academic and otherwise, increased in the
following years. All classes and communities in the society had
equal access to engineering education, based on merit. It was a
great honour when Diwan Bahadur A.V. Ramalinga Iyer, an
alumnus of the College (who joined it in 1888) became the first
Indian to be appointed as Superintending Engineer of the Public
Works Department in 1913, and the first Indian as Chief
Engineer in 1923, Indians were on par with Europeans even in
academic excellence, but the key posts still eluded them. This was
changed when on July 6th, 1925, Rao Bahadur G. Nagaratnam
Ayyar became the first Indian Principal of the College. During
his tenure, a number of programmes were introduced. Tutorial
classes were begun to en ance the value of the lectures.
4.3 Classes of Study
As a result of the assessment of engineering courses, the
classes were so organised as to meet the requirements of the
Public Works Department, the Revenue Department, Local
Boards and Municipalities and tne Railways. They were :
1. Engineering classes to train Civil Engineers
2. Mechanical Engineering Class
3. Lower Subordinate class for training of lower
subordinates and surveyors
4. Probationary Subordinate class for preliminary
training to join the upper or lower subordinate
class
5. Draughtsmen clas's for training of draughtsmen
When Mr. C. L. Cartwright proceeded on leave out of India
in 1925, Mr. G. Nagaratnam Ayyar took over the duties of the
Principal, and he had the unique honour of" being the first
Indian and graduate of our own College to get in to this exalted
position to guide the destinities of our institution for a period of
more than a decade.
The sad news of the death of Mr. H.B. Mathews reached in
May 1925; and sadder still was the death of Mr. C.L. Cartwright
in April 1926.
At this time, the Professorships of the College were being
filled by Engineers from the P.W.D. The Professors of Civil
Engineering were Messrs. N. Durairaja Ayyar and J.M. Frederick
and the Professors of Mechanical Engineering were
Mr. M.K. Ranganatham, Mr. L. Venkatakrishna Ayyar,
Mr. M.S. Tirumalai Ayyangar and Mr. T.S. Venkatarama Iyer.
Mr. P.A. Middha, M.Sc, was appointed Professor of Civil
Engineering in 1929 and, on the expiry of his five years' contract,
Mr. K.S. Sitarama Ayyar was appointed to the post in 1934.
Mr. A. Watson was appointed Professor of Mechanical
Engineering in July 1930, but he met with an unfortunate death
at the end of that month. Mr. J.H.C. Kann, B.Sc. of the Indian
Institute of Science was appointed to the post. Mr. W.S. Wales
filled the post of Professor of Electrical Engineering in 1929. Mr.
S. Paul was appointed the Senior Workshop Instructor and, on
the retirement of Mr. J. Webster, who had a distinguished service
of 30 years to the College and its Hostel, was selected for the post
of Instructor in Mechanical Engineering. Mr. V.H. Sadarangani
was given the post of Instructor in Civil Engineering in 1930; and
Mr. K. Sukumaran the newly created post of Lecturer in
Electrical Engineering.
A landmark in the history of the College was made when
Electrical Engineering was introduced as a separate course of
study for Engineers. Consequent on the advances in the electrical
field in the country and in keeping with the times, the electrical
departme. . was equipped at a cost of more than 3 lakhs of
rupees with all the latest electrical equipment to train the highest
class of Electrical Engineers.
4.4 Engineer Class
From time to time, changes were made in the qualifications
for admission and in the courses. An intermediate pass certificate
with Maths, Physics and Chemistry as optional subjects was
necessary for admission. Candidates should be under 20 years of
age. At the end of the second year, students were divided among
the Civil, Mechanical and Electrical branches. Theoretical
instruction and practical training were imparted with the B.E.
exam at the end of the year.
4.5 Other Courses of Study
Till 1940, there were two Subordinate Classes :
1. The Upper Subordinate Class, and
2 The Lower Subordinate Class
Apart from this, there were the Probationary Subordinate
Class which was a preliminary course to the Upper and Lower
Subordinate Classes, and the Draughtsmen Class extending for a
period of two years.
The duration of the course for the Upper Subordinate Class
was 3 years two years in College and one year practical
training which involved Surveying, Drawing and Workshop. For
practical training and inspection work, visits to Mettur and other
irrigation works were conducted. The number of pupils in this
class was steadily increasing with the increasing awareness of
technical education. The Subordinate Engineering Class attached
to the College of Engineering, Guindy, was the only recognised
School in the Presidency.
The duration of this course was 2 years. Entrance tests were
conducted in drawing and English composition.
4.6 Pioneering Work
As an instituition of standing, several engineering firsts go
to the credit of the College. The College was the first in India to
introduce a degree course in Mechanical Engineering (1894)
and Electrical Engineering (1930). The College was again the
first to have a course in Highways Engineering and Tele-
Communication Engineering (1945) and, recently, in Printing
Technology (1985). When these courses were introduced, several
doubts were raised about employment prospects. By the intro-
duction of these courses, it was expected that the Presidency
would be self-sufficient to meet the demand for higher technical
personnel.
New courses introduced till 1948-1949 were :
1. Public Health
2. Highways Engineering
3. Irrigation Engineering
4. Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
5. Production Engineering
6. Reinforced Concrete
7. Aeronautics and
8. Railway Engineering
These courses were broad-based to inculcate learning in all.
The introduction of these courses, it was felt, would restrict
expenditure in sending students to foreign countries.
Higher course candidates were prepared for the degree
examination of the University of Madras. After the institution of
Electrical Engineering in 1930-31, there was a demand for
Electrical Engineers from the College. At the same time, in order
to distinguish between the engineer class and other classes, a
decision was taken to dispense with the probationary and lower
subordinate classes in the College. However, nothing could be
done in this regard till 1940. After the introduction of the
Highway and Aeronautical engineering, many needs of the
Presidency were catered to. During the war and the post-war
period, the demand for engineers was met by training engineers
in this institution.
In 1930, a decade after the college moved to Guindy, vast
developments took place. Laboratory facilities greatly improved.
Applied Science now formed part of the curriculum in Mecha-
nical Engineering. There was an increasing awareness of the
significance of Technical Education and industrical education. In
spite of the progress, it was pointed out in 1931 that there were
very few institutions imparting technical education and that the
British Government's expenditure on education was minimal.
The degree course in Highways, instituted in 1945, was
abolished in 1958. A course in Mining was started in 1956 and
wound up within a short span of time to yield place to Metallurgy
in 1969. But, Mining is back in the College since 1987.
4.7 Practical Training
The courses framed in the College were a good blend of
academic and practical work. Practical training was
recommended during the years 1917-22.
Practical training varied from course to course. The Civil
Engineers had to undergo workshop training for 6 months
prescribed for them. Mettur project on the Cauvery was one of
the sites for training. In 1930, 20 Civil and 14 Mechanical
Engineers and 32 Upper Subordinates joined the various works
and workshops. Other places where training was imparted were
the Public Works Department, Madras; Public Works Depart-
ment, Dowlaishwaram; Public Works Department, Cochin;
South Indian Railway and Madras Port Trust, among others.
Thus, extensive training was given.
The Central and Regional engineering establishments of the
AIR, Posts and Telegraph Department and the Directorate of
Civil Aviation were places for training. This course was intro-
duced in July 1949. The training would enahle the students to
develop an appreciation of practical realities. Employment
opportunities increased and the number of engineer officers
rose.
Extensive facilities for training in both these branches
existed. Mechanical Engineering students had to undergo
training either during the summer vacation or after they
completed their college study with a number of railway
workshops, mills, factories, electric power station transmissions,
distribution system etc. The Madras Electricity Department was
said to have had the best organised system of training in the
whole country for electrical engineering students.
In 1947, the need to increase the work, in practical training
was felt. A criticism was levelled in the Madras Legislative
Assembly that the College of Engineering graduates lacked
practical training and experience. The College .felt that such a
criticism was unfounded, as it was doing its best to impart
theoretical and practical training. In fact, the old students
studying in foreign Universities wrote that the equipment were
not inferior to what were seen in those universities.
4.8 Inspection Work
Budding Engineers taken to the works assimilate faster. A
visit to the important engineering works formed part of the
curriculum. Some of the works visited were irrigation works at
Krishna, Godavari deltas and the harbour at Vizagapatnam,
Electric Works at Kolar gold mines, Bhadravati Iron Works,
Mettur Projects, Golden Rock Workshop, and canal works at
Tanjore. The aim of inspection work was to associate students
with practical engineering.
This course of instruction together with that of the
Probationary Subordinate Class was for 3 years. Theoretical study
was through lectures and practical training consisted of
Surveying in the field, of Drawing, and work in the Workshops.
Several recommendations to amalgamate the Draughtsmen Class
and the Lower Subordinate Classes were put forth. In 1940, a
proposal to combine the course of the Subordinate Classes was
mooted. In October of the same year, the abolition of the lower
subordinate class and the draughtsmen class was ordered.
With the two preliminary courses abolished, those who were
really interested in pursuing a career in Engineering or allied
professions had to join the College.
4.9 Research Work
Research was being done in the Engineering College, as
early as 1905 by Prof. James. The University of Madras
introduced research Degree in Engineering in 1935 and this
College was the first in India to provide facilities for research
students in Engineering.
In order to infuse originality and the spirit of creative
thinking, students were encouraged to do research. Dr. JJ. Rudra
was chiefly responsible in inducting research with great
enthusiasm in the college. His efforts in the early thirties led to
intensive research later. In 1945, two scholars of the Electrical
Engineering branch were engaged in research. Incentive for
research increased.
Research plans, in both fundamental and applied research
work, of all practical value, both in departments and in the
industries, were initiated. A Fundamental Engineering Research
Station was started to work in close collaboration with the
College. It was Prof. Sukumaran, who got the first Ph.D. degree
in the Faculty of Engineering of the Madras University.
The College did a lot in industrial research. It was the first to
set up a plant for testing producer gas plants for automobiles.
It carried out exhaustive investigation on vegetable oils and
charcoal gas as fuel in Diesel engines and the results have been
welcomed by engineers and industrialists all over the country.
The College was also extending facilities to the research staff
connected with irrigation in the province. Research work has
Rao Bahadur Principal C. Nagaratnam Ayy~ar
Dr. Kanoth Sukumaran, Ph.D.
Suney Camp at THIRlSEh'JlMALAl
Principal Srinhasan visiting Camp (1966)
Mr. Sadiq addressing a gathering
Cl u- (| i i e i e <l l . i l t- ai ( i u i i u l y li<)
been a regular feature ever since and has grown by leaps and
bounds during the last 2 decades.
4.10 Post- Graduate Courses
A growing need for specialisation was felt. Since oppor-
tunities for higher education were limited, attempts were made
for promoting post-graduate studies. With the increasing scope
for technical and engineering education, post-graduate courses
in several branches were encouraged. In September 1955, Public
Health Engineering was introduced and 7 students were admitted
to this course.
Gradually post-graduate courses in Advanced Hydraulics,
Dam Construction and Irrigation, Structural Engineering,
Electrical Machine Design, Soil Mechanics and Internal
Combustion Engineering were begun during the Second Five
year Plan.
The qualification for pursuing the post-graduate courses was
a B.E. Degree from the University of Madras or any other
University equivalent thereto. Post-graduate studies have
accentuated research and specialisation.
4.11 Women Candidates
The College realised the significance of educating women as
engineers. For the first time in 1940, two women students were
admitted. But the Poona Engineering College took the credit of
having the first woman student in India in Engineering. Since
then, there has been a steady increase in the number of women
candidates. In 1943, both the students admitted in 1940 passed
with Honours, one in Civil Engineering and the other in
Electrical Engineering. In 1944, another student graduated. Due
to consistent encouragement, 12 women candidates passed B.E.
and also completed the post-graduate course in Structural
Engineering in 1962 and, today, the College has its own women's
hostel within the campus.Some of these women students not only
picked up engineering degrees from the College but also picked
up engineering graduates as their future life-partners from
Guindy.
4.12 Facilities and Fora
While the class rooms and laboratories impart theoretical
and practical knowledge to students, many professional Societies
for Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Electronics Engineers (and
others) organise Seminars and Symposia at which papers of
topical interest are presented by the students, members of staff
and prominent engineers from the field. The College has been
publishing a magazine since 1933 with articles of interest from
students and staff. The college Magazine was priced at Re. 1 in
1933. However, the magazine was given to students as a free copy
from 1935. Unfortunately, the publication has been irregular for
some years and is now dead ; a loss to students and staff alike. It
is hoped it would receive, like a phoenix, a new lease of life, ere
long.
There are quite a few students' organisations like the
Students' Association, the Arts Section, the Photographic Society
and the Social Service League (now National Service Scheme).
All these serve to organise and channelise the energies of
youngmen into fruitful and satisfying activities. To inculcate in
students an interest in Tamil literature, a Tamizhar ,Kazhagam
was started in October 1943 (which was renamed Tamizh
Manram in 1957). The work done for establishing a strong
foundation for Tamil Manram by Prof. A.P. Jambulingam is
worth mentioning. Andhra Sahitya Samithi, Kannada Sangha,
Malayalam and Hindustani Premi Mandal, which had similar
objectives, were wound up, as the number of students speaking
those languages decreased over the years, and dramas in those
languages also ceased to be staged.
During 1939, in the B Block, to cater to the needs of
students, the last room was given to a Private Entrepreneur to
run a canteen. Looking at the unhygienic conditions three
students came out with an innovative idea resulting in the
Automatic Dosa Machine. This machine was displayed in a
number of Exhibitions in the College and at Parkfair. The
machine was also put into use at the College mess for four
years.
ILP wesripui C>)aivrr)(^(if
Best Tamil Debating team in state, won the PSG Rangaswamv Memorial Rolling
trophy (1962-63), M.R. Ranganathan, O.A. Sivakumaran.
Mr. A.P. Jambulingam
Bus Committee
Power farm
Chequered Lite at (iiiindy 73
A full-fledged canteen came into existence on the 12th
February 1949. Badham Halwa and Fruit Salad were served for 2
annas (one anna was roughly 6 paise) in 1951. An attempt to
raise it to 3 annas was given up as this was not welcomed by the
students ; today, one has to shell out as much as Rs. 6 for these
items!
The welfare committee came into existence during 1950-51.
13 students from various blocks formed the committee to take
care of water supply and sanitation.
The transport committee was formed in August 1950 and it
had 6 student members elected from various blocks. The college
had a 26 seater Ford V-8, 16 seater Morris van, an 8-Seater
Morris car. The Ford 8 picked up the students from Saidapet and
Mambalam. The committee took care of the transport require-
ments of the students for their personal travel also. The mileage
cost was 3 annas for the van per mile (one mile is roughly 1.6
km.) and 4 annas for the car. Today, these vehicles no longer
exist. They are replaced by buses and vans, but the facilities have
shrunk, comforts have diminished and students' involment has
just vanished.
In 1951, the Hostel Committee bought 5 cows for supplying
night milk to the inmates of the Hostel.
It may be of interest to note that, in 1940 itself, the student
blocks H, F, D, C formed their own Block Unions to take care of
the block affairs. The union meeting was held every day, the
groups meeting everyday between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. The F Block
Union also ran its own Manuscript Magazine. None-of these
exists today.
The sense of participation, team work, and responsi-
bility shown during 1940-1960 is very much missing in
today's pressurised environment of high competition. Mr. C.
Rajagopalachari, the then Chief Minister, said once in our
College Day function that only such extra-curricular activities
make an Engineer a full personality as he might not find time for
such development once he joined the services. How True!
Rao Bahadur Lt. Col. S. Paul, B.K, M.I.E.(Ind)
During the days of Principal, Lt. Col. Paul, the College had
maintained a Power Farm for a vegetable garden, a Sheep Farm
and a Dairy Farm, and was able to supply vegetables, meat and
(night) milk to the student messes. There was also set up a
jaggery manufacturing co-operative society for tapping the date,
coconut and palmyrah palms in the grounds. Vegetables grown
in the farm were sold in Mylapore after taking care of the
consumption requirements in the Hostels. The famous Drama
Hall of those days came into existence during his period by
converting a Drawing Hall in the Main Building. Today, there is
a very good Auditorium named after Vivekananda and the old
Drama Hall houses Survey Seminar Hal), a Lecture Hall and the
State Bank of India. To provide musir to the inmates of the
Hostel, a Radio Club was started. And today, every mess has
piped music during dining hours and every block has a colour
TV. The Broadcasting Club provided PA system for the functions
of the College, and took care of the running commentary during
the matches. The staff of Electronics and Communication Engi-
neering School has taken over providing P.A. facility. The Staff
Club started to function from a Tent pitched outside the staff
quarters as there was no room for the Staff Club. Facilities
improved later but, unfortunately, there is no Staff Club and no
premises allotted for staff activities during the last decade. With
more and more women students joining Guindy, there is a fear
from boys that the camel and the Arab story may be enacted
here! The ladies have started a Camatic Music Club, though it
merged with the present Arts Society, which is doing wonders.
The students' artistic talents found an outlet from early days
through photography. The College had its own Photographic
Club, and students held College Photo Competition and won
many times Inter-Collegiate Photo Competition prizes.
