Hindustan University Chennai

Dr Verghese was ahead of his time, with a passion for all things mechanical and aeronautical (his autobiography is called Wheels and Wings). It paved the way for the inception of the Hindustan Engineering Training Center in 1965 in sleepy Kilpauk. Starting a self financing engineering college was unheard of in that day and age, but breaking the norm was to become a way of life for Dr Verghese. Today, there are over three hundred colleges and universities in Tamil Nadu alone, a number that grows everyday. Hindustan College of Engineering, the flagship Institute of the Group (which has since grown into Hindustan University) started with four programmes and now offers over 40 programmes.

Started as a training center specialising in aircraft maintenance, the Group has grown to multiple institutions which impart training in disciplines such as management, arts, technical sciences, and aviation. The unyielding pursuit of excellence has earned the University multiple laurels, a fraction of which cause the shelves in Mrs Verghese office to creak in protest.

 “The road was so poorly maintained, people used it to thresh rice!” recalls Mrs Elizabeth Verghese, wife of late Dr KCG Verghese, presently the Chancellor of the Group, with a sparkle in her eyes. Her youthful and cheerful demeanour hides a steely determination for the cause of quality education. The road in question is now the IT corridor of the city, and Hindustan University rubs shoulders with the offices of global software giants. The growth of the road from a simple stretch to one that hosts international firms seems to reflect the growth of these Institutions. 

 The University seems to live off the energy of its founder. There is a crackle of electricity in the air, of young blood and passion being guided into higher achievements. In the campus a Boeing 737 occupies the pride of place, with students swarming like bees around the Jet engines. Such practical and real-world training has caught the attention of the Government of India, which has set up a Center of Relevance and Excellence (TIFAC CORE) in Aircraft Maintenance in the campus. “We believe in holistic education. Youngsters today have all information at their fingertips. What we need is not information, but knowledge,” says Mrs Verghese.

 The watchful eyes of the faculty are always on the students, ensuring all round development. The University encourages cross-cultural interaction and learning as it has regular enrollments from Bhutan, China, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Sudan, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Fiji, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, and many other countries. Watching such interaction and bonding between youngsters coming from such different backgrounds is what makes the Hindustan experience enriching.” Mrs Verghese is optimistic about the future. “Only 12-15 percent of students in the age of 17 to 22 have access to higher education. The need of the hour is not free, quantitative education but qualitative, holistic education. Education should not be seen as a social obligation.” When questioned about the recent downturn, she remains calm and relaxed. “Education cannot be denied, it is the right of every child,” she says. “Growth cannot be sustained if it is at the expense of other members of society. The only way to sustain the growth is to reach out together, hand in hand.

The need of the hour is education that inculcates values and moulds young minds to become responsible citizens. We have over a thousand years of rich heritage and it needs to be transferred to the next generation,” Mrs Verghese adds.   

“One of the African boys was silently watching the local students play basketball. After the game, he walked up to them and said “What you are playing is not basketball. Give me the ball and I will tackle all of you alone!”