Global leaders come calling at PEC

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, February 15

At ‘Homecoming 2020’, the first annual alumni meet of Punjab Engineering College was attended by over hundred of alumni of various batches starting from 1943. The batches of 1960,1970,1985,1995 and 2005 were felicitated.

Dean Alumni, Corporate and International Relations, Dr Divya Bansal said within five weeks, more than 1000 registrations were received thanks to social media. As a result, alumni from Malaysia, Australia, US, Nepal, Canada and London attended the event.

The PEC celebrated and cherished four of its distinguished alumni by presenting them with an award. Among them was Sandeep Bakhshi, Director and CEO of ICICI Bank for the past 32 years, who graduated from the PEC in 1982, though he could not make it.

Chosen ‘Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year’ in 2002, Sanjeev Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Daksh, was also felicitated. Another distinguished alumni, Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, was also presented an award. He graduated from the PEC in 1982. Yogesh Lohiya, a 1973 graduate, at present CEO/Managing Director, Iffco-Tokio General Insurance Ltd, was also bestowed an award.

Activities like kite flying, musical chair, tug of war and football were organised. Students of Dramatics Club performed a Nukkad Nattak outside the auditorium. The alumni members were shown around the college for their respective branch tour.

Down the memory lane

Speaking with Chandigarh Tribune, one of the distinguished alumni, Sanjay Bhatia shared, “I studied mechanical engineering here. I also met Prof LD Garg, who taught me. He still remembered me!”

Longing to come back to the city, which he says is his favourite in the country, Bhatia said, “I have such fond memories here, like learning canoeing at the Lake Club and even though Chandigarh has changed completely, The Tribune’s building is still the same. I remember meeting its editor Prem Bhatia when I got my first job in the Indian Administrative Services.”

Also on the PEC’s illustrious alumni list, Sanjeev Aggarwal, who is also on the Board of Governors in the PEC, said the gender ratio of the college has changed significantly in the recent times. “When I was a student here, there were only three girls in my class. Now, over 35 per cent women constitute the college’s strength.” A student of electrical engineering, he too fondly remembers Prof LD Garg. “He used to teach us thermo dynamics and would address students by their roll numbers. He remembered mine still—193/77,” he said .