Pudhumai Penn scheme appreciation ceremony, Minister Senthil Balaji participates
Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women and Sri Avinashilingam Education Trust Institutions honours the chief guest, Mr. V. Senthil Balaji, Minister of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise, Govt. of Tamil Nadu as part of the Pudhumai Penn scheme appreciation ceremony on April 3rd, 2023. Pudhumai Penn scheme, as part of the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme is for students who have studied in government schools, providing them a financial assistance of Rs.1000/month to enhance the enrolment ratio of girls from government schools to higher education institutions. It may be recalled that 452 girls from the institution avail the scholarship.
The institution was founded in 1957 by late Tirupur Subramania Avinashilingam Chettiar, He was a lawyer, politician, freedom fighter, writer and an ardent Gandhian. He was fondly called as Ayya. He was a visionary and a stalwart who planted the seeds for women’s education and the downtrodden. His unwavering effort and attention were directed towards improving the state, its future generations, particularly by revitalising women’s education and give them access to high-quality instruction in the safest possible environment. Thanks to Ayya, the path laid by him has led many women to reach great heights and to be established as equals in the society.
In June 1988 Avinashilingam Home Science College became the Avinashilingam University for Women. The four fold objectives of the institute are 1) to maintain the noblest traditions of Indian womanhood; 2) to uphold the standards of academic excellence; 3) to ensure that our education should not be nearly bookish but should involve practical application; 4) to ascertain that our educational institutions should not be islands in society but as Gandhi said, should be centres of education for the people in the surrounding area providing a variety of non-formal education courses needed by them. The institution was nurtured to the heights it has achieved today by the world renowned nutritionist Dr. Rajammal P. Devadas, doyen of Home Science.
The ceremony was presided by Dr. T. S. K. Meenakshisundaram Anna avgl, the Managing Trustee, Prof. S.P. Thyagarajan, Chancellor, Dr. V. Bharathi Harishankar, Vice Chancellor and Dr. S. Kowsalya, Registrar, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Dr. Gowri Ramakrishnan, assistant managing trustee and Dr. Vasuki Raja, Dean, School of Home Science.
Dr. V. Bharathi Harishankar, Vice Chancellor, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, set the ceremony in motion by delivering the welcome address.
Dr. T. S. K. Meenakshisundaram Anna avgl, managing trustee, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, gave the presidential address.
Hon. Minister for Electricity, Prohibition & Excise, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Thiru V. Senthil Balaji, was the chief guest. It was a day of great joy and privilege for the staff and students of Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women to have such an eminent leader address the staff and students on the importance of education for women. The institution records the highest intake of students from government schools and the highest number of students availing the scholarship, across Coimbatore. The Pudhumai Penn scheme rightly captures the essence that the institution upholds.
Prof. S.P. Thyagarajan, Chancellor, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, felicitated the guest of honour. Dr. Kowsalya educated the crowd about the nature and goals of the plan. Student beneficiaries thanked the Chief Minister and Thiru V Senthil Balaji in enabling female students whose families cannot afford the cost of higher education to become financially independent.
Thiru V Senthil Balaji, addressed the gathering saying that, a nation’s developed is reflected in the growth and development of its women population. He congratulated the university management for carrying on the legacy of Ayya and highlighted that similar visions were embodied by M. Karunanidhi, known as Kalaignar former chief minister of Tamil Nadu and head of DMK, whose footsteps are now followed by Chief Minister and Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin. He also informed the students of the different programmes and the funding the government has provided for the advancement of women.
He enthusiastically interacted with the audience asking the students about the budgetary allocations
Dr. Vasuki Raja, Dean, School of Home Science, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, delivered the vote of thanks.
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