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UPDATE ON ST. STEPHEN’S
Dear Fellow Stephanians and all well-wishers,
Most of you are at a
distance from the College and, hence, may well be unaware of the
good things happening in College. Given the love you have for this
unique and great institution, you will be eager and happy to know
that St. Stephen’s is now making rapid strides toward.
One of the major
challenges in looking after an old educational heritage is its
ageing infrastructure. The present campus was designed and built
during World War II. Going by the standards then, the College must
have been an astoundingly attractive architectural achievement. It
would have stood, towering over the rest in quiet dignity and
unmatched quality. That, alas, is no longer the case, except for the
academic block which, even after 7 decades, retains its charm and
compels awe and admiration. It was on seeing the façade of this
building on the Net that the Qatar Foundation decided to choose St.
Stephen’s College as the venue for its Doha Debate. We were then the
4th educational institution in the world to host this
globally popular BBC programme.
Several other landmark
sites in College, however, stand in urgent and crying need to for
repair and renovation. Among them the following:
1.
The
New Internet Resource Centre.
Work is almost over in this state-of-the art facility which is the
best of its kind in Delhi University. This is situated in the
Extension Block, spread over three rooms all of which have been done
up tastefully. The floor, the walls, the furniture and all fittings
have been carefully and tastefully. This Centre houses 80 terminals
and all related facilities and will be a blessing to the several
generations of students to come.
2.
The
Science Dhaba:
recently inaugurated by Shri. B. G. Varghese. Situated between Rudra
North and the Basket Ball court, this is a much-frequented facility
that stood, till recently, wearing a forlorn and dingy look, quite
unbecoming of St. Stephen’s. It looked jarringly un-Stephanian. You
will be happy to know that this (together with the long stretch of
road that runs in front of it) has now been completely redone (see
the photos elsewhere on this site). I am grateful to Ms. Hriitu
Rana and Sanjeev Seth for helping the College with this.
3.
The
Junior Combination Room (JCR).
This very popular facility, where the resident and non-resident
students meet and relax, has been in a run-down state for long. The
floors were dirty and the walls scruffy. The floors have been tiled
and the walls smoothened and brightened. The veranda is being laid
anew with Kota stones. The work will be over in a couple of days
from now.
4.
The
Ladies’ Combination Room (LCR).
As in the case of JCR, above.
5.
The
College Café.
The work is about to begin.
6.
The
Science Blocks.
Are undergoing the most massive renovation and up-gradation process
ever in the history of the College. Work began 5 weeks ago and it is
expected to be finished by the end of this month. The two Chemistry
labs have modular fittings and provisions. When the work in the two
blocks finishes, the students may well have difficulty in
recognizing the “Science Blocks” they are familiar with! More so,
after the landscaping envisaged is also executed.
The Mater Plan of the
College,
outlining the developmental roadmap of the College for the next
several decades, is on the anvil and making good progress. I am
grateful to Amitabh Kant and Harminder Singh for their extremely
valuable help. Also to the College Architect, Vineet Khanna,
(courtesy Bobby Kewalramni and Sanjeev Bikhchandani). All going
well, we hope to be able to file the Master Plan for approval by the
MCD pretty soon.
All of you are invited
to:
1.
Visit the College and be part of the unfolding excitement.
2.
Offer your material support to this gigantic effort. Those
wishing to do so, may send their donations favouring “The Principal,
St. Stephen’s College, Delhi 110007,” accompanied with a letter
stating the purpose of the donation.
The College enjoys IT
exemption under Section 80 G and you will be issued:
1.
A receipt for the amount donated
2.
Certificate of IT exemption.
3.
You will be acknowledged appropriately.
PRINCIPAL
ST. STEPHEN’S COLLEGE.
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