4.13 Library
The library plays a very important part in cultivating an
interest in academics among students. It furthers standards of
education and facilitates research at the post-graduate level. The
College has over the years collected a good number of books and
periodicals.
In 1930, there were 11,279 books The College has a large
technical library with the latest books and journals. A congenial
atmosphere is provided in the spacious building to which the
library was shifted in 1964, when it had 22,000 books and 400
journals. Seating arrangements
f
or 350 scholars have been
provided. The number of books rose to 80,00 volumes and
journals to 1,000 benefitting students, faculty members and
research scholars of the College. Microfilm facilities also exist in
the library at present. Monitoring through computers and
photocopying at concessional rates for the students have been
added to the existing facilities. The library has a good team of
co-operative staff to help the students.
4.14 Arts Festival
The Arts Section was once a part of the College Association
and later functioned with an elected Arts Secretary as the group
leader. It provided the much-required platform to the students to
exhibit their talents in play writing, visualizing, stage manage-
ment, direction, acting, etc. The students first staged the drama
for the College, the boys taking up female roles and doing
extremely well. The services rendered by Prof. K. Sukumaran and
Principal Lt. Col. Rao Bahadur S. Paul will need special mention
when talking about the history of the Arts Section. The present
hall of Geodesy served as the first Drama hall, and later the Old
Drama Hall was opened by Mrs. Paul where today's State Bank is
located. Later, during the year 1965-66, the Vivekananda Audi-
torium came into existence. For the first time, there were an Arts
Secretary and an Assistant Arts Secretary in 1965-66. The First
Arts Festival in the Vivekananda Auditorium took place in 1966.
The support and co-operation of Principal N.R. Sitapati,
Prof. P. Purushothaman (now Dean of Engineering, P.G.), late
Mr. K.M. Swaminathan, Prof. S. Modi, Prof. V. Ananda Rao and
Prof. K.S. Hegde are worth mentioning here. The College had
two Arts Secretaries S.A. Khader and M.R. Ranganathan for the
first time.
The Arts Festival of earlier years had dramatic competition
for the dramas presented by various groups (Tamil, Telugu, etc.)
and, later, the College started the Inter-Collegiate dramatic
competition. The College invited various other colleges to
participate in the competition held at Guindy. The Arts Section
also staged plays at the Park Fair exhibition. The College calls
the Arts Festival as Techofes in recent times. Numerous films
were and are screened by the Arts Section.
There used to be an interesting seating arrangement in the
Drama Hall. The El students (with one more year to complete
Engineering) always took the first few rows during the dramas
and Arts Festival, and the E4s (First year students with 4 more
years to go and normally referred to as E4 Dopes) took the last
rows. But this seating arrangement changed when films were
screened, with the E4s sitting nearest to the screen. Sitting out of
the class boundaries always created problems and fight. There
used to be very .good discipline, and even pin-drop silence in the
Hall, with an El controlling the E2S, an E2 looking after the E3s,
and so on. The fear and the familiarity created during ragging of
freshers helped in maintaining discipline, which is often absent
now-a-days.
4^15 Sports
Guindy was known not only for its famous engineers but also
for the excellent athletes and sportsmen it had produced who
had participated in the collegiate, inter-collegiate, state and
national level sports activities.
One of the Spin Trio of the Indian Cricket team,
S. Vengataraghavan, who rose to be India Captain, was a student
of Guindy. The hero of one-day cricket, K. Srikanth, another
Captain, was also our student. The Guindy Boxing teams won
the Lalith Shastry Shield for a number of years. The Cricket
teams, Football teams, Hockey teams, Basketball teams and
Volley ball teams of Guindy contributed to the University teams
every year. The college had every year some University Blue or
the other. Guindy had one of the largest number of Tennis
courts. There were 13 courts. The senior- most players played
only in courts' 1 to 4. A Junior always started with court 13. He
had to challenge a senior in the next higher court, beat him and
then only move to the next higher court. This continued till he
reached court 1 or left the College, which ever was earlier (This,
again, has become a thing of the past. We have just about 4 or 5
courts now).. The College had its own Boat Club and our Rowing
teams always brought laurels to the College. The College also
had Chadugudu teams, Tennikoit teams, badminton teams, etc.
The College had its own swimming pool with a good circula-
tion system. It had the unique privilege of a city college having
its own swimming pool. But, in the last few years, some of our
dear friends met their watery grave in this swimming pool, and so
it has been closed down. Every effort is being taken to re-open
the pool this 'year- The College firmly believed that every
engineer needs excellent physique. The College had a number of
sports facilities and started with an athletic team, and then many
others, including boxing.
We are happy to include photographs of some of the out-
standing Sportsmen and Athletes of the College in this book.
The College U.O.T.C (later on to be named as N.C.C.) always
had more number of applicants than the Company's strength.
The College had Engineers and Sappers unit, Engineers unit,
University Blues
Tennis Team
Chequered life at Guindy 81
Inauguration of our Swimming Pool
E.M.E. unit, Signals unit, Rifles unit, Aiming unit, Naval Tech.
unit under the banner of U.O.T.C. or N.C.C.
The College Principals, Professors and Junior Teaching Staff
also participated actively in U.O.T.C. or N.C.C. as the officers of
these units.
4.16 Physical Training
For those students who did not participate in the U.O.T.C.,
there was a Physical Training class after 4 p.m and Thursday
afternoon was the compulsory Mass Drill Day.
During the 1940s, the Drill Master was Mr. Malayappa Iyer,
a short man, who always stood on a platform for conducting the
class. He did not have adequate knowledge of English. He had
his own abbreviations and terms to indicate people and events.
Malayappa Iyer wrote in the attendance registers against the
name of the students certain abbreviations to refer to a student
and his way of doing things.
TMC : Trouble Middle Class, Talking Middle Class (to
indicate mischief-mongers in the middle of a
class)
LCBC : Late coming, Bat coming, (to indicate students
who used to rush to the PT class from the
H.E. inspecting the Guard of Honour
5
th
MADRAS V. T. C. : A COY, (ENGINEERS)
(Ihequered Life at Guindy 83
Tennis court in the last minute with their
tennis rackets.)
SBL : Shaking between Legs (to indicate those
students who were not steady while doing
pull-ups)
"Principal Telescoping" meant that the Principal was
watching from a distance. The students used to enjoy doing PT
under this Man, and they gave one of the biggest send-off parties
to him.
The Mass drill came to an end with one of the students by
name Choudry giving a call in 1942 during one of the Mass Drill
Classes to the British to "Quit India". Principal Chakko was
transfered to Kumbakonam Government Arts College.
4.17 The Messy Business
As against the barracks-type hostels and the tiled hostel
blocks of the earlier days, today the College has more than 10
undergraduate hostels, and PG Hostels and an All-Exclusive
Womens' Hostel. Womens' Hostel New Block and the PG Block
for men and women started functioning in the year 1990. Thanks
Heavens, the primitive laboratories and the abhorred "Baroda
cans" are a thing of the past now!
There used to be more than ten or twelve messes at a time to
cater to about 500 hostel students to suit their tastes. They
had names like Anglo-Indian, Muslim, Andhra A and B, Smartha
A, B and C, Malabar, Andhra Brahmin, Arya Vaisya, Cosmo-
politan Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian, Non-Brahmin Vege-
tarian and Non-Brahmin Non-Vegetarian, Brahmin Coconut Oil
and Brahmin Gingelly Oil messes, etc. After the year 1941,
integration of many of these messes took place, and messes
classwise (El, E2, etc.) with broad classifications Vegetarian and
Non-Vegetarian (called V and NV messes) came into existence.
4.18 Elections
Election in Guindy is yet another big event. In the earlier
days, the College Union representatives were elected by the
entire student population whereas, to-day, they are elected by the
class representatives, who, in turn are elected by the class
students. 50 years ago, giving compliments like pencils, pens
and notebooks by the candidate was a common practice.
Mr. C.T. Radhakrishnan, an alumnus, who passed out in the year
1940, recalls the elections of his days and says that he wanted to
contest the elections and, therefore, one year before the election
date, he started the collection of compliments. Those days, in
Broadway, there were companies like Gem & Co., King & Co.,
Angel & Co. and M.R. Chandra & Co. He collected compliments
for 500 to 600 students from M.R. Chandra & Co. But, finally, he
had to withdraw in favour of his Muslim friend from Andhra.
There were a lot of factions in the College and the elections were
always controlled by these factions. Occasionally, a few brilliant
men could win in spite of these factions. These factions also led
to post-election fighting and one of those fights in the year 1965
went on till 4 in the morning. The police had to move in to
restore order. This fight between El and E2 made the College
authorities change the mode of elections from the next year.
Though elections are no longer glaring, or blaring, they are
peaceful, a welcome feature.
4.19 Toast
The history of the College would not be complete if mention
is not made of the College Toast. The College Union, at the end
of every academic year, organises the College Day. Apart from
the regular prize distribution and speeches, one of the
most-awaited items in the agenda was the Toast by the final year
students to the staff. To make the parting, less painful the toast
worked like a social lubricant. The toast used to contain a few
true but many fictitious incidents that were supposed to have
happened in the lives of the staff. The humour through these
incidents made everyone laugh, making the parting less
sorrowful. The toast of the students always indicated their
ingenuity, creativity, sense of humour love for the College and
the staff from the students. Every year, from January onwards, a
group of final years form the Toast Committee to write the toast.
One of the final year student would be the Toast Master to
present this in an acceptable manner. A few samples from one of
the College toasts may give an insight into their standards.
V Block Hostel
First Toast at Vivekananda Auditorium (1966)
H6 Survey School to Tech. Temple
A well-known Professor of our College in Electrical
Engineering went for a selection for an international posting.
The selection committee said "Professor, we have read a number
of your highly technical papers in various equally highly
technical subjects. We wish to know about the phenomenon of
Resistance Drop in atomic light". Said the Professor "Gentlemen,
why atomic light? Even ordinaiy sunlight would do". He fumbled
through his pockets and took out a small resistance, went to the
window, opened it allowing the sunlight to pass. He held the
resistance between his fingers and said "Gentlemen, here is the
phenomenon of resistance drop in ordinary sunlight" and
dropped the resistance!
The Head of the Structural Engineering Section of the Civil
Engineering Department was approached by a group of students
with a request for recommending a very good and simple book in
Structural Engineering as they were not able to follow his
lectures. The Professor said, "Boys, you don't have to worry
about it. As a matter of fact, I myself do not follow what I am
talking about in the class. However, I will recommend a very
good book to help you. This is the book that I have been
following even today. It is entitled 'Structural Engineering
for Beginners' written bv one Prof. Mahajan, edited by
Prof. Mahajan, read by Prof. Mahajan and rejected by
Prof. Mahajan".
A Lecturer, who was rather fastidious, expecting perfection
in everything and everybody used to be highly critical, pointing
out even minor slips or errors in students' works was 'toasted'
thus: "Give Mr. S. a blank drawing sheet, and he is sure to pick
out at least a hunded mistakes".
There was a- teacher, who was weak in English and said to
have L.T. (language trouble!), reportedly wrote to a pet-shop:
"Please send- me one mongoose". He added a post-script:
"Please send one more mongoose". While making the supply,
the shop-keeper asked why the order for one was in the body of
the letter and for another in the P.S. said the teacher:
"Language trouble! I don't know the plural for mongoose".
All these meant fun without malice or wounding feelings,
and the greatness of the staff lay in accepting them with grace
and in proper spirit. Why was this much-awaited, much-enjoyed
event given a go-by nowadays?
4.20 Ragging
While interviewing one of our alumni who studied during
1918-1922, the question about Ragging was asked. It is
surprising that, during that period, there was no ragging in the
college. We are not able to trace when exactly Ragging was
introduced in the College. But one thing many alumni
remembef is that Guindy was quite famous (!) for the
inside-campus and outside-campus ragging. Some recall saying
that ragging at Guindy might have had its origin from the times
of Major Marlely when Ducking in the College front pond or
Rating Tank or Boat Club was a common occurrence. At least,
until the last 15 years, there was ragging in the College and, from
that period, the intensity of ragging has slowly tapered off. The
College claims "No Ragging" now-a-days. Some of the famous
raggers, whom the juniors used to look at with fear, later proved
to be extremely friendly and helpful. Thus, ragging stayed as an
integral part of the College life and the students accepted it with
a mixed feeling of fear and fun.
4.21 Dress Regulations
Even as late as 1948, there were the following standing
"dress order" and the famous "tuft" order: "Every student will
wear a turban or a decent cap, a long or short coat, buttoned up
to the neck, with (a) trousers, socks and English shoes, or (b) a
clean dhoti or mundu. As regards hair, tufts may not be worn
pendant; the tuft must be drawn up and covered by the turban or
cap. Within the precincts of the College, hair is never to be worn
flowing loose. In the case of students who wear their hair in the
European style, the cap may be removed indoor. All articles of
dress must be scrupulously clean. Students may remove turbans,
caps and coats when in the shop or gymnasium. All students
engaged with or inspecting machinery are recommended to wear
trousers and. other close-fitting clothes, so as to minimise risk of
accident".
Major Morlely
Group taken on the occasion of the Exhibition held in January 1935
Still, there was a big exhibition in 1957 when the University
of Madras observed its Centenary. Another was organised in
1978 under the theme "Education for Development".
4.22 Exhibitions
The exhibitions at College of Engineering, Guindy during
1935-40 were the greatest attractions in the city of Madras.
They brought to surface innovative, latent talents of student
population by giving them an opportunity to try their hands at
planning, organising, co-ordination, as a team, and to use group
creativity which made them very good engineers. Later, with
students becoming more studious in the highly-competitive days
and with semester-system requiring more working days and
giving less free time, these exhibitions got discontinued and the
student community did not come forward to show much initiative
to take up this responsibility, though pleasurable, useful and
challenging. Still, there was a big exhibition in 1957 when the
University of Madras observed its Centenary. Another was
organised in 1978 under the theme "Education for Develop-
ment". There is a big one to come in 1992-93 to mark the
Bicentennial of C E G.
VARSITY IS BORN
5.1 Reminiscences
T
he Old Boys and Girls of Guindy were interviewed to find
out what happened during the transition. According to
Mr. N. Thanikachalam. a 1918-22 batch 'Old Boy
1
, the
course was of 4 years duration and had one year Practical
Training. He remembers the last years of his student days at
"Kalasa Mahal" and the first years of the College days at Guindy.
At Chepauk, for the 6 A.M. Workshop (do our present-day
students get up so early?), the students had to leave their houses
as early as 5 A.M. When the students moved to Guindy, they had
to stay at the Hostel. There were no buses or electric trains in
hose days. The College had 3 tiled blocks as the Hostel. There
were in all 30'student.s both Civil and Mechanical put together.
Mr. N. Thanikachalam (1918-22)
He still remembers the British Principal James who had to
be removed because of the students' strike, as the Principal
kicked away the Deepavali lamps that were lit in the Hostel.
Mr. Nagrathnam Iyer took over as the Principal and the majority
of the teachers were Indians, except a few British teachers' like
Cartwriglu for Mechanical Engineering, Jieks for workshop, Old
for survey, who could be named. The College had a 5-day week.
The Medical College in those days had 30 students from the
Group II. For the Engineering College, there was not much of
competition and the admission was based on district-wise
representation.
The hostellers, who used to go home during the week ends
had to walk or cycle all the way upto or from their homes, as
there were no transport facilities. There was "no ragging" in the
College. The first year curriculum did not have English as a
subject. Some of the subjects were Physics, Chemistry, Maths,
Survey, Building Materials, etc. The students had to wear "pith
hats" and put their "tufts" inside the pith hats.
In the days when a Sovereign of gold was available for Rs. 13
Rs. 15, the food at Hostel was costing Rs. 16 per month with a
Varsity is Bom 93
Room Kent of Rs. 4. The students who passed out of the College
could join the Department as Supervisor for Rs. 125 per month.
The Assistant Engineer could get Rs. 375 and the Direct
recruitment AE's (the best student in the class got this offer)
used to get Rs. 375 per month. For every 3 Europeans, only one
Indian could get AE's post, which was a guaranteed post for the
best out-going student of the College.. Mr. Thanikachalam also
recalled his posting at Kurnool-Cuddapah Canal Project. He had
lived in a house boat. Mazdoors or bullocks pulled the boat in
the canal, by ropes by walking along the banks. He received a
salary of Rs. 168 and a Boat Allowance of Rs. 50, and paid a boat
rent of Rs. 12 per month. A saving of Rs. 100 per month was
possible.
The College had a system of awarding a Diploma in
Engineering apart from the Degree in Civil Engineering. The
students had to write <*t the end of ever)' year a final College
exam. They also had to write, at the end of the second year, a
University Exam leading to F.E. (Fellow in Engineering), and at
the end of the Fourth year another University Exam, leading to
B.E. degree. The F.E. and B.E. degree examinations covered all
portions studied upto that year. The students could fail only once
in the College exams. If a student failed for the second time, that
was the end of the road for him. The College diploma scroll was
large in size and was also good enough to get an employment
even without passing F.E. or B.E. So many used to be still writing
F.E. and B.E. exams a number of times but would have obtained
jobs with the college diploma. Then in 1944, instead of F.E., B.E.
and college diploma exams., Annual University Exams, came into
force. This was later which later got replaced by the Integrated
System of five years in 1959, with entry qualification changed to
PUC. This also underwent a change and was replaced by the
4-year semester course with the entry qualification of a pass in
plus 2 exams with certain minimum marks. Post B.Sc. and
part-time B.E. courses were also introduced for the B.Sc.
graduates and for the Diploma holders in 1963 and 1969
respectively, but the former was wound up after a few years.
