Alumni from north Karnataka colleges plan Guruvandana

HUBBALLI: Between Dasara and Deepavali, many alumni associations of school and colleges have begun organising Guruvandana, a felicitation of their teachers and a reunion of their batchmates.
As many alumni members reside across the state, country and globe, they come home during the October holidays. These events haveboosted hospitality, gift-making, transport and other industries in North Karnataka.
Sources in these industries said that about 100 guruvandanas are planned in and around Hubballi-Dharwad between Dasara and Deepavali.
Dr Arun Kumar Chavan, medical superintendent of KIMS Hubballi, said that the alumni of KIMS, which was known as KMC earlier, had planned events in pre-Covid days. “Now, such celebrations have resumed, and the premises have witnessed three such events this year,” he said.
Dr Subhas Babruwad, an alumnus of the KMC 1972 batch, said his batchmates had gathered in a hotel for three days last week. “As many as 160 batchmates arrived from different countries. They stayed here and visited surrounding places. In another sense, such events are boosting the economy of NK as they stay in hotels, use taxis and purchase food like Dharwad peda,” he said.
Bheemarao Peeroji, an alumnus of SG Composite PU College, Mishrikoti, said his batchmates are holding a guruvandana on October 16. “We were 128 students and we expect over 100 for the reunion. We chose this date as it’s holiday season for schools.”
Anand Baddi, proprietor of Anand Photo Lamination and Digital Mementos, said such events were stopped during the pandemic. “We have been getting many orders of mementos since January.,” he said.