Mangaluru: St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), hosted Milan 2021, a celebration of cultural diversity on campus, with great fervour on 13 November 2021.
The inhabitants of the college campus were welcomed with a colourful “Pookalam” designed by the student contingent at the entrance of the college. Since the nation is celebrating and commemorating 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements, the Pookalam was based on the theme of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. This gesture was dedicated to the people of India who have been instrumental in bringing India thus far in its evolutionary journey.
The management, faculty, staff and students of SJEC gathered at 9:00 AM for a brief inauguration. The lighting of the lamp was followed by traditional songs and a colourful procession that lead to the Basketball Court of the college where the procession was received by Flash Mob and Thiruvaadhira dance.
This was followed by a variety of events that included Kalavaibhava, Face Painting, Rangoli, Cooking without Fire, Talent Hunt and Photography Competition.
In the evening, Milan 2021 was organized at the Basketball Court of the college in the presence of the dignitaries that included Rev. Fr Wilfred Prakash D’Souza, Director of SJEC, Rev. Fr Alwyn Richard D’Souza, Assistant Directors of SJEC, Dr Rio D’Souza, Principal of SJEC and Rakesh Lobo, HR Manager of SJEC. The colourful dresses celebrating the ethnic diversity of the SJEC campus, the majestic Pookalam, traditional music and dances all added up to the wonderful and energetic performances of the participants. The talent of SJEC students was on display and the event symbolized the rich cultural heritage and traditions.
Srinivasa Gowda, Usain Bolt of Kambala, Sathish Bandale, Tulu Cinema Actor and Bindiya Shetty, National Award Winner for Best NSS Volunteer and Yakshagana Artist, were the special guests at Milan 2021. Sathish Bandale entertained the crowd with his humour and spoke about his experiences in the acting industry. He called upon the students to identify their talent and work towards achieving great heights in the area of their expertise. Bindiya Shetty was an inspiration by herself and stressed being a responsible citizen through getting involved in social activities. She appreciated the college for organizing events like Milan which give ample opportunities for students to showcase their skills.
All these eminent personalities were facilitated during the Cultural Extravaganza. The prizes for the winners of various competitions was also given on the occasion.
The other key highlight of the day was the grand procession in the evening and Pili Dance performed by the students of the college. The special attractions of the evening included Chende, Nasik Band and DJ.
The event was coordinated by Rachana Crasta and Ashwin Shetty along with the rest of the members of the organizing team.