'.14 Survey School to Tech. Temple
5.2 Entry Qualifications
In the early days of Topping, students with no prescribed
qualification were just selected from the Fort School and others.
The only requirement was knowledge of arithmetic and writing.
The School offered only a training programme and not an
academic course. It was Major De Havilland, who suggested that
there should be an entrance exam, for selection of apprentices
for the School. Then, during 1820-40, the apprentices were from
the Civil Engineers Department of the Board of Revenue and
from the European Non-Commissioned Officers and Sappers.
The new entrants in 1830 were admitted to the 1-1/2 years
ourse after an entrance test. The School offered Upper and
-ower Subordinate programmes. Education of natives and Civil
Engineering came into focus by 1854. In 1854, the School
charged a fee of Rs. 3 and had 20 stipendiary students including
N'oh-Europeans, Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers of
Her Majesty's Indian Regiments. There was also an entrance test.
By 1859, the School moved to Kalasa Mahal, and 36 Military and
83 Civil candidates took up entrance test. Out of this, only 20
Military and 26 Civil candidates were Qualified.
The first College exams, were held in 1860. The student fee
was utilized to buy books for the library. In 1862, the course
became a two-year programme leading to a BCE degree and the
entry requirements were F.A., Diploma or Matric. exam, pass
with a minimum mark. The Diploma course was open to
European Commissioned Officers and Soldiers of European
Regiments and Civilians. Matriculates were admitted without
examination.
From 1868, F.A. was made as the standard for admission to
the Engineer Class (and not Matriculation). Many scholarships
were introduced in 1880. The course duration was increased
from 2 to 3 years for Degree and 2-1/2 years for Diploma. 1900
saw the appointment of the Board of Examiners to conduct the
final exam for the Graduate Engineers Class. In 1888, 2 years'
practical, training was introduced, which was reduced to 1 year
from 1895. In 1904, B.A. was made as the entrance qualification
for the Degree examination. In 1911, once again, the Inter-
Varsity is Bom ' '
mediate Examination of the University of Madras substituted
B.A. as the Qualifying Examination for entry into Engineer Class,
and the course duration was increased to 4 years. In 1920, one
Subordinate or Diploma course replaced U.S./L.S. classes. But in
1922, the old system was again reintroduced. Intermediate Pass
with Maths, Physics and Chemistry as main subjects became the
criterion for entrance. Later, with the University changing
Intermediate Course to PreUniversity Course (PUC) , the entry
qualification became a pass in PU with Maths, Physics and
Chemistry as the main subjects. The course was changed to
5-year Integrated New Regulation Course. For a few years, the
old Regulation B.E. a five years course, where a student was
permitted to fail in any class, in any number of subjects,
any number of timeswas permitted and the student could to
continuously study for five years and come back and write the
remaining papers, if any, for any number of years. Under the
New Regulation Course, which had annual exams, the student
was permitted to fail only upto a maximum of two subjects in the
first year if he had to continue II year study without a break.
While failure in all subjects in III year was also permitted to
continue in FV year, the student had to successfully pass in all III
year and IV year subjects before entering final year. Even a
student who has failed in the earlier years, but who had
completed study without a break in the academic years, became
eligible to get a First Class depending on the marks (60%) of his
II attempt. This rule came into effect in 1966, and this deprived
the bright students, who could have failed by sheer ilMuck in the
final year, of the opportunity to get a First Class. The admission
to the Five-Year Courses was by means of personal interviews
conducted on individual basis by a panel of 3 selectors, who
interviewed the students face to face, one by one in separate
rooms. The students' academic and extra-curricular performance
and aptitudes played vital roles in selection. Later, the interview
became a group-oriented interview, and the selection moved
once again to Entrance Test Pattern. The entry qualification got
changed from PUC to 10 plus 2. To-day's entrance exams mean
competition among nearly 20,000 candidates every year. The
computers do the evaluation of answers and tabulation of results
in a matter of days, in a fool-proof, unbiased manner.
qfi Survey School to Tech. Temple
5.3 Unitary University Ushered in
On September 4, 1978, Perarignar Anna University of
Technology was founded with College of Engineering, Guindy as
its principal seat, four Departments of Architecture and
Chemical, Leather and Textile Technology of University of
Madras and the Madras Institute of Technology at Chromepet
merging with College of Engineering (C E G). The name of the
Unitary University was later changed to Anna University.
Though the merger made Guindy lose its individual identity
to some extent, it never reduced the love and affection for
Guindy in the hearts of its alumni. Recently, when we talked to
Prof. N.R. Sitapati, who was the best out-going student both in his
College Diploma and B.E., he traced some of the events that led to the
talk of elevating Guindy to the level of a University. Prof. Sitapati served
the College as a teacher and later rose to the level of the Principal,
Guindy, in 1966. (The Silver Jubilee Principal, this year) Prof. Sitapati
started his career with the construction of Saidapet Broadcasting
Station as a supervisor at a salary of Rs. 30. Later, through an
advertisement in The Hindu, he took up a Research job for WHO Team
at Pattukotai for a salary of Rs. 100. His efforts, hard work and daring
approach showed WHO that the cost of Malaria Eradication could be
reduced from Rs. 12 per person to 11 pies (not the present-day paise)
in a matter of 4 years. He also recalled his close association with
Dr. JJ. Rudra, who was well known for his passion in Engineering
Research. Prof. Sitapati came back to the College as a Sub-Assistant for
a salary of Rs. 55 from a salary of Rs. 100 and an annual increment of
Rs. 25. When he went to Roorkee Engineering College which, by then
attained the status of a University, he could understand, that the
colleagues, who passed out of Roorkee and joined on the staff looked
upon a "Guindian" for the simple reason he came from a College to a
University. Prof. Sitapati started writing, around 1950s, to Hon'ble
Minister for Education, Mr. Avinasalingam, on the necessity to elevate
Guindy to the level of an independent University.
Prof Sitapati said, much later, that with continuous efforts of
the Director of Technical Education, the Government of Tamil Nadu,
authorities of the University of Madras, the Faculty of College, etc., the
College got elevated to the level of our University in 1978, which he felt
will be another important milestone in the history of the College.
Unitary Ushered in
The idea of elevating Guindy to the status of a University was
Ilu' bram child ol Padinashii (late) 1. Muthian, the then dynamic
Director of Technical Education. Later, through the efforts of
Mr. 1'. Sivalingam as the Director of Technical Education (DTE)
and Dr. V.C. Kulandhaisamy as the Dean of Post-Graduale
Studies, College of Engineering, this idea developed into a
dialt proposal, fulfilling the aspirations of many Guindians and
Mr. I". Muthian. Dr. V. C. Kulandaisamy who became DTE later
pcrsonaly took up this task of drafting the entire proposal fo;
submission to the Government of Tamil Nadu, giving a concrete
shape to the idea. The proposal to establish a Science and
Technology University was accepted by the Government who
gave the name as Perarignar Anna University of Technology
(PAUT). Mr. P. Sivalingam was appointed as the first Vice-
Chanccllor and Dr. V. Ananda Rao as the first Registrar. The
I niversity was inaugurated by the President of India,
Mr. N. Sanjeeva Reddy on 4th September, 1378-. In 1981,
Dr. V. C. Kulandaisamy succeeded Mr. P. Sivalrngam as the
Vice-Chancellor after coming back from his U.N. assign-
ment. Dr. S. Muthu Kumaran became the second Registrar.
Dr. M. Ananda Krishnan succeeded Dr. V. C. Kulandaisamy as
die third Vice-Chancellor on 11th May, 1990. Drl Stephen
Sandegren was appointed as the third Registrar of Anna
University. Prof. W. P. Vijayaraghavan was Principal of CEG for a
long period until 1986 when he retired. With College of
Engineering, Guindy transforming itself into Anna University,
the post of the Principal was changed as Director in 1986.
IVof. A. M. Srinivasan and Prof. R. Palanivel served as
Director-in-Charge for two and one year respectively.
Dr. T.R. jagadeesan became the Director of CEG in 1989.
Dr. P. Purushothaman became the Dean of Engineering (PG),
Dr. M. Abdullah Khan, the Dean of Engineering (UG) and
Dr. G. Ramanaiah, the Dean of Science and Humanities.
These institutions were under three different managements,
namely, the Government of Tamil Nadu, the University of
Madras and the Board of Governors of Madras Institute of
Technology. The sen ice conditions, the designations of posts,
pa\ scales.. ami method* of recruitment differed from one
Dr. V.C. Kulandhaisamy.
institution .to the other. The main task to start with was one of
bringing a desired level of integration to ensure uniformity in
service conditions and pay scales, and a common seniority list for
the staff, teaching and non-teaching.
5.4 New Courses
There were 16 undergraduate degree programmes in
1978-79. Alter the establishment of the Universtiy,
undergraduate degree programmes were added in live new areas
of study by way of diversification. They are:
1. Industrial Engineering
2. Computer Science and Engineering
8. Printing Technology
4. Mining Engineering
5. Rubber Technology
The University has, today, a very wide spectrum of
undergraduate education. The new post-graduate programmes,
to supplement 27 earlier ones, are in the following fields of
specialisation :
P.G. Degree
1. Irrigation Water Management
2. Business Administration
3. Medical Physics
4. Laser and Electro-Optical Engineering
5. Remote Sensing
6. Computer Applications
7. Biotechnology
8. Architecture
9. Footwear Science and Engineering
P.G. Diploma
1. Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering
2. Footwear Science and Engineering
3. Post-B.Sc. Diploma in. Computer Applications
M.Phil.
1. Mathematics
2. Physics
3. Chemistry
4. Environmental Science
"). English Language and Literature
5.5 Advanced Centres
In order to promote basic research, applied research,
consultancy sen-ices and extension activities, the following new
Centres and Institutes were established:
1. Institute of Remote Sensing
~ 2. Crystal Growth Centre
3. Centre lor Biotechnology
4. Centre for Human Settlements
,'). Centre lor New and Renewable Sources of Energy
Varsity is Born 101
6. Curriculum and Educational Media Development
Centre
7. Regional Housing Development Centre
8. Institute of Continuing and Development
Education
The Division of Computer Science and Engineering was
upgraded to a School of Computer Science and Engineering.
The Departments of Electronics and Instrumentation in the
Madras Institute of Technology were merged to form a School of
Electronics and Instrumentation.
A Placement and Training Centre, an Industry-Institution
Interaction Cell, and an Entrepreneur Development Cell help to
promote student placement, student training, consultancy'
services and preparation for self-employment.
Substantial assistance has been provided for faculty
development by means of deputation under Quality
Improvement Programmes, encouragement of part-time
registration for Ph.D., deputation for training abroad and for
attending seminars, symposia and conferences in India and
abroad.
The establishment of the Ramanujan Computing Centre in
1984 marked the beginning of an augmentation of computing
facilities in the University. The University has, at present,
2 mainframe computers, 6 minicoumputers, 60 personal
computers and 2 CAD workstations. In addition, a common
computer centre with about 20 terminals/personal computers
has been provided for use by the students in 1989.
The University Grants Commission has approved^ the
construction of a new University Library, and has provided
Rs. 76.00 lakhs in VII plan. A new building at a cost of
Rs. 1.2 crores is under construction in two phases, the first phase
in VII plan and the second in VIII plan.
Anna University, though small in terms of student strength,
has a good record in sports and games. The additional facilities
for which sanction of funds has been obtained comprise the
following:
1. Swimming Pool
2. Indoor Gymnasium
3. Open Air Stadium
4. Improvements to Boat Club
5.6 Research Activities
Docotral Programme
Sixty two research scholars registered for the Ph.D.
programme during the year. Theses submitted by forty two
candidates, thirteen under the Faculty of Engineering, three
under the Faculty of Technology and twenty six under the
Faculty of Science and Humanities, were accepted by the
University for the award of the Ph.D. degree.
Publications
More than 440 papers contributed by members of' the
faculty from various Departments of the University were
published/presented in reputed national and international
journals/conferences, seminars and symposia during the year.
Research Projects
During the year 62 sponsored research projects worth about
Rs. 885 lakhs financed by various funding agencies were under
execution in the University.
Continuing Education Programme
The University maintained a high tempo in organizing
continuing education programmes, which constitute one of the
important objectives of the University. The number of
Summer/Winter schools, short-term courses and training
programmes organised during the year 1988-89 in different
disciplines was 61.
5.7 Developmental Activities
During the year 1989-90 the U.G.C. has sanctioned a sum
of Rs. 13.17 lakhs as additional sanction for building schemes.
Varsity is Bom 108
Hon'ble Shri Vasant Sathe, Minister for Energy, Government
of India, inaugurated the B.E. degree course in Mining and laid
the foundation stone for the administration building of the
Department of Management and Entrepreneurship in the
College of Engineering on 1st April 1988.
Dr. M.A, Ramaswamy, Pro-Chancellor, Annamalai Univeristy
laid the foundation stone for the Student Centre of this
University on 12th October 1988 at the College of Engineering.
Prof. Yash Pal, Chairman, University Grants Commission,
inaugurated the building for the Institute of Remote Sensing
(IRS) of this University on 5th January 1989.
A Memorandum of Agreement was signed between Anna
University and the Colorado State University (U.S.A.) for
development of cultural and educational relationships.
A Memorandum of Agreement was signed between Anna
University and the California State University (U.S.A.) for
development of cultural and educational relationships.
The Department of Biotechnology in the Ministry of Science
and Technology of the Government of India has conveyed
sanction for establishment of the User Ceijtre under B.T.I.S. at
Biotechnology Centre, Anna University, at a total cost of Rs. 6.50
lakhs.
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT
6.1 Preamble
T
The transformation from a Survey School of the 18th
century to an Engineering College in the 19th century,
and then on to a Technical University in the 20th century
is unique; too good to be true. But this is exactly what
happened in the case of College of Engineering, Guindy-CEG,
in short. From a single area of training in Surveying, the College
today has multi-disciplinary courses leading upto Doctorate in
Engineering. From an intake of mere 8 students, the University
today has around 4800 students, 600 fold increase in a span of
200 yearsreally, too good to be believed.
Yesterday becomes history for today and today becomes
history for tomorrow. Every history marks the beginning of
another history. Therefore, the effort to trace the history,
| (l<> Sui M' V S t h o o l l o l < ( h . I c m pi t '
naturally leads us to the questionSchool to College to
University, and to what next? The 1966 batch took efforts to find
out expressions of the people who formed a part of this history
and who are going to be part of the history in the years to come.
Let's sec some of their reflections.
6.2 Mrs. May George
There was a cartoon in the College Magazine about l.
r
> years
ago; the cartoon showed a girl entering the College shivering, a
boy looking terrified at a bevy of girls eyeing ihe boys teasingly.
The first two eves entered the College in 1941, to be followed by
their sisters, almost totalling 800 in number today400 times in
just half a century! Where would these soaring figures end up?
-"urious to know, we met with Mrs. May George to find out what
should be the future agenda for Anna University towards the
women students. Mrs. George, who was the fourth Lady Engineer
to pass out from the College, recalls how she had to stay at Little
Mount in a private accommodation and travel to College by
rickshaw and cycle. The present day girls, who stay at a stone's
throw (do our girls throw stones?!) from the class room, should
consider themself lucky at least in this one area of their student
life, as locating a suitable or career path may be a lot more
difficult now than what their "elder" sisters of yesteryears found,
by not only getting the jobs after graduation but also rising to
the level of Chief Engineer. Of course, the elder as well as
younger sisters have one thing in commonthe ladies' common
room in the first floor of the College main building had never
changed its location (and provisions?) from 1939. Mrs. George
acted in a French Drama during her first year when
Prof. K. Sukumaran was in charge of Arts Section. She was one of
the early ones who proved that marriages were not only made in
heavens but also in Guindy! Mrs. George, who retired as Chief
Engineer, still recalls that her career pa'h had a number of
hurdles and delays because she was a lady. She strongly feels that
a Lady Entrepreneur is more important in today's context of
women entering to the College in hundreds. She says the College
should start a Business Centre with project work components,
with adequate books, reference material, engineering manuals
ladies Hostel
and computers to support such project activities. The lady
students, according to Mrs. George, should never expect any
special consideration because they are women, but gain
recognition because of hard work and merit. The girls of the
College of Engineering, Guindy in Anna University are echoing
Mrs. George's call by taking up top positions in almost all
branches and snatching away most gold medals. But, un-
fortunately, the College has never had a Lady President (even
though India had a remarkable Lady Prime Minister and Tamil
Nadu has a remarkable Lady Chief Minister). The girls we
interviewed are positive that, sooner than later, one of them
would fill the bill in Anna University. The future girls of Anna
University seem to expect greater support from industries for
providing them job opportunities. The men and women students
agree that the College should conduct career development
programme at the beginning of the final year of study and also
raise its academic standard to match that of I.I.T. students,
though it may mean a lot of pressure on the students.
