Respected Principal and other dignitaries on the dais and off the dais, as all of us know, the most important event of an educational institution on its calendar of events is the Annual Day. The quality of the Annual Day depends on the calibre of the Chief Guest. That is why, today, I stand here brimming with pride because we have succeeded at getting consent from none other than an iconic leader – Mrs. Sudha Murthy to adorn the chair of the Chief Guest.

Since ours is a ladies’ college, the presence of Mrs. Sudha Murthy is of special significance. She is a woman achiever to be emulated by all our students as she is the first female engineer hired by TELCO. All of us know that this happened only because of the grit and determination of Mrs. Sudha Murthy. Once she came into the professional field, there has been no looking back for Mrs. Murthy. She is the chairperson of Infosys Foundation and we know that it is Infosys that has brought fame to India at the global level. Her philanthropic interests have found an outlet through her membership in Gates Foundation and its Public Health Care initiatives. She is a noble teacher and what is more she is a fine writer who has inspired thousands to serve society and inculcate the right values. A fitting tribute came her way when she was awarded the Padmashri in 2006.

I am sure our students from rural background will feel greatly encouraged by the fact that Mrs. Sudha Murthy hails from Shiggaon of Karnataka where education of girl children, in her time, was not the norm, but an exception. Despite that, Sudha Murthy did her B.E. in Electrical Engineering from BVB College, Hubballi.