Coffee with friends

This photograph of UVCE mechanical batch was taken in 1976 at the main entrance of the college at the time of graduation. At the time, there were only four engineering colleges in Bangalore namely UVCE, MSRCE, BMSCE and RVCE.

Admissions to these colleges were only through merit allotted by the director of Technical Education. One‘s application was submitted along with PUC marks card indicating the priority of colleges preferred.

After scrutiny of applications, a list would be displayed on the notice board and successful applicants used to get admitted to their respective college or branch. Back then it used to be a five-year-course comprising 10 semesters. The fees per semester used to be Rs 180. Ours was a unique batch comprising 66 students. I remember having a lot of fun and in fact, an everlasting bond had developed among us. We were in close proximity with the famous theatres and hotels and used to combine academics and entertainment successfully throughout our course.

Back then, morning shows were run at a reduced rate of Rs 1.50 and ‘Masala Dosa’ was available for a mere 30 paise. We enjoyed and survived on a pocket money of Rs 30 per month during the entire course.

We used to commute to the college by BTS or on bicycle. Two wheelers were very few and considered as a luxury. We used to share each other‘s happiness and success with‚ SKC (sweet, khara, coffee). In due course, all my batchmates got decent jobs in public sectors, corporate companies, defence organisations, banks and educational institutions.

I retired as general manager, marketing in January 2014 from HMT Machine Tools Limited, Bangalore. We had a reunion of UVCE 1976 mechanical batch last year in Hotel Chalukya thus celebrating 40 years of our graduation.

It was a memorable evening, meeting each other and recalling our golden memories. 

(The author can be contacted on [e-mail])