Reintroduction of B.E. (Hons), students feel, would be a great
encouragement to bright students. The women students feel that,
with proper coaching, Anna University could produce some
excellent women athletes and sports personalities as well.
1 ()8 Survey School t o Tech. Templ e
6.3 Dr. Manoharan
We talked to Dr. Manoharan, presently in I.I.T. as Assistant
Professor in Electrical Engineering, who was a student of Guindy.
He says that, after the I.I.Ts came into existence, the general
feeling was that only those who could not get into I.I.Ts got into
Guindy and therefore Guindy's level was lower than that of I.I.T.
If Guindy should raise itself to the level of I.I.Ts, Guindy should
go in for creating three Fs larger Facilities, better Faculty and
greater Flexibility for students. He wants the Red Tape to be cut.
But, humorously, he adds that the students from Guindy become
better entrepreneurs used as they are to these Red Tape
conditions even as students, which, are part and parcel of setting
up an industry in India. Mr. Manoharan says that the approach
to R&D must become an integral part of students' academic
career in Guindy in the years to come. He adds that the spirit of
learning as much as possible, even from outside the prescribed
curriculum in any field, is the basis of survival and this is well
known to, and being practised by, I.I.T. students.
The students of Guindy would do well to learn this.
6.4 Prof. K.S. Hedge
Prof. K.S. Hegde, who became, Principal in late 1966, also
concurs with this, saying that today's private sectors' needs are
centred around boys with the bent of mind for innovation and
research. In order to take care of this demand, Prof. Hegde says
that the College should keep pace with whatever was happening
around. Research and Development approach, even at the level
of undergraduate programme, he feels, should be a part of its
curriculum. Prof. Hegde calls for unified approach in several
areas like Remote Sensing, Remote Measurement, Satellite
Technology, etc. He also says that, at present, Anna University
has built good facilities but, with proper development of Man
Power, these fatilities should be used to project the image of the
College in the International Academic Circles on par with that of
I.LTs Prof. Hegde feels that the alumni of C E G, who are
Jpding Professors, Engineers and Scientists abroad could be
requested to come to the College and share their knowledge and
Retrospect and Prospect 109
see the present- day developments of Anna University, which
could raise our image. He urges the linkage of alumni with the
College and believes that the fullest use of the alumni should be
one of the requirements to build a better future for the
Institution. He feels that the lady students who wish to reach
higher levels should make use of their knowledge and be ready to
take up any transfer, even leaving the kids with their husbands,
who also have equal responsibilities. Loyalty to the job over and
above that of attachment to the family would be a key'to bright
career path for our women students. He is of the opinion that
the College should have greater autonomy and less pressure
from the Syndicate. He wants greater thrust towards applied
research in Anna University.
6.5 Mr. N. Kumar
Mr. N. Kumar, an alumnus and presently Chairman of
Indchem group companies, says the industry could be -requested
to interact with the College by addressing the students on the
application of the theories they had learnt. He also feels that the
students need a greater exposure to management techniques, as
the basics learnt alone may not help. A greater institution-
industry-interaction should take place.
6.6 Dr. T.R. Jagadeesan
Dr. T.R. Jagadeesan, Director College of Engineering,
Guindy expresses his view on the same lines that the industries
should provide an exposure to the students of C.E.G. on what is
happening in industries and, as a social obligation to industries,
colleges could open their laboratories to the industries. Prof.
Jagadeesan, who greatly contributes to the idea of University-
Industry collaboration, took his Engineering degree from
Annamalai University in the year 1960, took his Masters in
C.E.G. and Doctorate from I.I.T. in 1973. He was the Principal
Investigator in the Government of Tamil Nadu's project on the
use of ethanol as fuel in automobiles. Widely travelled abroad,
Dr. Jagadeesan is always willing to try new ideas in the field of
Technical Education. He feels that Engineers, whose great
concern is for economy, could become effective when they
I III Survey School to Tech. Temple
become concerned about three Es, viz. Energy, Environment and
Kntrepreneurship. He feels that Guindy could play a vital role in
ail these areas by providing prominent place for the three Es in
I lie curriculum, and can") ing <n _ projects and seminars on
Environment and designing of pollution-free equipment.
Dr. Jagadeesan strongly believes in students' participation in
all activities of the College and so feels that the student
population, in the years to come, should actively get enrolled in
all extra- curricular activities like N.S.S. and N.C.C. Some of the
responsibilities in the years to come would be to revive the
College Magazine and reactivate the College Swimming Pool.
The College is the first Institution at the national level to
introduce the Japanese concept of "Quality Circle" in an
Educational Institution. The future, he feels, would see the
growth of Quality Circle Movement in the College and the
establishment of Quality Circle Forum of India (Madras chapter)
in Anna University as a part of its Bicentenary celebrations.
Dr. Jagadeesan, who was instrumental in getting a number
of aids and grants for the College, foresees a number of areas in
which these grants could be put to use like the field of Robotics,
Fibre Optics, CAD-CAM, Medical Electronics, Communication,
t'U. The future would see further strengthening of ties between
the University and a number of Educational Institutions abroad,
leading to the University being a candidate for the 21st Century
Technology Development in the areas of Energy, Computers,
Science artel Technology, Workshops, etc.
6.7 Dr. M. Anandakfi shnan
Dr. M. Anandakrishnan, the Vice-Chancellor of Ann;i
University, says the expected growth should be systematic. !!
graduated in the branch of Highway Engineering, started In-
lareei as Junior Engineer in 1952, took his Masters from
Minnesota University, U.S.A. in 1957 and finished his Doctorate
in the year 1960 as the first Ph.D\ in' the Department of Soil
Mechanics of the same University. His work with a Consulting
Engineering firm in Minnesota gave him an opportunity to
malyse I he cause of failure of a million dollar shopping
complex's deep piling system, and his report was considered to
Retrospect and Prospect 111
be one of the outstanding ones. Dr. M. Anandakrishnan came
back to join I.I.T. Kanpur in 1963 and rose to the level of the
H.O.D., thoroughly enjoying the I.I.T. culture, which allowed
tremendous amount of freedom to the staff. In 19"/4, he assumed
charge as the first Service Counsellor of the Embassy of
India, Washington D.C. and worked with three Ambassadors
Mr. T.K. Kowl, Mr. Kewal Singh and Mr. Palkiwala. His
contribution to promote US-Indian programmes in Science and
Technology has been highly valued. In 1978, he resigned from
I.I.T. to take up an U.N. assignment in the Department of
Science and Technology. When Dr. M. Anandakrishnan returned
to Madras after retiring from the U.N. for a quiet life, he was
given the challenging responsibility of taking over as the
Vice-Chancellor of Anna University within 24 hours. He accepted
the same to be here till 1993, as he found the new responsibility
exciting and rewarding. But, all of us want him for one more
term, or at least till the Bicentenary of C.E.G on May 17, 1994.
He opines, while talking to us, that the systematic growth must
be an institutional process and not an individual dependant, and
this would have to start with reorganisation and restructuring of
the U.G. and P.G. courses in a drastic way. Staff orientation
should be towards those persuasive skill and soundness of logic
and not authoritarian approach. The social and economic
purposes are the area towards which our energy must be
released. The Vice-Chancellor feels that contact should be
established with the alumni abroad to bring their expertise and
experience to the Institution. Bilateral and multi-national aid
agencies must be approached for their support for specific
projects. He wants the University to be involved with other
Educaional Institutions and Schools. To him, the Institution-
Industry-Interaction is the need of the day. By his openness and
friendliness, concern for staff and students, eagerness to import
the best from Indian and foreign Universities, he has endeared
himself to one and all, who expect his tenure to be a golden
peroid in the annals of Anna Univeristy, whose alumnus he was.
6.8 Mr. K.S. Shetty
Mr. K.S. Shetty, an alumnus of the College is presently
the President of the Manufacturers' Association of Ambattur
Industrial Estate, the biggest in South East Asia. He says that with
nearly 200 years of history, with well-developed infra-
structural facilities, the College is the most ideal Institution in
Tamil Nadu today to take up the Institution Industry Interaction
programme. This 3 Is programme could raise Anna University to
the level of M.I.T. and Stanford.
6.9 Dr. Stephen Sandegren
The Registrar of Anna University, Dr. Stephen Sandegren,
while fully endorsing the views of the Vice-Chancellor on 3 Is,
adds that the University has a direct obligation to the society by
providing appropriate technology to meet the society's today's
and future requirements, which can be done by proper designing
of the courses. The social obligation also extends to other areas
like organisation of workshops for physically handicapped, etc.
The Registrar also feels that the future lies in cutting down
the compartmentalisation and integration of all departments,
keeping in mind, quality of teaching, research activities,
modernisation of facilities, to match one another. Prof. Stephen,
who took his Doctorate in the U.K., was also an alumnus of the
College during his Masteis. Dr. Stephen feels that the area of
consultancy, which is time bound, where a part of our time is
sold to the other organisation, should, only take priority after
basic excellence in teaching.
6.10 Dr. S.R. Srinivasan
Dr. S.R. Srinivasan, Professor of Planning and Develope-
ment in Anna University, says, in the long term, Centre for
University Industry colloboration should create placement, study
and library facilities and provide opportunity for entrepre-
neurship.
6.11 Epilogue
History, says the lexicon, is a continuous methodical record
of important or public events ; study or aggregate of past events ;
whole train of events connected with nation, person, thing, etc.
Retrtwpect and Prospect 113
A few enthusiastic students and staff ot the glorious College
that Guindy is have attempted to pen its history ; paint a modest
picture of the hoary traditions, rich heritage of C E G ; of the first
engineering academic institution in India as well as Asia and only
the second oldest on the earth next only to a polytechnic in
France. Just two centuries young, it is at its prime of life. It
has grown many, many foldstaff in hundreds, students in
thousands, equipment in millions, contributions in billions.
C E G's products have shown their mettle all over India, all
over the world ; leaving their seal, their stamp. From a simple
Survey School for a mere H in Fort St. George, it has become
Tech. Temple for over 5 grands in a score of UG programmes
and two of PG, in three constituent units in Guindy and one
at Chromepet only a few kilometres away. Choose any
progressiongeometric or arithmeticthe institution with such
an envious, scintillating past is sure to have a covetous, brilliant
future. Another Harvard, Massachusetts, Stanford? .With dozens
of off-campus centres? With epoch-making, noble-winning
achievements?
On the eve of the Bicentennial of C E G, we believe so ; we
wish tor it. The team that records its saga during its Tercentenary
would confirm it.
Down the Memory Lane
Preamble
There is no History sans people and events. The College
Magazine was first brought in 1933 and its publication continued
for nearly 50 years carrying choicest Technical and General
Articles. It unearthed talents of our students and staff, too! to the
limelight. The several issues provided us with very valuable
resource material giving us an idea of the multifarious activities
that took place in the College and the different kinds of people
behind them. Some of these articles and essays have relevance
even today. The Photographs, though old and weather-beaten,
have been copied from the Magazine to the best of our ability
and of the sophisticated equipment capability. The Poet,
Humourist and Cartoonist in our Engineers have given vent to
their feelingswhich found expression through the pages of
these Magazines. This Annexure covers areas like yesteryear
essays, photographs of people, events and infrastructure,
quizzical puzzles, catchy cartoons, humourous articles, and lilting
verseslinked with facilities and activities of the day providing a
comparison but lucidly portraying the everyoung Guindy Spirit
of facing challenges. Though we wanted to reproduce more
articles, space and time constraints made us select a few
representative samples.
The Succession List of Principals
1857-1860 Lieut. Col. George Vivian Winscom
1860-1862 Lieut. Col. John Carpendale
1862-1865 Major-General William Henry Edgcome
1865 Major-General Henry Thomas Roger (Acting)
1865-1871 Major-General William Henry Edgcome
1871-1879 Major-General Henry Thomas Rogers
1879 Lieut. Col. Henry Davison Love, R.E. (Acting)
1879-1880 Major-General Henry Thomas Togers
1880-1887 Lieut. Col. Henry Davison Love, RE.
1887-1889 Captain C.B. Henderson, R.E. (Acting)
1889-1891 Lieut. Col. Henry Davison Love, R.E.
1891 -1892 Major A.W. Smart, R.E. (Acting)
1894-1895 Major A.W. Smart, R.E.
1895 J.P. Davidson, (Acting)
1895-1898 Lieut, Col. Henry Davison Love, R.E.
1898-1899 J.P. Davidson, (Acting)
1904-1905 H.T. Keeling (Acting)
1907-1909 W.H. James, M.Sc.> M.I.M.E., A.M.S.C.E.
1909-1910 F.E. Morgan, (Acting)
1910-1912 W.H. James, M.Sc., M.I.M.E., A.M.S.C.E.
1912 M. Brown
1912T1920 W.H. James, M.Sc., M.I.M.E., A.M.S.C.E.
1920-1921 C.L. Carwright, A.M.I.C., M.I.M.E., M.I.E.P.
M.I.E., [India]
1921-1922 W.H. James, M.Sc., M.I.M.E., A.M.S.C.E.
1922-1925 C.L. Cartwright
1925-1936 Rao Bahadur G. Nagaratnam. Iyer, B.A., B.E.,
M.I.E. (India)
120
Suru' v S< IKMPI i n I i - ch. l i i n p l c
1936-1941 Dr. K.C. Chakko, (I.E.S), D.SC. (Engg.), M.I.E
(India), Lieut. Col.IITE.
1941-1945 Dr. J.J. Rudra, M.A., B.Sc, Ph.D., A.I.L.S.C.,
M.I.E.E. Mem. A.M.E.E.
1945-194(> K.K. Sitarania Iyer, B.A., B.E. (Acting)
1946-1948 Dr. J.J. Rudra
1948-1955 Rao Bahadur, Lieut. Col. S. Paul, B.E., M.I.E.
(India)
1955-1958 B.H. Major Morley, B.E., A.M.I.E.. A.M. Tech.
1958-19(51 R. Rajagopal Pillai, B.A., A.I.I.Sc, Mem. A.I.E.E.
1961-191)4 A. Srinivasan, B.E., M.Sc. M.S.C.E.. (U.S.A.),
M.I.E. (India) Mem. C.I.G.R.E., Mem. A.I.E.E.
1964-1965 V. Kalyanaraman, B.E., M.A.Sc, (Toronto)
1965-1966 N.R. Sitapathi, B.E., C:.E. (Hons), M.P.H. (Minn)
M.R.S.H. (Lond.), M.I.R (India)', (In-chnrgc)
1966-1971 K.S. Hedge, B.E.. M.A. (Engg.) (Stanford).
F.I.E.R.E., M.I.E.. A.M.I.T.E.
1971 VV.P. Vijayai-agiiavan, B.E.. M.E., F.I.E.
1986 Mr. A.M. Srinivasan, (Acting Principal)
1988 Prof. Palanivelu
1989 Dr. T.R.Jagadeesan
SELECTED ESSAYS
"Sparks from our Anvil"
V.L.N. February '35
The following yams are not entirely fictitious. Do not tell me
that they are not original; there is nothing new under the sun.
Old wit tastes like old wine. If you have not heard them before,
hear them now, better late than never. And lest you should fail in
your duty, let me remind you, that you should laugh, because
they are wits, and good ones too. Here they go!
Let me start with the victim of all students'jokes the teacher.
A certain professor was working out <t stiff problem to the class.
He really had a suffer job in moving up and down the massive
black-board on its rusty oil-dry pulleys. He finished the fourth
full chalk with
\ Zi V5 - 1.414 x 1.414= 1.999396 = 2 (nearly)
He started coughing out the half- ounce of chalk powder
from his pleural cavity when up rose a tufted Kumbakonamite
from under the front desks.
"The answer is 2, sir".
The Physics teacher demonstrated Torricelli's experiments,
and then asked the boys to explain "vacuum". No one was able
to give a clear answer.
"Well, boys, how is it you are not able to express in simple'
English such an evident thing like a vacuum?". Voice from the
back-bench ! "We know, sir, we have got it alright in our heads,
but we are unable to get it out".
The car stopped on the way : the driver lifted the bonnet
and tinkered with the plugs.
"Driver, what is wrong with the car?"enquired the lady
occupant rather impatiently.
"The engine misses".
"Dear, dear, how did you know I was a Mrs.?"'blushed
the lady, who happened to be newly married.
The Mathematics lecturer was very considerate to his
students, and often used to ease the solidity of his geometry by
excursions into lighter subjects. One day, he was illustrating the
connection between Mathematics and Metaphysics and religion.
Z, a devout Muslim defender of his faith, rose up and said "Sir,
ours is the only natural religion". The boys started thumping
tables.
Lecturer "Z, you are perfectly right ." more thumping
"but ours is a Super-natural religion".
Thumping to the breaking-point of desks.
A candidate was being interviewed by the Services
Coipiission.
Commissioner : You say, you are a native of Madura,
but how is it that you have put down
Vizag. as the place of your birth".
Candidate : "Well, sir, that was a matter in which
my parents did not happen to consult
me".
The same candidate was asked:
"What kind of cotton is imported into India".
"That kind of cotton which is not grown in India"
Needless to say, the canditate is now one of rhc
members of the "steel frame".
