THE Forman Christian College celebrated its annual Alumni Reunion Week, acknowledging that colleges are not just a place of education in various subjects but also of learning how to live and develop a personality.

The 10th annual Alumni Reunion that spread over last week featured sports events, pet and horse shows, model airplane display, annual debates and a Gala Dinner on Saturday night, where three alumni were given Distinguished Formanite Awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their fields.

The award recipients were: Federal Minister for Water and Power Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar (businessman-turned-politician), molecular biologist Prof Dr Anwar Nasim, who is secretary general of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, and Chief Minister of (Indian Punjab) Mr Prakash Singh Badal, a leader of the Sikh community. The awards of latter two recipients were received by Dr Kauser Abdulla Malik and Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa, respectively.Dr Manzur Gill, a Formanite, was presented a special award for his dedicated service to the university as well as reviving the Formanite Alumni Association after FCC’s denationalisation. He had served as chief advancement officer of the FCC from 2004 to 2012.

Another special award was presented posthumously to Formanite Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry, a war hero, educationist and human rights activist who passed away last year. His award was received by his son.

At Alumni Reunion, presided over by Formanite Alumni Association President Chaudhry Ahmad Saeed, Formanite and NetSol CEO Salim Ghauri shared his pride on being a Formanite and of cherishing two years he had spent in the college. He said good colleges give students the ability to fight to achieve what they aspire to.

“Colleges are not just a place of education in various subjects but of learning how to live and develop a personality,” he added.

FCC Rector Dr James Tebbe said the college was growing and offering quality education to a body of 3,100 students in the intermediate programme and 3,212 at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He said the FCC was expanding its postgraduate programmes with the inclusion of Executive MBA, MPhil Physics and PhD biological sciences.During the ongoing academic year, Dr Tebbe said the FCC had plans to give Rs130 million in merit scholarships and need-based financial aid. He said a new women’s hostel, with construction funded by USAID, would open in May 2014 to provide on-campus accommodation to 373 women students.

Describing values and vision of the university for both students and faculty, Dr Tebbe said, “Let us work and grow this institution together.”

The Gala Dinner participants also enjoyed Canadian pop duo Josh’s performance on some of their popular hits.

As part of Alumni Reunion, over 150 alumni and their family members visited the Wagah Border and watched the change of guard ceremony. On Friday, Founder’s Day annual debate was held between junior and senior alumni on the motion “Beauty is more important than Brains”. In the evening five student societies put on a cultural show with food, music and folk dancing.

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THE Kinnaird College last week celebrated an evening with former principal Dr Mira Phailbus who has been named first Punjab ombudswoman as part of its centennial celebrations. It followed launch of Mira’s book “Kinnaird Remembered” – documenting Kinnaird’s history.

Acknowledging Mira’s services for the college, KC Principal Dr Rukhsana David said: “Kinnaird reminisces, acknowledges and pays homage to the women whose unwavering dedication shaped what the college stands for today. Mira is one such woman.”

She said Mira was truly synonymous with Kinnaird – for over 35 years she protected the college, nurtured it and took it to great heights and as a result made Kinnaird, Lahore and Pakistan proud.

KC BoG chairman Dr Alexander John Malik said nationalisation of the college was a big challenge for Mira but her untiring efforts paved the way for its autonomy.

Victoria Patrick presented her Urdu poem followed by a documentary stating past, present and future prospects of Kinnaird College titled “Kinnaird 1913 to 2013”.

Famous writer and a KCite Bapsi Sidhwa acknowledged the memorable services of Mira and shared some events with the audience.

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THE LACAS last week organised its Annual Parents Day function at Alhamra Hall based on a theme “Our Story Our Voice”, participated in by some 300 children. The show called for understanding the voice that children were raising. It suggested that children’s voices should not be labelled as products of western influences but it must be understood as to how the generation before them had failed to inculcate patriotism and loyalty towards their homeland – Pakistan.

At the show, students and their parents were shown a slideshow explaining how Pakistan was created and how the events which followed shaped the country. At the function Pakistan’s history was narrated beginning from struggle for independence to Liaquat Ali Khan’s assassination, imposition of martial laws and the division of East Pakistan to the currently confused identity crises of the younger generation and their affiliation with their homeland. All of this was shown through narration, dancing, tableau, prop performance and poetry recitation.

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Several colleges for girls in the city last week celebrated their annual sports day. An unpleasant situation was created when some private TV channels marred students’ privacy by filming young girls’ aerobics, dances and cheer-leader performances, flashing them repeatedly.

Teachers as well as students and their parents seriously objected to the trend of flashing young girls’ performances which they were doing inside the four walls of their colleges.

As a breath of fresh air, one private TV channel’s Director News has issued an internal memo that the channel will no more highlight girls’ aerobics and performances.

It is hoped that other private channels will show responsibility. — mansoormalik173@hotmail.com