“Come, Celebrate, Collaborate,” was the theme of this year’s annual get-together of the alumni of SIGA celebrated on 15 August, popularly known as the SIGAPPU Day (SIGA Past Pupils Unit)
Father P.T. Joseph, the Principal of SIGA welcomed the alumni and his batch mates who are celebrating their Silver Jubilee of their graduation this year. Mr. Gilbert, a representative of the jubilarians initiated fundraising for the solar panel installation at SIGA Campus. The Principal also gave an insight into the latest developments at SIGA. He told that recently the institute has gone through the NBA accreditation process and is awaiting the results of the NBA Expert Team and informed about the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), a government nodal agency that certifies the quality of the institutions based on the Outcome Based Education System.
Father Patrick Antonyraj, International Coordinator for Technical Education – South Asia, from the Youth Ministry Department, Rome, was the chief guest of the day. He recollected his memories at SIGA and how proud he felt to be associated with the institution. Father Nallayan Pancras, Animator, Salesian Places, Turin, also spoke on the occasion and told that reunions of this sort help all the alumni to stay connected. He asked the alumni to be more organized and come together more frequently and do their bit of giving back to the institution that serves the underprivileged youth who enter the institute to learn the skills and find a way to quality living.
Mr. Henry Deans, the Golden Jubilarian who belonged to the 1969 batch of SIGA was a pleasant surprise to the alumni. He spoke about his association with the institute and further added that their batch was the first batch to graduate from the present SIGA Campus after it had been shifted from Basin Bridge. He advised that the youth of today should update themselves with the latest technologies in order to be equally competent with the present employability scenario.
Father John Christy, Secretary of the SIGA College highlighted the importance of a core committee to be formed with the past pupils as members to take forward the legacy of SIGA to greater heights and invited volunteers to form a committee for the new initiatives. A total of 15 representatives from various batches volunteered and it was decided that there will be a meeting on the 25th August 2019, to discuss about the formation and functioning of this committee, and intensify the institute-industry collaboration in skilling India.