Selected Essays ]9'i
Everybody considers the examiner as a merciless slaughter of
the innocents, of course, until he becomes one himself. Nobody
except the examiner knows that his commodity is 90 per cent
bone and 10 per cent flesh. Sometimes he comes across certain
ludicrous matter which is neither bone nor flesh. Here are a few
samples :
"A horizontal cylinder engine is better than a vertical
cylinder engine because it is easier to lie down than to stand
up".
"An Iso-thermal expansion is an expansion which takes
place under Iso-thermal conditions",
"A Queen-post truss is the counter part of a King-post
truss"
"Automobile is so called because it works on the otto-cycle
and uses mobiloil".
Not very long ago, and not very far away, a certain student
ran out of stock, or rather had no stock at all, during an
examination. He did not want to be conspicuous by leading the
exodus out of the hall. Neither did he attempt at enlightening
the examiner on politics or similar subjects other than that of the
examination. On previous occassions, he had bitten off all his
finger nails, and counted the rivets on the roof beams. He made-
full use of the water-boy to the maximum limit of his stomach.
The atmosphere of the hall which was surcharged with
Mathematics induced a brain-wave and raised suddenly doubts in
his mind as to the absolute value of that dubious symbol 'pi'. Off
he started dividing 22 by 7 to four full pages and, at the end of it,
he was not certain whether the value was after all so very
indeterminate. It is hoped he will continue his labours t the
next opportunity.
I know that some of the readers, by this time, have started
thinking out their answers for the next ordeal in March. And, to
save my skin, I have consulted my lawyer and he issues the
following notice:
" Whereas, I am given to understand by my client who
has published or caused to be published a series of yarns, which
it has been his privilege to come across, and whereas, mv client
reserves to himself the "copy right" of the here-in-before-menti-
oned articles, be it hereby known to all whom it may concern,
that anybody who answers to the description of an examinee who
copies, or attempts to copy, or makes colourable imitations,
wilfuly or otherwise, of the above said remarks, will be liable to
pay damages and will be awarded a sentence of "marks" not
exceeding "Zero" for each offence, and he will be put in a class
denominated by the- sixth and twelfth letters of the English
alphabet with the interposition of the first and third vowels in
between them"
"An Electrical Flame Producer"
P.S. RiK). B.A.. A.M.I.Kh... 1)11'.. U.S.. M.KS. MiUfh '37
This Specification describes a portable mains operated
electrical flame producer where by an electric arc may be struck
and converted into an elongated flame, so that it may be used in
lieu of matches for lighting fires, lamps, cigars, cigarettes, etc. or
for melting small quantities of metal of low fusing point, sealing
wax, solder, etc.
The device comprises a pair of electrodes 6 and 7, adapted
to be separated to strike an arc there-between, and an electro-
magnet 23 arranged with its pole pieces f and f, one on either
side of the axis of the electrodes at their point of separation, and
adapted to be energised on or just after striking of the arc
The electrodes 6 and 7 may be separated to strike the arc by
electro-magnetic means comprising an armature 27 attached to
the electrode 6, and associated with a solenoid 24 energised from
a suitable current supply to move the electrode against a spring
20. The solenoid 24 serves also to energise the flame-deflecting
electro-magnet 23 and is energised by the current passing
between the electrodes 6 and 7. The circuit is closed by a press
button switch so that the arc-flame persists only whilst the switch
is held closed, releasing of the pressure of the thumb, the flame
becomes extinguished (1st May 1936).
The device is simple in construction and Owing to the very
low power consumption is very economical. Using current at the
rate of 4 as. per unit, the device can be used to light a kerosene
lamp, for example, at a cost of 1/1,350 of a pie and compared
with the use of matches at the rate of 1/4 anna per box of 40
match sticks, the use of the device is 100 times cheaper than a
match.
Moreover, owing to the low consumption of current, tnere is
no danger of blowing fuses or affecting the voltage of supply.
I'jlj SniM'V S< IK,)I lo IVcli l'cui| >lc
These Electric fla.me shooters will be extremely useful in
kin hens, drawing rooms, offices,'etc., where a portable flame
unaUccled by fan or breeze is essential.
A patent has been granted by the patent office in U.S.A.. lor
the novelty of the invention. (Patent No. 2.065,025 dated 22nd
December 1936)
My Impression of Japan
(The following extracts from two letters received by a well-wisher
of the College Magazine have been sent to us for publication).
March '37
Near Singapore,
November 20, 1934
Respected Sir,
As I wrote to you, I left in August last on a tour to Japan and
am now on my way back to India. It was very difficult to inspect
the cotton mills in Japan, but the introductions I carried gave me
some exceptional opportunities and the tour on the whole has
been a very profitable one and well worth the expense. I am
writing a letter on my impressions on the cotton industry in
Japan and am enclosing a copy to you, which will give you an
idea. I have seen Europe and have now seen Japan and I can tell
you that there is nothing for us to learn in the West.
The Japanese people are like us in many ways, like the South
Indians and, although they have imitated the West in point of
industries, military, etc., they have not given up their national
traditions. That shows that we also should be able to do the same
thing. There is practically no industry to-day in which Japan is
not defying the whole world and Japan has no special facilities,
which are not to be found elsewhere. The only thing that Japan
has got, which we have not got and Europe has in lesser degree,
is their supreme patriotism, their sense of duty and their hard
work. Patriotism is above anything else. Religion has a secondary
place. It is the call of the country which has induced even the
humblest worker to rise and to work hard to improve the exports
and to save the country. Take for instance the rice industry.
Until a few years ago, Japan was importing rice and to-day she is
exporting, in spite of the fact that their population is more and
consumption is more. Our Tanjore mirasdars are trying and
weeping to stop the Japanese rice. Will they think a while and see
how Japan is able to produce more, although their land is only
15% of the total area, fit for agriculture? How many of our
mirasdars are working hard, trying to find out how they can
increase their production by intensive cultivation? Will they now
at least pay a visit to Japan and study their methods?
Another instance is the leather trade. Japan has no leather
at all. She buys raw hides from India or imports finished leather
from Germany and yet the leather goods are so cheap and
beautiful and cost only half of what they do in India and are of
better quality. The reason is this. The Japanese business men
want-only small profits and great out-turn. 10% is all they want
and they are satisfied with nothing in depression, if only they can
keep their factory going; and they think and find out new ways
of manufacture. You will wonder at the value of the leather
goods available in Japan.
I can give many instances, but I will stop. All that we have
now to do is that we must send some of our young men to Japan
for study and training. Facilities for study are plenty and also for
training. A tour in Japan involving 4 months has cost me Rs.
2,000 but I travelled a lot and it can be managed within Rs. 1,500
and this is well worth for anybody.
I saw also technical colleges and institutions. Some North
Indian students are already studying there. The difficulty is
language and the best thing would be to send our young boys
after Matric and keep them in Japan for 6-7 years, so that
they can spend the first few months to pick up the language-
conversational-4 years for some course and 2 years for training.
The fees in the colleges are very low and cost of living for a
student will be below Rs. 40 at the present rate of exchange. In
subjects like Textile, Electrical Engineering, etc., the teachers
follow English books and therefore conversational Japanese is
sufficient, which can be picked up in a year at the most. There is
absolutely no fear for anybody in Japan. The people are so good
and thieving is unknown. The standard of their life is far higher
than even the English.
The Indian residents in Japan are going to put up a decent
Indian lodge for Indian students. There is already one, but rather
Selected Unsays 129^
too small. When that is ready, there will be perfect safety for
young boys. I saw many cottage industries like Hosiery,
Fountain-Pen making. Celluloid-work, rubber balls and shoe-
making etc. They involve very small capitals from Rs. 500 to
5,000 and are quite suitable for our unemployed graduate, but
how many will have the enterprise to go and learn?
Yours respectfully
The Student Engineer and his Future
T.R. Gancsan E2 Class November '37
The recent utterances of some notable personages here in
India and elsewhere, have put the student of Engineering into a
thoughtful mood.
Dr. A. Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar, Principal of the Madras
Medical College, delivering the recent convocation address of the
Madras University, reminded the graduates in engineering about
their talents and originality, and laid the necessary stress on the
greatness of ancient India. " India is a country which can be
proud of its ancient architectures, engineering skill; and the
wonders of the Kntab Minar, the Pillars of Asoka, the Madura
Temple and the Taj Mahal prove conclusively that the great
marvels of engineering skill are by no means new to this
country".
Major Howard, in his address to the engineers, indulged in a
little prophecy as to the engineer's future place in the civilised
world. He said 'There are indications that, given an improved
education and training both during and after college, the
engineer will be the future leader of society".
The Premier of Madras advised the graduates to undertake
jobs with oppurtunities full of services to one's country and to
one-self, instead of merely computing their education in terms of
rupees, annas and pies.
Another personage of no less public importance, in his
address to the Madras University Union on "Education, in the
East and West", asked the audience what was the purpose of
education. "Is it to make a man successful in life or useful to
society?"
These showerings of sayings, counsels, and advice are timely
to the hesitating students of to-day. The present plight of the
students is best described by couplet of Tennyson
Selected Essays 131^
"The child crying in the night,
The child crying for the light"
Then will not the hope of dawn far behind the horizon, awaken
the student to think and act accordingly ?
The Doctor's glorious picture of the past is as important as
the Major's prophecy of the future. Yet one ought not to be
drowned in the glorious past, nor obsessed by the brilliant future
of the Engineer-Administrator as painted by the able Major. Let
us have our inspirations from our ancient monumental. engi-
neering skill and let it be kept burning in the altar of service by
the hope and ambition of the engineer as the future
administrator of State and Society.
While we recognise "the pouring opportunities which will
open a- wide field for showering the engineers' talent and
originality," we cannot give our consent to the war solution of
the Major. The Major has been annealed and* moulded in the
Great-War days and we should remember we were babies then.
The world has seen many changes in the last two decades and it
is the privilege of us to to give a correct solution of "War" in the
future state administerd by the engineers. We are bold to
prophecy that in our (Engineer's) State there shall be no such
thing as.war. Order and Peace shall reign the universe of ours.
Now what is the duty of the Engineers to-day? With a
glorious past in the background and a brilliant future as the goal
before, what are the Indian Engineers going to do ? They realise
that "there are few countries with greater possibilities of
development than India and yet comparatively little progress has
so far been made." They are proud that "harnessing the forces of
nature for the material good of mankind will be their chief
concern" and they are confident of controlling the natures forces
such as flood and famine "the twin dangers that have come like a
bolt from the blue on the poor unsophisticated rustic
population" and' of diverting them into useful channels to the
great benefit of their country.
"Responsibility is, to the strong, a stimulus, and to the weak,
it is a palsy" wrote Lloyd George in his War Memoirs. We, the
student engineers, derive a- stimulus on realising our responsi-
bility (from our Doctor's address, Major's hopes and the
Premier's advice) and that is. because we are strong enough to
feel our shoulders equal to the occassionmay we feel well-
equipped to carry out our responsibilities by our present training
and education. And yet it will remain a problem till there is one
young genius amongst us, to find the solution for providing work
and food for all our countrymen. And it will be of no wonder, if
that young genius, that intellectual giant, is an engineer. But
who ever it be, we, the engineers shall take a vow at this minute
to cany out the plan when the solution is found out and exposed
to society.
Engineers ! Forget not that you are torch-beares of society !
Arise, Awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.
Survey Camp 1938 at Pallavaram
P.S. Krishnaswamy EsC April'38
On the evening of 4th January, after a good Christmas
vacation, I found myself under canvas. My friends and classmates
had also arrived. Everyo.ie seemed so jolly because the year was
only just born. Loud greetings of joy were exchanged between
some, and bitter recriminations between others. "What is the
d idea of having this d survey camp at this time of the
year" remarked a wounded F.E. Soldier. Another doubted
whether it would ever be possible for any one to open a book
during the survey camp. "I hate this system" cried out a third.
It was not a small personality who welcomed us on the
morning of the first day. He is himself a great surveyor, Major
and Doctor. He has gained universal repute for discovering a
method for determining the height of a hemispherical dome and
he has also unearthed a G.T.S. station at St. Thomas Mount. He
is our Principal.
After urging us to do sincere and hard work in the field, he
inquired about our personal comforts in the camp and promised
to see to every convenience that could possibly be given. But he
could not sanction some exorbitant demands. For instance, some
wanted all the famous Dietz lanterns, about 36 in number, to be
replaced by high candle-powered petromax lamps. A few,
assuming it infra dig to "shave one self," pleaded for a shaving
saloon to be opened. "Why not a ping-pong table" asked Mr...
from the corner. In the midst of these pleadings, in a feeble nasal
voice Arba asked whether the repaired clock of the college tower
could not be installed at Pallavaram. Mr. M. who was by us
turned to him.
"Do you possess a wrist watch?"
"Yes, Sir, but so many don't have."
"That does not matter" replied Mr. M. "meet me at half past
six pip emma. I shall give you a gong and a mallet: Fasten the
gong to an iron post. From tomorrow onwards you strike the
gong at 5.15 and 6.15 ack emma, 2.15 pip emma and as a matter
of fact, at all times when I require you to do so. Follow?". Poor
Arba nearly fainted for the first time.
Jebo shapat! with what vigour did Arba perform his duties?.
For the first week, he was so enthusiastic that the gong was
sounded at least one hour before the scheduled time. What
rhythm he put into his strokes and for what length of time did he
strike? On one occasion in his earnest desire to discharge his
duties sincerely, Arba did without his morning tiffin. At work,
that day, he nearly fainted for the second time.
So much for him. His experience was not in vain, however.
Hi is a member of Labour Union and is now busy editing a hand
book for gong-strikers and bell-ringers.
It produced not a little wrath in the entire camp when the
cooly sergeant post was filled by direct nomination. We
anticipated an election and two candidates vigorously canvassed
for votes. When Omchander was appointed to fill the post,
invectives in abundance were hurled against this innocent
individual and one even heard murmurs of violence. We students
never appreciated his work. He allotted to some squads lean,
lanky, underfed coolies, to some others short, slow-moving ones
and to others still, hard-working strong pailvans. The coolies, one
and all, however, had a different,story to tell. They acclaimed him
as an easy and kind master. Never did we hear him addressing a
cooly in an authoritative tone. He used to approach a cooly in
the most affectionate way and say to him, "will it suit your
convenience to go to Hill 96?" "Sir, unbearable pain in my feet"
the cunning cooly would reply. "All right," says the cooly
sergeant, "go to Cowl which is infinitely nearer."
Thus the camp began and continued peacefully for a
weekone day like another. Rise at 5.15 on hearing Arba's bell.
Fall in at 6.15 when the whistle would be heard. Place the
instruments on the head of the coolies whom Omchandar was
generous enough to give. Walk slowlv to the work spot. Work a
part of the time, sing for some time and complain about the
treacherous hill climbing for the rest of the time. Return speedily
ScU' iU- cl l-'.ss;iv> |.'{.">
from the work spot and then to bed to be rarely disturbed except
by the occasional braying of the Pallavaram stray donkeys.
On the eve of the departure of our L.S. friends, we arranged
a camp fire. There were a great number of guests present from
the neighbouring houses. It was our intention originally to
repeat the performance in the immediate presence of our
Principal and Professors at some later date; but the first
performance itself was so well doneit was not a -mere
rehearsalthat we felt we could not make it more thrilling and
so abandoned the idea of staging it again.
On the night of 14th January, the U.S.I, students joined us.
With their, coming a keen interest in games developed. The
courts had to be doubled and trebled in size so that greater
numbers could participate. Matches were arranged between
"Eggs & Vegs". Pots containing drinking water kept outside tents
were always in danger. Owners were duly notified that no
demand for replacement would be entertained. Projecting pegs,
also kept outside tents, had to be buried to avoid accidents.
Despite this precaution the doctor was called in to attend to
major injuries.
Thus we worked and played till a fine holiday afternoon.
Everyone seemed to be very jolly. Suddenly a raucous tone rent
the atmosphere. "Tun Shun!Guard of HonourPresent arms"
and in trooped a mighty Maharaj. A striking personality. The
ruler of a small estate in Tuticorin. His Highness (he was so, we
called him Excellency and he considered himself to be his
Majesty) was led to his seat and formally declared the sports
"open".
Yes! It was a sports day for the coolies. Every item in the
sports programme produced great interest amongst the
spectators. The "obstacle race" over model room tables and
below tents was finished in record time. The "Javelin throw" had
to be stopped in the middle as there were not enough javelins
(ranging-rods) to replace breakages. Two octogenarians
(probably) found Mother Earth very hard when their heads made
contact with her.
The prize distribution ceremony was gorgeous. The
Maharaja's speech was similar to King Arthur's address to the
Knights of the Round Table. It was extremely difficult for the
judges to select the winner in each event. There was always a
tienot between two, not amongst three, but amongst allnot
in one race, not in two, but in all. Hence the prize money (made
up by subscription from the staff and students attending the
camp) had to be divided amongst them all
The greatest achievement, however, during the survey camp
was a brilliant concert engineered by Halex on the night prior to
our departure. Many of our friends in College graced the
occasion with their presence. Palayam's Indian dance was
thrilling. Hako in the robes of the "mesmerist" dumbfounded
the audience. M.A., B.A. imitated the poet, the philosopher and
the orator. The "artist" staged by R.K. & R. was a great success.
