400 fine arts alumni gather for reunion

VADODARA: Nearly 400 former students including those settled abroad and from metro cities across the country converged at M S University’s famed Faculty of Fine Arts to take part in the reunion organized by the Faculty of Fine Arts Alumni Association (FFAAA) on Saturday night.
The former students cherished their memories of the faculty which had started from a single room and now is home to multiple departments.
“Initially, our US-based alumni Raju Patel floated the idea of holding annual alumni meet in 2016. From 2017 onwards, we started organizing it on a larger scale giving it a formal structure,” said Hetal Parikh, vice president of FFAAA. “There are certain students from the first batch of 1950 who are still alive and they share their experiences. Even after the advancement of technology, there is much to learn from such stalwarts,” he said, adding that former students have always remained a backbone of the faculty.
Retired professor Vijay Bagodi, former dean of the faculty and former head of the graphics department said that the reunion which was re-started after the Covid-19 induced restrictions during the pandemic has received a good response.
“There is no single agenda. There are students who share their old memories and videos as they walk down memory lane. At the same time, the problems faced by the faculty are also discussed,” he said.
A couple of alumni currently settled in Dubai, Canada, United States and United Kingdom apart from those from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vallabh Vidyanagar among other places attended the reunion.
“We try to bridge the gaps wherever the faculty needs our help. Throughout the year, we have been supporting the faculty by organizing workshops, symposiums or doing the needful when it comes to basic amenities,” said Parikh.