Welcome address by Prof. K. A. V. Pandalai, 1974

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Visiting VIPs , Administrators , Institute Events

This photograph was taken on 13 April 1974, when Mr. K. K. Shah (Governor of Tamil Nadu) visited IIT Madras to formally initiate the final phase of the swimming pool construction. The Director’s welcome address was held after the invocation. In his address, Prof. Pandalai welcomed the Governor and talked about the journey of the construction of the swimming pool which began back in 1965.

Prof. Pandalai noted that the swimming pool was being built with the monetary support of the West German Aid Programme. The Programme had funded around 1 lakh Deutsche Marks. He also noted that the final phase alone would require an expenditure of 1.25 lakh rupees. The Institute had reportedly spent 1.09 lakh rupees so far. The Director in his speech also noted that students and faculty had agreed to put in labour in order to complete the swimming pool’s construction. He added that he hoped the swimming pool would be commissioned this year.

Prof. K. A. V. Pandalai served as the third Director of IIT Madras from 1973 to 1977.

Seated at the stage, from left, a student who is yet to be identified, Prof. R. K. Gupta (Dean of Student Affairs), Mr. K. K. Shah (Governor of Tamil Nadu), an unidentified gentleman and Prof. S. Sampath (Deputy Director). The other persons in the photograph are yet to be identified.

Collection:

Gourishankar Collection

Album Name:

Release of Souvenir by Governor, Initiation of Final Phase of Swimming Pool Construction, 1974

Photograph ID:

001/0277/IMG_0376

Album ID:

0277

Date:

13 April 1974

Place:

Open Air Theatre (OAT)

Event:

Initiation of final phase of swimming pool construction and release of souvenir by Governor of Tamil Nadu

Photographer:

C. Gourishankar (1936-2002). A geologist by qualification, Gourishankar started his career as a photographer after working for many years with the Geological Survey of India. In everything that he did, Gourishankar strove to achieve flawlessness and impeccable quality. Thus his photography too was characterised by this drive for perfection. Every photograph that Gourishankar took was meticulously planned and shot and printed with diligence and patience. Gourishankar carried out most of the official photography at IIT Madras in the 1960s.