And sweet music at intervals helped to rid us of stratagems and
treasons.
The following evening was our last in the camp. At 8 p.m.
the College bus arrived to take us back. The familiar barracks
were left behind. Tears trickled from our eyes. Mosque hill was
seen for some time and that too went out of view as the bus
rounded a corner.
"Farewell, Oh! Merry Camp".
Electric Lock
(Designed by G.V. Ramana Rao, Es Student and exhibited in our
Third Engineering Exhibition.)
-j March *S9
This is a type of intelligent lock. There are nine push
buttons outside the lock. The lock opens when a particular
combination of three buttons is pressed, while any other
combination results in the ringing of an alarm bell. The main
principle is that the circuit of the electro- magnet, which
withdraws the lock bolt, is completed and the bolt withdraws only
when the particular buttons are pressed together.
Explanation of Diagrams
Fig. 1 shows the front elevation and section along AA full
size of the lock. <b) is a thin metal plate with nine holes drilled in
it suitably for the corresponding pins (p). The holes are of such
a size that the pins attached to the buttons move freely in them
and, at the same time, make electrical contact between the plate
and the pins, (c) is made of non- conducting material with nine
contact pins fixed into it opposite to the push buttons as shown
in detail in fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows the plank (c) separately showing
the positions of the pins, the slits that carry Outside the wires
soldered to the pins, and the three pins (each marked with a
cross PX], PX
2
, PX
3
), with which, when contact is made, the lock
will open. The wires tl, t2, t3 shown in fig. 1 belong to these
three pins. Fig. 3 gives the electrical circuit, the bolt arrangement
and the switches. Sj is the solenoid which withdraws the bolt
against the action of spring (s) which pushes home the bolt to
close the lock. U is an iron plate bent to a U shape and covering
the solenoid to increase the magnetic force. Solenoid S
2
closes
the contacts at Ci and solenoid S
s
closes the contacts at C
2
- The
solenoid S
4
breaks the contact at C
2
.
Working
Referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen, that when the correct
three push buttons PX
lt
PX,, PX
3
are press, the contacts C! and
C
2
are closed by the solenoids S
2
and S
s
and as the circuit of the
solenoid S] gets completed through Cj and C
2
the lock bolt
is' withdrawn and the lock is opened. When any of the other
buttons marked B, is pressed the bell circuit gets completed and
rings the alarm; at the same time, since the circuit of S
4
gets
completed, the circuit of Si gets broken at C
2
and the solenoid Sj
cannot be energised to withdraw the bolt for opening lock.
Advantages
1. The lock is burglar-proof as the alarm rings, whenever
anyone tries to open it without knowing the clue.
2. If anyone happens to find out the combination of
buttons for opening the lock, the positions of the contact
pins (PXj, PX
2
, PXj) can easily be changed so that the
lock may be made safe again.
3. When fixed to a door* it also serves the purpose of a
door-45ell.
Note; By having interlocking arrangements between the three
buttons, the lock can be made to open when the buttons
are pressed in a particular order, thereby increasing the
safety. Increasing the number of push buttons gives
greater protection.
The Automatic Dosai Machine
Designed and made by Hassan Marikar ElM, N.V. Shenoy ElE,
Bheta James ElE
March '39
After its display in our College Exhibition and the recent
Congress Exhibition, the Dosai Machine has become so well-
known that it needs hardly any explanation. As a matter of fact,
some of the visitors (mostly of the fair sex) knew the various
details of the machine so well that they often relieved the
demonstrators of their task of explaining its working to the
crowds surrounding it. However, for the benefit of those who
would like to read about it, the following brief description is
given.
The main part of the machine is the rotating turn-tablean
iron disc 30" in diameterrevolving at about 1 r.p.m. The drive
for this is taken from a 1/8 h.p. 1600 r.p.m. electric motor
through a double- worm gear.A small charcoal fire box is fixed to
the underside of the disc and the plate is well- oiled by an oil
container provided with a brush. The brush is kept pressed
against the rotating disc by a cam on the main spindle, just as the
hot spot passes underneath it, thus eliminating wastage of oil.
The liquid flour paste for Dosai, is contained in a can
supported over the turn table. The can is provided with a cone
stopper at the bottom. When the oven comes right under the
cam, a stud fixed to the turn-table trips a mercury switch and
closes the circuit of an electro- magnet This raises the cone
stopper and the flour paste flows down and evenly spreads itself
round into a "Dosai"the size of which can be adjusted by
raising or lowering the can.
The disc rotates a little further and stops for about a minute-
and-a-half to alow the Dosai to bake. It then starts again, and as
it rotates the 'dosai' slides over a flag- shapped mining plate that
comes in the way. Thus the Dosai stays on the mining plate while
Selected Essays 141
the turti table still rotates and-just when the hot part has come
over to the other sidethe plate turns through 180 and the
other side of the Dosai is baked over the oven.
The table then stops for about 45 sec, When it starts, again,
an outside arm comes over the Dosai and sweeps it off the disc
on to a tray.
The cycle of operations repeats, vi?., oiling, pouring, baking,
reversing, baking ana removing.
The stopping and starting of the disc are automatic. A timed
cam raises and lowers the gear wheel on the centre spindle and
thus disengages and engages it from the main drive at the proper
intervals.
An electric counter in front of the machine indicates the
number of Dosais made. So the cook jealous of the machine
cannot rob you of your Dosais!
The following extract from "The Indian Express" of
December 28, 1938 will give an idea of the public opinion about
this machine:
"No less than two Ministers of Madras Government, and one
member of the Indian Civil Service have partaken of the 'dosais'
prepared on the Automatic Dosai Apparatus devised
v
by the
inventive genius of the students of the Engineering College at
Guindy. On Christmas day, Dr. T.S.S. Rajah witnessed this
novel mode of making Dosais and tasted one of the products,
earlier experimenters being Dr. P. Subborayan and
Mr. S.V. Ramamurthy. Opinion, however, is understood to be
sharply divided as to the merits of this invention among the lay
visitors".
Since this report, more Ministers and other distinguished
visitors like Sir. C.V. Raman have seen the machine. Innumerable
interesting suggestions have been received especially from the
lady visitors.
And when the reader knows that, of the three thousand and
odd Dosais made so far, not one did remain in the tray for morf
than a few seconds, he may best draw his own conclusion as to
the quality of the Dosais prepared in the Automatic Dosai
Machine.
Editorial
V. Lakshminarayanan, B.E. March '40
Centenary Celebrations!
Colleges in Madras, the Christian, the Medical, and the
Presidency have all observed their Centenary celebrations. Our
College is older than the other institutions by about half-a-century,
and is probably the oldest educational (British) institution in India.
Here are the dates:-
Survey School - First established in 1794
Named Civil Engineering School in 1858
Named Civil Engineering College in 1859
First B C.E., came out in 1864
Affiliated to Madras University in 1877
Named College of Engineering (consequent on the 1887
inclusion of Mechanical Engineering) in
First B.E. came out in 1894
Shifted to Guindy in 1920
It is high time we seriously set about thinking of celebrating, say,
the 1 r>Oth anniversary which falls in 1944.1 daresay, we can depend
upon the enthusiastic support of all the present and the old boys of
our College.
First Indian Lady Engineer!
We heartily congratulate Miss Oosha Devakaran Desai for
joining the Poona Engineering College. She has the unique honor of
being the first lady in India to join.an Engineering institution. Last
year, in our College, an eminent engineer asked why women had not
yet joined our College? And we responded, why not? Certainly, the
rules do not prevent any lady candidate from applying for admission:
and she is sure of getting selected as she will belong to the hitherto
unrepresented "Minority Community"and perhaps may get a
good "Weightage" in her favour. We hope Madras will not lag behind
Poona.
Selected Essays 143
In other countries, ladies have taken to the Engineering
profession. For example, there are a large number of women
architects: and probably they are better fitted to design our houses, as
they are more aware of the needs of a home, have a better intuition and
a finer aesthetic sense to create the "home beautiful"apart from
running it.
We hear there are quite a number of ladies employed as
"Tracers" and "Draughtsmen"we beg your pardon! Is it
"Draughts-women"?
In our own benighted land, even lady typists are rare to find:
why, even on the stage, men with a shaven beard have to
impersonate feminine characters!!
The prospect of having lady students is pleasant indeed: it
would add colour certainly to the dry khaki of the Civils, or the
devilish blue of the Mechanicals. And, oh! what a sight would it
be on, say, Thursday afternoons at the Mass Drill!
It has been observed in co-educational schools that boys
work harder lest they should be beaten by the so-called "weaker
sex". If there is any truth in this, such an incentive to harder
work is to be welcomed in our own College.
But then, a section of our gallant boys may argue that it is
not chivalrous to beat the gentler sex. This argument will not
hold any water hereafter as modern college girls do not want
"chivalry"- if we have to believe the Presidency College girls who
said so the other day. They want to shed their "inferiority
complex".
September Examinations?
The Summer vacation means three perspiring months of
idleness. Students of other colleges who unfortunately get
"ploughed" in their University Examinations may utilise the
latter part of the vacation, at least, for their study. But that
chance is denied to our students. It will be advantageous if
September examinations are held in Engineering too. The failed
F.E. in E II class has to ride two horses, as it were, by studying
simultaneously both for the F.E. and the College Sessional
Examination-and naturally does both in an unsatisfactory
manner.If September examinations are held, he can work hard in
the first term for F.E; and can make up his class-work efficiently
in the course of the year.
"Eves in Engineering"
Mrs. A. Lalitha, Mrs. Leela George March '41
In response to the kind invitation of the Editor, we are
recording our impressions of one year's stay in this College, and
why we chose to study Engineering. When last year, he wrote
urging women to take to Engineering, probably he was not quite
so serious, and struck only a light-hearted note; But we decided
to take it up as a challenge, as an experiment, and as an
experience to lead our.sisters
We are in the first place bound to thank the Principal,
Dr. Chakko, but for whose boldness, may we say in this
conservative world, sympathy and far-sighted policy, we would
not have been here. We must also thank him for his continued
interest in lis, so much as to write to the Government for a
separate women's block in the hostel. This is the first and
foremost necessity for lady students in a residential College with
such a strenuous course. May we suggest that even if it takes
some time for the buildings to come up, a small portion of the
blocks may be reserved for us with all amenities provided in a
self-contained manner.
First, let us examine the problem of why women should not
be shut out of the Engineering world. We form nearly half the
population of the world, and can this half, called the better-half
by the other half, be denied the knowledge of a subject which is
primarily responsible for the present day civilisationthis
machine age when the machine does everything for our
production, maintenance and destructiondoing the work of
the Trinityand has become the one and only Power?
During our life, we are either at peace or at waractually in,
or preparing for the same. The greatest occupation, (is it wrong
to call it profession?) in the world is house-keeping. The majority
of women-kind and a lrrge number of men also are employed in
this "Domestic" business making it the largest profession.
Women do all the drudgery working not less than sixteen hours a
day. Men have invented a number of machines, and labour-
Selected Essays 145
saving devices to relieve us from manual labour. We are
constantly using them; the coffee-grinder, the sewing-machine
and the hand-pump . the electric lights, fans, stoves, heaters and
a host of mechanical and electrical gadgetsand above all the
radiothe women's own possession. If these everyday machines
go wrong, we have to wait and depend upon the time and mood
of our men-folk to put them in order. During the morning, they
are too busy with their news-paper; during day time, they run
away to dance before their bosses and, in the evening, the
)ridge-table or the tennis court engages them. So these simple
repairs are put off for the Sunday; but, then, the cricket match
comes and our men run away to roast themselves in the hot sun,
eating groundnuts, to watch somebody else hurl a ball or chase it
or get stumped. A large amount of time and worry' can be saved
if only we are given the rudiments of the mechanical science.
Take the case of house-building. The house is essentially for
the woman who keeps it: and not for the man who stays out most
of the day, and sleeps off most of the time he stay in. How can he
be expected to know the needs of a well-planned house? You can
see the houses built by the most experienced engineer, and find
how he has bungled in the most elementary things. If a house is
to be well-designed, and correctly built, the job must be done by
a woman. Actually, it is the woman who builds. Every clod of
earth from the foundations and every basket of jelly for the
concrete is carried by the woman. She carries the bricks and
mortar from the foundation up to the highest storey on the
ricketiest of scaffoldings. In fact.lhe whole weight of the house
she carries on her head. But the stronger sex does the maistri's
job driving the women labourers, and does the easier job of
laying the bricks.
Even in other branches of engineering, e.g. quarrying,
road-making or dam buildingthe woman has been made to do
forced labour, and the male of the species simply watches on. If
the woman can contribute physically towards the building up of
structures, she can do the planning and designing equally
W :11if not better.
|4(i Survey School to Tech. Temple
During war time, the service of women in Engineering,
Industry, National Defence and, even in the Front, is
indispensable and has been well-utilised especially in the present
war. When men go away to fight the battles in sea, land or air, we
remain behind to look to the production of not only food but
also ammunition. The present war has brought the fight to our
own doorsand when our men are up in the air keeping back
the enemy, he comes under cover of darkness and bombs our
homes and aims at all important object like the Power House,
Water-works, and Factories and does not spare hospitals,
churches or schools. It is a war of the machines and the latter
have to be produced by the stay-at-homes, viz. women. How can
we produce machines if we do not know the science of
engineering?
Large number of women have been recruited for driving
motor vehicles and piloting aero-planes. In peace time, we are
only typing automatons, living components in the Telephone
exchange, showcase mannequins or dancing marionettes. But the
war has compelled men to give us more urgent and important
places in handling machinery. Gifted as we are with equally-sized
brainscan we not learn about the principles of machinery and
electricity and take our place as engineers in-charge?
We may be excused for taking so much space to stress the
importance of the' association of women- in the Engineering
profession both in peace and in war time.
wnen we joined this College, after overcoming the initial
excitement which accompanies all new ventures, we felt ourselves
quite at home. Lectures are not very different from the Arts
Collegesso also the Chemistry and Physics Laboratories. The
Drawing classes did not scare usin fact they were to our taste.
We have always had better attraction than men towards all forms
of artdrawing, painting, handiworks, and even modelling.
Drawings come quite naturally to ushave we not drawn the free
hand designs in our door-steps with "Kolams" from times
immemorial? Workshop classescarpentryhave not taxed us to
any great extent. A couple of hours exercising our muscles with
Sck'i led Kssays _ _ _ ^ _ _ -
the plane and the chisel tones us up and we feel fresher and
fitter. Anyway, we are not going to become carpenters or
blacksmiths and we have sufficient strength to learn the
principles of woodwork and metalwork. The machine shop will
give us better advantagesas we can exercise superior patience,
skill and finish in machinery operationswhat we lack in
physical effon, we can compensate by delicate control and
precision workmanship. We are eagerly looking forward to survey
classesand we are sure of pulling chains with equal vigour as
the boys, and we can certainly promise to show more accurate
work with the levelling instrument or theodolite. We are not
afraid of a few hours in the sun and work out-of-doors.
Our first year's stay is Hearing completion and we can
confidently say that we have easily taken to the science of
Engineering, and the physical and mental demands of the course
are well within our ability. The question may be askedwhat
guarantee of employment for us is there? Our answer is that
Engineering has to be studied not only from the professional
point of view, but also as a science and .branch of
knowledgepure and simple. We are confident, given the
opportunity, of being as successful as we have been in the
teaching or medical profession. Anyway let us not create a
problem before it has actually arisen. When we finish the course
and graduate ourselves as Bachelors of Engineeringwell, we
will tackle the problem of job-hunting in the way it deserves.
May we appeal to all our sisters to follow the lead, which has
been our luck and fortune to have taken on ourselves. These are
times of national emergency. Old barriers are breaking down and
the world is on the brink of diving into a new order. Can half the
population* of the world afford to be ignorant of a science and
profession responsible for the creation and maintenance of the
present-day civilisation? It is only when women take their due
and honoured place along with men in the Engineering
profession, that the country can march with clasped hands
towards permanent national reconstruction and regeneration.
We hope that the experiment we are making will not be in vain,
and we appeal to all sisters to join this College without any
hesitation.
Mahatma Gandhi's Death
S.S. Krishnaswumy Iyengar March '48
The end of January 1948 brought us the sudden and
sorrowful news of the death of Mahatma Gandhi, who was
assasinated under the most tragic circumstances at Delhi on the
30th January 1948 at 5-12 p.m., while he was on his way to the
Prayer Meeting. He was in our midst a Buddha and a Jesus. In
his death, the whole world was shocked and disturbed beyond
measure. Millions throughout the world offered prayers and
fasted on hearing the news. His body was cremated on the banks
of the river Jumna at Kajghat. Over a million people including
His Excellency, the Earl Mountbatten, India's Governor-General,
the Countess Mountbatten, Governors, Premiers and Ministers of
the various provinces attended the funeral to pay their last
homage to the "Father of the Nation". It was only a few days
prior to his death that the Mahatma escaped an equally dastardly
attack on his life during a prayer meeting. Even at that time,
Gandhiji remained calm and appealed to the people to treat the
suspect with compassion and declared that his own life was in
fthe hands of God and therefore he had no fear. Condolence
meetings were held everywhere and messages of sympathy were
received from all parts of the Globe by the Indian leaders on
behalf of their people, paying unexcelled tributes to the
greatness of the Mahatma. In the world history so far known,
such large-scale mourning and offering of tributes from parts of
the Globe to any one leader of a country, were unheard of. Even
his political opponents in this country and elsewhere were
grieved at his death beyond measure. The whole country and
many parts of the world were plunged in deep mourning on
Gandhiji's death for 13 days and still continue to mourn his
death. On the 12th February 1948, the last rites were performed
for Mahatma Gandhi when his ashes, sent to different places by
prior arrangement, were consigned to the waters of the Holy
Rivers and Seas throughout this country, and mammoth
meetings were held to offer prayers to the apostle of Truth and
Non-Violence, leader and a great soldier for freedom.
Selected Kssays 149
It is up to us as worthy sons and daughters of this sacred
land of ours to follow the path of duty he has so clearly chalked
out for us and to prove to the whole world in no unmistakable
terms that the real weapons that we handle to succeed ultimately
are Truth and Non-Violence. May God give this land of ours real
peace as surely as He has been pleased to take back the great
soul to His side!
From Here and There
P.K. Chockalingam March '57
Mathematics, as seen by a poet:
The Geometry of your face.
The Algebra of your eyes with their known and unknowns,
The Calculus of your personality with their Constants and
Variables,
The Radii of your charms that encircle me, your very locus
The Force of your smiles, that produced becomes
The Perpendicular Bisector of my heart
And leaves me entangled in
The Graph you have plotted around me.
An easy way of remembering the value of 'Pi' correct to its 13th
decimal
Pi is equal to 3.1415926535897 (!)
Now here is a sentence to be memorised. Count the number
of letters LJ each word of the following sentence and write the
numbers side by side in order (from left" to right and you get the
value.)
" How I wish I could re-collect of circle round.
The exact relation Archjmede unwound ".
Easy multiplication by factors of 9 (!)
987654321 x 09 is equal to 08888888889
987654321 x 18 is equal to 17777777778
987654321 x 2 7 is equal to 26666666667
987654321 x 36 is equal to 80000000001
Note :- No originality is claimed lor these by the Contributor.
So, who can deny " Mathematics is the most fascinating
subject of" all times!"
Humour in Class-room and
^ Elsewhere
A. Srinivasan March '62
A very common complaint of a student is that lecture classes
are not lively. But a lot of things that happen in the class-room,
provide ample scope for merry laughter outside. The class-room
need not be surcharged with high seriousness and sepulchral
gravity if the students and the lecturer have any sense of humour.
There is many a joke that can be got from the innocent answers
of ignorant students or the ingenious interpretations of students
with a propensity for mischief. Sometimes, the lecturer has to
have a ready wit and resourcefulness to get out of a tight corner,
in which he may be placed by some of his waggish disciples.
This reminds me of an incident in which a certain Professor
X, noticed, on his entry' into the class-room, that on the
black-board was written "Mr. X is a donkey". This did not upset
him but, instead, with a beaming smile on his face, he took a
piece of chalk and simply added the words "driver". Needless
to say that the students had nothing but admiration for Professor
X, after that incident.
But what would that resourceful Professor X have done in
the following case, I confess I do not know. A certain Professor Y,
as soon as he entered the lecture class, was handed a note
informing him of the tragic death of one of their class-mates and
with a request that as a mark of respect to the deceased, they may
be permitted to stand silent for 5 minutes. The Professor
sympathised with them and acceded to their request. Then there
was silence for 5 minutes-quite an extraordinary thing to
happen! Lo! At the end of that period, came one peal of wails,
evidently the genuine expression of uncontrollable grief. As if in
response to this whole-hearted demonstration, there walked into
the class-room the figure of the student on whose behalf the
silence and then the vociferous tribute was paid, and who had
only availed himself of the usual "French Leave" of two weeks
|r,i> Survey School to lech. Temple
after the two weeks of mid-term holidays. The cry of bitter grief
now changed into ont scream of shudder, and the puzzled
Professor was given the explanation that the figure that walked in
was a spectre, as it was sans moustache which the corporeal form
of the presumed-to-be-dead-student proudly possessed. I am not
aware of the subsequent events, but I surmise that the Professor
would have lectured to the apparition as well.
While boys generally triumph in the battle of wit, some
teachers have a knack for turning tables on their wily opponents.
A rather corpulent Professor had been lecturing and, as he left
the room, he found that one of the students had dropped into
his hat a picutre of a fat swine. He said nothing, but the next day
when he stood before the class, he prefaced his lecture with the
remark: "Gentlemen, I have to thank one of you for placing his
card in my' hat yesterday. He was too modest to leave his name,
but the portrait is excellent". Complete silence prevailed.as the
boys, found that they had caught a Tartar.
There is yet another incident in which the Professor proved
to be too wily for the youngsters. A Professor wanted his classes
to assemble in a particular hall, and so wrote on the black-board :
"Professor..,will meet his classes in...Hall". When he stepped into
the class-room the next day, he was greeted by the students with
laughter. Perplexed by this unusual form of greeting, he turned
towards the blackboard and found that the letter "C" of the word
classes was missing. Needless to say, there was a further furore on
his discovery. But the undismayed pedagogue gave the
youngsters the cold dip by taking the duster and rubbing off the
" 1 " also in that notorious word.
Grammar classes are usually very unpopular and the type of
esteem which the students have for the Grammar teacher can be
seen from the ingenious answer to the question of parsing a
word "Teacher", occurring in a sentence. "Teacher is an
immaterial noun, hopeless case, in apposition with the
Head-master, subject to the whims of the Inspector and governed
by the preposition D.P.I."
The best mirth-provoking letter was got by a former
Principal of our College, requesting him to send the writer of the
Sclciinl Kssjiys I5.'i
loiter an application form tor admission. The letter ran : "I the
undersigned have appeared for the Intermediate Examination in
Ails and Science of...University, and I expect a creditable pass,
and now desire to further my studies in this very famous
institution of yours, which is the mirror, Polar Star, and beacon
ol all its fellow Colleges, under kind Lecturers and Professors
whose vivacious intellect, drained with frequent peruse of great
books, has aroused admire and wonder in many circles. So I
request you to send me the application form so that I could fill it
and send it to you, thus paving a corner stone for a successful
career in.your College, etc.". I wonder whether the Principal
"paved the corner-stone" for the boy's career!
Not infrequently the examination halls also get lively, in
spite of the depressing atmosphere. It was a very sultry afternoon
in the hot month of March when the not-too-'easy Mathematics
question papers of the B.E. Examination were, distributed to the
examinees. Hardly five minutes had elapsed, when there came a
full-throated call from a certain candidate: "Water Please". The
invigilator near-by informed the candidate that he had sent for
the water-boy. But the indomitable examinee demanded that at
least Chambers' Seven Figure Tables may be supplied to him.
Even that was not ready at that moment in the examination hall,
and so the disappointed student, not getting any useful return
for the fee paid, busied himself for the next 25 minutes by neatly
scribing a big "V for Victory" and embellished it with His own
design of decorations.
The examiner would have had an easy time to value such a
paper. But some candidates get into an eloquent mood and write
things which are very original, but of course not pertaining to
the question. In answer to a question "Write short notes on
'Karimarudu' and Jara Wood', an ingenious student wrote
"Karimarudu was the unrivalled champion and the pride and
glory of the great Andhra Desa..." Obviously, the student
co-related Karimarudu with the common names of Ramudu and
Krishnudu and Subrayadu, prevalent in Andhra Districts. But the
notes on Jara Wood was the most original invention. "Jara Wood,
the wood that is named 'not indeed' after Jarasanda of epic fame,
but after the famous Jara, the carpenter". I am beaten if anybody
tells me when and where the famous 'Jara, the Carpenter', lived.
Another no less original answer was about centrifugal
pumps* which will be of special interest to Engineers.
"Centrifugal pump is a pump.'It varies in diameter from 1" to
40 feet. These 40 feet diameter pumps are used in "Godavari
Delta". The same candidate in answer to a question about
Pelton-wheel wrote: 'Pelton Wheel is the wheel that rolls water
into energy, Several Pelton wheels a*e installed at Pykhara and
many more will be installed in future, for the hydro-electric
development. When the world is running crazy with armaments
and re-armaments, thank God, we are the most pacific nation in
the world, trying to develop our hydro-electric resources". If the
examiner had not been too selfish, he would have permitted this
ingenious student to reappear for the examination in the
succeeding years, in which case the student would have had a lot
to say about the wars in general, thereby providing amusement
to other examiners as well.
Surpassing this in originality and brilliance is an answer by
another erudite scholar who replied to the question "where is
wooden flooring usually employed and why?" as follows:
"Wooden flooring is used principally in Ball Rooms; Dancing, as
we all know, is a very healthy exercise, and no explanation need
be given why in a place where two souk fuse into one, and for
them to sing in unison we require a wooden flooring". Does not
this genius deserve a Double plus Alpha?!
This plus Alpha reminds me of another intelligent answer to
the question in a Mathematics paper: "Prove that in a Quadratic
equation the imaginary roots occur in pairs". The student wrote :
"when it is the law of nature that everything that exists should be
in pairs.there is no wonder that the poor 'imaginary' roots also
follow the established law. Just as several things cannot be given a
proof, I regret this also cannot be proved on paper".
Let me now take you to a poetry Class. The boys were given
the task of writing four lines of dramatic Poetry. One boy wrote:
Selected Essays 1 ">
r
>
"A boy was walking down the track,
The train was coming fast;
The boy stepped off the railway track
To let the train go past".
The teacher said: "It lacks the dramatic". So the boy
submitted the following:
"A boy was walking down the track,
The train was coming fast;
The train jumped off the railway track
To let the boy go past".
I would request our selectors that a boy like that may be
admitted in our College so that he may adorn the Poets' and
Artists' Gallery of the College.
From the Poetry class, let us go to the Science room, where
the Science lesson was in progress. "What is the greatest change
that takes place when water becomes ice?". "The Price, Sir,
replied a scholar leaving the teacher confounded.
Stepping into a Physiology class, one heard the teacher
discoursing on the human nervous system. The point of his talk
was that human limbs which seem to work automatically do not
really do so. They receive messages from the brain and they
simply obey. One of the boys yawned and the teacher thought he
had been dozing, called him to his chair and asked him to stretch
his hand to receive a cane-out. The boy would not do as he was
bidden and when asked to explain, meekly said, "Please, Sir. I am
expecting a message from my brain", Was the boy inattentive?
It was a class of youngsters where a harassed teacher was
asking the pupils to spell correctly English words. The teacher
had no doubt about a particular boy's ability and told the boy,
"Spell the word COFFEE, and I will give you a passing grade if
you say atleast ONE letter correct". The boy after some hesitation
stated, "KAUPHY". One can imagine the consternation of the
poor teacher!
I.")(> Suivcy School lo I irh. Temple
Now, here are some more 'howlers :
"Book-keeping is the art of not returning the books
borrowed.
Algebra is the wife of Euclid.
A pacifist is one who had crossed ihe Pacific Ocean.
A triangle is three straight lines bent at an angle so that two
ends meet.
A Black-out is a kind of out in Cricket".
Mathematics for Pleasure
M. Sadasivam May'69
Yes,, Mathematics also could be for pleasure. Just solve the
problems to follow and see for yourself how happy .you feel-if
you are successful in your solution, of course!
Wish you a week of pleasure-a riddle a day of lasting
pleasure!
1. Many of you are crazy about calendars; you hunt for
them even 3 or 4 months afier New Year's Day. (Just as the third,
year engineering students keep trying for a change of
branch even in the middle of that year). See how much
you know of calendars!
a. How often does Christmas fall on Friday?
b. Morarji Desai was born on February 29th. What are
the minimum and maximum intervals between his
two successive birthdays?
2. Most of you will be having watches. Just as no two doctors
agree (as the saying goes), no two watches agree. Watch rate is
the rate at which it gains or loses, and it is either a
standing rate or travelling rate, depending upon whether
the watch is stationary or not.
Two watches known for their error have been wound up
and set, at one and the same time. An hour later, watch A
was found to have gained one minute, while watch B* lost
two minutes, when compared with a standard
chronometer. Next morning, when they were compared;
it was seven O' watch in A and six O' watch in B, What
time were the watches wound up? Assume constant, rate
for the watches.
3. Many a time you are confused by your teachers in their
classes. But never like this!
"This is the card room," said John, showing me around
his club. "These four chaps playing bridge are all people
you'd like to meet. Henry and George are playing against
Henry and Arthur. Thomas is, the best of the four."
"And which is Thomas?"
"He's the chap on Thomas's left."
Not too lucid a.statement, was it? I found afterwards that
John uses his friends' surnames and given names
indiscriminately. The four at the table were George
Henry, Henry Thomas, Arthur George and Thomas
Arthur.
Who was Thomas Arthur's partner?
4. Some are extra-ordinarily good at numbers, like, say,
"Kanakkukku oru Sakunthala". See if you are!
X and Y enjoyed playing little mathematical games. X
wrote down a number and asked Y to guess it. "How
about a little information?" asked Y, "The number is
exactly twice the product of its two digits", replied X.
What was the number?
5. In the present-day pictures, is common the eternal love
triangle. Here is a love-sick foursomecockroaches!
The female cockroach at the Southeast corner of a square
is in love with the male cockroach at the Northeast
corner who, in turn, is in love with the female cockroach
at the Northwest corner who, in turn, is in love with the
male cockroach at the Southwest corner who, finally, is in
love with the first cockroach (S E corner). At a given
instant, all four cockroaches proceed on a pursuit curve
directly towards their beloveds. Just what happens when
they meet at the centre of the square is not our concern.
Assuming that they all travel at the same constant speed,
how far (in terms of the lengthof the side of the
square) does each cockroach travel before this meeting
occurs?
Selected Essays 159
6. The other day Professor Algebra had several friends in to
see his garden, of which he is justly proud. In a rather small
space he had developed several new strains of tomatoes
and at the same time had grown a large variety of
flowers.
As would be expected, every thing about Professor
Algebra's garden (laid before the metric system was
introduced) has an integral length in feet. The garden
proper is a square surrounded by a paved walk on each
side. These four walks are all of different widths (all
widths of the walks and sides of the gardens proper are,
as said before, an exact number of feet). There is a sun
dial in the middle of the narrowest walk, the next wider
walk is one foot wider, the next still another foot wider.
The entire lot, gardens and walks included, is again a
perfect square, with sides an exact number of feet in
length.
If the area of the entire square lot is 621 more square
feet than the area of the square garden, how wide is the
strip of walk on the side opposite the sun dial?
7. Certainly you should be able to solve this, the simplest of
all. It is eleven hundred miles from Madras to Delhi along the
great circle. A plane X leaves Madras for Delhi and flies,
as crow flies, at 200 miles per hour. An hour later, a
plane Y leaves Delhi for Madras and flies, like the other
one but at a velocity of 300 miles per hour. Which is
nearer to Madras, when they meet?
For Solutions turn to page 176
1973
Selected Essays 161
1979
SelectedEnayt 165
166
Survey School to tech. Temple
Selected Essays
167
168 Survey School to Tech; Temple
Selected Essays
169
1973
Selected Essays
171
Selected Essays
173
Selected Sways
175
Mathematics for Pleasure
Solutions
1. a. Ours is aJulianCalendarwith Gregorian correction, with
acycle of400 years in which there are 303 ordinary years of
365 days and 97 leap years of 366 days, (All century
years are not leap years, unless the century number
itself is divisible by 4. For example, 1900 was not a
leap year, while 2000 will be) This cycle of 400 years
will therefore comprise exactly 20871 weeks (of 7 days
each). In other words, since Christmas fell on
Wednesday in 1968, it will also fall on Wednesday in
2368, in 2768 etc.
Since 400 is not divisible by 7, it is obviously
impossible for 1/7 of the Christmas to fall on any
given day of the weak. Hence the probability of
Christmas falling on Friday is not 1/7 or 0.142857,
though very near to it.
b. There will be a February 29 normally once in 4 years (in
1960, 64, 68, 72, 76, 80, etc). But there will hot be a
February 29 in the years 1800,1900, 2100, 2200,2300,
etc. as mentioned above: Hence the minimum and
maximum intervals between two successive birthdays of
those who were born on February 29 will be 4 and 8 years
respectively.
2. Every hour, watch A will have gained 3 minutes over
watch B, and it would take 20 hours for the two watches to be
exactly one hour apart (A fast on B.) During the twenty
hours, A would have gained 20 minutes and B lost 40
minutes. Hence the time is 6-40 a.m. It follows that it
must have been 10-40 a.m. the first day when the watches
were started going.
3. The two Henrys and the two Thomases were on opposide
sides. Therefore, Henry Thomas was opposed by Thomas Arthur
tected Essays \77_
and George Henry, and thus Thomas Arthur's partner
was George Henry.
4. Let the number be xy, with x the digit in tens place, and y
the digit in the units place ; then
lOx plus y equals 2xy
y equals (2y - 10)x or x equals y/2y - 10,
where x and y are integers.
Obviously, y must be greater than 5. This therefore
gives
y
x
6 6/2 equals 3
7 7/4 equals 1 3/4
8 8/6 equals 1 1/3
9 9/8 equals 1 1/8
y must have been 6, and x 3
Therfore the number was 36.
5. While this problem can be solved by calculus, it can be
solved quite readily by simple reasoning. Since each cockroach
starts at the same time, and at all times heads directly
towards his or her beloved, at any given instant, the four
will be located on the corners of a gradually decreasing
(and rotating) square. Thus the. path of any particular
cockroach is at all times at right angle to the path of the
one pursuing it. In other words, the motion of the, say,
Northeast cockroach does not alter, in any respect, the
distance the Southeast cockroach has to travel in order to
reach it. The length of the path each cockroach travels is,
therefore, equal to the length of the side of the square.
6. Let the length of one side of the lot be x and the length of
one side of garden be y ; then, frbm the last paragraph, we
know that
x
2
minus y
2
equals 621
Factorising both sides
(x plus y) (x minus y) equals 3 x 3 x 3 x 23.
^ Survey School to Tech. Temple
Since x and y are integers, (x plus y) and (x minus y) must
also be integers.
This can only be true if-
Case 1: (x minus y) equals 1 and (x plus y) equals 621
Case 2 : (x minus y) equals 3 and (x plus y) equals 207
Solving these simultaneous equations
x equals 311 and y equals 310 Case 1
Cases 1 and 2 are eliminated because there will not be
room enough to put walks of the type prescribed by the
problem around such a large garden in a lot only slightly
larger.
Case 4 is eliminated since Prof. Algebra could not possibly
have grown all he did in a space 2 feet by 2 feet. It follows
that the lot is 39 by 39 feet, and that the garden is 30 by 30
feet.
From the fact that the lot and the garden are both square,
it follows that the narrowest width of walk V will be
opposite the widest side, (w plus 3). Also, the side (w plus 1)
feet in width will be opposide the side which is (w plus 2)
in width, or
(x minus y) ?quals w plus (w plus 3)
equals (w plus 1) plus (w plus 2)
equals (2w plus 3) or,
39 minus 3.0 equals (2w plus 3)
i.e. w equals 3.
The strip of walk on the side opposite the sundial is six feet
wide.
Selected Essays 179
7. Neither. They are in the same place, (if you insist on
making a serious problem of thjs arid find out where they meet,
the answer is 560 miles from Madras, 2 hours 48 minutes
after the first plane left Madras)
Vivekananda Auditorium,
College of Engineering, Guindy
Foundation stone iaicl by
Sri R. Venkataraman, then
Minister for Industrie;- and
Technical Education. Madras
Reverie
by
O.T. Raghavan
The Dawn of Freedom (March 1948)
Immortal Ladder, by U. Prakasam Which Won the First Prize at
Inter-Collegiate Photographic Competition at IIT, Madras (1966)
K.S. Sitaraman (1945-46)
Dr.J.J. Rudra (1941-45) & (1946-48)
Dr. K.C. Chakko (1936-41)
A. Srinivasan (1961-64)
Slill Waters (Kodaikanal Lake)
A Group Photo of the Engineering College, Cricket, Football, Hockey, and Tennis Team
(1937)
RJ.W. Moses
Who won
the Annamalai University &
Presidency College
Tennis Tournaments (1939)
POET IN THE ENGINEER
Major Marley's Spell
(Camp Life at Pallavaram)
B.Jayarama Gupta, E2E March '48
By six in the morn,
When the Sun is just born,
We hear a horn,
That pricks like a thorn.
Well.when we hear the bell,
That sounds like the knell,
Rung in the depths of Hell,
We, bound by the Major's spell,
Start a big pell-mell.
In a weather so chill,
As to make our voices shrill,
And give our hearts a bad thrill,
We are to climb the Mosque hill,
Up and up until
All our patience and skill
In Survey drill
Come to a stand-still.
When the Sun shines slightly bright,
Things set themselves right,
And we, then, begin to fight
The theodolite
With our spirits in height.
Poet in the Engineer ]gg
But soon,
On the approach of noon,
We, in a virtual swoon,
Looking like figures in a cartoon,
Wait for the gracious boon,
Letting us back to our dish and spoon.
Then straight we go to our tent,
Place back the instrument,
Bathe and eat, though discontent,
And kindle the sloth in us latent,
Which can lull us to sleep in a moment.
Then at 2 o'clock
We receive a shock
When the bell receives a knock
Right on its back.
Then the boring 'office work'
Which, all as I do shirk,
And still pull on the way
Plotting all the day's survey.
Just at half past five
We feel quite alive
And go on a drive
Soon to the Camp, back to dive.
After supper, we sleep in agony and pain
Caring not a straw for wind and rain,
And up we wake in the morn again,
Thus goes our routine once again.
Role of Engineers
K. Rajagopalan July '54
I. Once on n day in a dewy morn,
With a golden splendour newly born,
From afar the space and stars thereon,
A shining Angel stepped anon.
II. With rustling robes of flowing folds,
And woofy wings of glittering'gold,
And spangled spots in pinkish plume,
The innocent Angel, moved as a moon.
III. But soon the ground was a sliding slush,
And hard to cross with shrubs and bush;
Eager and sad at the change of fate,
The curious Angel stopp'd its haste.
IV. And Lo! a wondrous person came aloof,
He cast a layer, so hard and smooth,
And paved a way with a hand so deft,
The happy Angel, walked ahead.
V. But soon nit ground was a painful pit,
It cracked with thirst and was brown with heat
Pained at the plight and sad at the sight,
The kindly Angel stood upright!
VI. And again the person came along,
He built a wall, big, high and strong;
Filled with water, it quenched the thirst;
And the parched up earth went green with mirth.
VII. When the dreadful dragon, the nimble night,
Vanquished the earth and maimed her might,
Again the man so tiny and small,
He gave her light and solace withal.
VIII. The amazed Angel asked the earth,
With brimming job and bubbling mirth,
"Oh! sister dear; Oh! sister dear!,
Who be this man I see much near?
Poet in the Engineer 191
IX. "He lays a girdle so rich and vast,
On your waist, so long and soft,
He gives a vessel with water to drink,
When cruel heat had your heart to sink".
X. "He adorns, bejewels and lifts you high,
Vanquished and helpless when you lie,
Like a hapless bull cast off its herd,
Forsaken by all and tramped at head".
XI. The laughing breeze that lulled the trees,
The rippling water in the running streams,
All proclaimed "A child of mine",
And the Angel thought"- "It is fine".
XII. And anon there rushed a band of men,
With noise and tumult like roaring lions,
They smashed the wall and smote the earth,
Snatched the lights and raged ahead.
XIII. Gone was the grace and all that were nice,
Fumes of sorrow and cries of "Fie",
Covered the once good signs of love,
And clouds of misery hung above.
XTV. The amazed Angel asked the earth,
With biting pain and blazing wrath,
"Oh! sister dear! Oh sister dear!
Who be this band, I saw with fear?"
XV. The whining wind that moaned with the trees,
The rushing water in the rugged streams,
All sighed"A child of mine",
And the Angel thought"what pain!"
XVI. "Blessed be the child that serves the mother,
As for the other, base and bitter,
Blessed be the God for the wings he gave"
And it flapped its wings and flew away.
XVII. Oh! ye brothers! blessed of the world,
Destined to serve, to be strong and bold,
May we be proud of the role we play,
Content and happy, live our day.

D.J.K. Cornelius, B.Sc. July 54
"Remember dear" said He to She
"We're out to dinner to night
"We'll leave at exactly 7.30
"Ere the moon sends out her light."
The time ere now was half after five
She ran and turned on the shower
The soap it bubbled and took on a jive
She merged as fresh as a flower.
With winged feet she strayed
To her delicate ward-robe perfectes,
And ivory fingers sweetly laid
On tissues, silks ajid georgettes!
The clock whirred and whined
Beat and rang and swore
The hands flayed and chimed
While ivory played on silken gore.
"Hubby dear!" cried She to He
"Will this pink and black
"Show off the skin of ivory?
"Or should I wear this lilac?"
"My dear" quoth He to She
"The time wears on but wear
"What you will; for relentlessly
"My dinner jacket has a tear!"
The lilac matched the ivory
The lipstick too was good,
The rouge was sheer artistry
But how much will be left on food!
Poet in the Engineer 193
She rushed up to the mi rror
And t hen t or a tissue;
The lipstick spread a little
A sigh and curse did issue.
The rouge looked all a pat ch
The base did not set up
She wiped of a little blotch
And with it all the make up.
Ther e appeared upon her eye
A tear of despair and pity,
She struggled like an unhappy fly
In a Flypaper Debut in City!
She t urned screaming free
At her Hubby cool and calm,
When a nail got her saree
And ri pped away...the form.
She threw her saree from her
And yelled, "I' m not going!"
She flung t he cream j ar from her
The nail her saree atowing!
She threw herself upon t he bed
And sobbed away to sleep:
He smiled and stroked t he head
Of his wife a teary heap!
He smiled at his own diary:
The day was April First,
He dared not tell his fairy
The di nner was in jest!
CARTOONIST IN THE ENGINEER
Cartoon by:J. Amrntbraj Murray, Ej.c.
THE EMPORIUM SCENE
or
PLEA FOR DOSAI RATIONING
Cartoon by:K. S. Dorairajan, EjM.
KS. Dorairajan, ELM
"There will be a day when our Professors would dance out our lessons!" (1944)
(at the conclusion of dance performance held in the College last year the Principal
expressed a hope that in order to make the lectures more impressive, our lecturers may
adopt 'Bhava" and 'Nritya' in their lectures.)
Our cartoonist's impressions of the speeches made on January 26th, 1948 the
Commemoration Day under the "Unity Tree."
By B. Bbima Bao.
At the Crossroads
The puzzle for an E.3. student when he has to choose his branch
CHSAP PO W ER.
K.S. Dorairajan, El.M
Dome Dwellers' A.R.P
Cartoon bv.K. S. Dorairajan, E] M.
Mistaken Identity!
"Station Master, are dogs allowed in these Electric Trains?"
Does this make our white-old bachelor professor shun the Electric Train?-Ed
Cartoon by:J. Amruthara] Murray, Ei.c,
Music hath charm to soothe the savage Breast!
Who is it roaring in that room?
Of course, it is Balu, the bathroom bagavathar in his usual throes of tuneless music
HUMOURIST IN THE ENGINEER
The old lady passing the Engineering College stopped a
Student who was Surveying, and said, "Can you tell me the
time?"
The Engineer took out a foot-rule, then fetched a Slide-rule
and compass and a T-Square. After fiddling with them for a few
minutes, he finally said, "Its just eleven O'clock".
"Astonishing" said the old lady, "but what do you do if it's
raining and you can't measure the shadow?"
"Oh" shrugged the Student, "then I suppose I'll have to
look at my watch."
"Excuse me, I think we met here a fortnight ago."
"Sorry, I do not know you."
"I too don't know youbut I recognise your umbrella.
"A fortnight ago I had n't an umbrella with me."
No, but I had."
Quips
An engineer, arrested for a traffic accident, was testifying in a
court. "Circumstances got beyond my control. The wheels accelera-
ted in one plane while the force of gravity operated in an angle to the
rotating plane. This produced a rotation perpendicular to the plane
of the wheel rotation".
Thejudge pondered this one for several minutes. "What does all
this flummery mean ?".
The engineer answered :"My car skidded".
THE GOLDEN NUGGET
"Nowadays every mother's son wants to become an engineer and,
every father's daughter wants to marry one!" President's Toast to
the Old Boys
Snippets
".One Who Knows" April '44
1. Pardonable Doubts?
a. Can you connect stop-watch in series with an ammeter^
b. Is there a hundred amperes resistance?
c. Are there any windage and friction losses for a transformer?
d. Is 'Etoope' a mortal?
2. Sleep
Usually Acharulu comes to the class five minutes late and
sleeps after three minutes. The other day he slept in the bath
room!
3. Good at Sports!
Our three lady students are all good at sports! In the
running race specially held for them, all the three got prizes!
4. Prayer
Narayan of ElC is disliked by all the instructors for his
intolerable mischief. Once he chanced to talk about religion with
Instructor of Mechanical Engineering.
Narayan : Sir, I do not have belief in Prayer, or Theism.
I.M.E.: I have. But for my daily prayers, you would have taken
the Mechanical Engineering branch!
5. Late
It was a 'Sunday' night As it was winter, Raman sealed all
the doors and windows air-tight and slept. He woke up once and
seeing that it was too dark, slept again.
When he got out of the room, he found it was too late to go
to the College. Somehow he managed to go half-an-hour late.
But to his astonishment be found that the College was following
Tuesday's time table! Did he sleep throughout Monday?
6. Absent-Minded
Reaching the bath room, Mohan found that he forgot his
soap-box and towel. He came back to take them and started
again. Going half the way, he came to know that he was going to
the College.
7. Approximately
Gopal knocked at the bath-room door. There came a steady
voice from inside the bath room saying '2.67391' minutes
approximately!
8. Do Not Know?
It was a 'Building Materials' lecture class. In the middle of
the lecture, the Instructor caught three students sleeping. He got
wild and said, "you fellows sleep even in the class. I do not know
how to get sleep in day time!" Then came a somnolent voice
from one of the back rows : "Attend Building Material lectures,
please."
9. Fifth Columnist
Balu does not know swimming, but when he was ducked in
'543' he was accused by the students as a fifth columnist. He was
swallowing in all the A.R.P. water.
10. Permission
In the examination Hall.
Supervisor : Why are you opening the desk?
Student: I forgot to take the rubber, Sir.
Supervisor: Alright, take it. Here after, except writing, you
should not do any thing without the permission of the
Supervisor.
Student: After taking the rubber, turned to the Supervisor
and seriously asked, 'shall I close the desk, Sir?
11. Scale Effect
A lady was getting her measurements taken for a new dress.
The tailor read out the measurements aloud to her assistant,
"Hips-35", "Waist-25", "Bust 35". The lady was extremely
pleased with the findings of the tailor. "Scale, one inch is equal
to one-and-a-half inch" shouted the tailor to her assistant.
207 Snippets
12. The Old Man's Desire
"I am sorry, Sir, but I have been making advances to your
daughter."
"Well, how about something for her old father?"
13. Perfect Discipline
During the later days of the last war, the trains were not
always oh time and some veteran travellers remember this
amusing.contratemp, which took place on the platform-of-one
crowded suburban station.
"You cannot travel on this train" shouted the ticket
collector.
"And, why not?" rejoined the passenger.
"For the simple reason that this is yesterday's train. Your
tickets are for today's train, which won't be here till tomorrow
morning.
14. The Professor's Advice
A mellowed old College Professor was once asked for some
advice by a young Lecturer in the College. His counsel was as
follows:
Experience has taught me much during the years. You will,
no doubt, find during your teaching that, when you are
discussing some subject, there will be some lad in the class, who
will disagree with you. You will be tempted to nail him down and
convert him right, then and there. But don't do it. He's probably
the only one in the class who is listening."
15. Vlasoff Affair
Huddled together in the freezing cell in Siberia, three
Russians were exchanging confidences.
"You know," said the first prisoner, who was lean and sharp,
'I was sent here for plotting against Commissar Vlasoff in
1936".
"That's funny" said the second, who must have been a portly
man in his prime, "The N.KV. denounced me for supporting
Commissar Vlasoff 2 years later."
The third coughed a little and drew himself up, to his full
height. "How very interesting," said he. "Why?" chorused the
other two. A hollow laugh ensued. "For the simple reason,
gentlemen," said the third man, "that I am Commissar Vlassof'.
16. Lost and Found
"Excuse me, I think we met here a fortnight ago."
"Sorry, I do not know you."
"I too don'tknow youbut I recognise your umbrella."
"A fortnight ago I had n't an umbrella with me."
"No, but I had."
_ GD ?
EM MESS September '68
You are all engineers or engineering students who have
studied solid geometry sometime back, and have passed the
concerned Examination. You are quite capable of visualizing
three-dimensional solids. To brush up your knowledge, try a
hand at this quiz!
An engineer (like you), noted for his ability to visualize 3D
structure, was having coffee and vada. Before he dropped a sugar
cube into his cup, he placed the cube on the table and thought.
"If I pass a horizontal plane through the cube's centre, the
cross section will, .of course, be a square. If I pass it vertically
through the centre and four corners of the cube, the cross
section will be an oblong rectangle. Now, suppose, I cut the cube
this way with the plane... '* To his surprise, his mental image of
the cross section was a regular hexagon.
How was the slice made? If the cube's side is 1 cm. what is
the side of the hexagon?
After dropping the cube into his coffee, the engineer turned
his attention to a south Indian vada (with a hole in "the centre)
lying flat on a plate. " If I pass a plane horizontally through the
centre," he said to himself, "the cross section will be two
concentric circles. If I pass the plane vertically through the
centre, the section will be two circles separated by the width of
the hole. But, if I turn the plane so..." He whistled with
astonishment. The section consisted of two perfect circles that
intersected.
How was this slice made? If the vada is a perfeeftotorus,
7.5cm. outside diameter and with a hole 2.5.cm across, what are
the diameters of the intersecting circles?

The History of CEG - 1794 - 1994

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College of Engineering, Anna University, Guindy; Madras 600 025

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