ANTHONY VIEGAS
As we commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahaveer, the teacher who spread Jain ‘dharma’ in our part of the world, we also bid farewell to the long spanning teaching career of Prof. Dilip Arolkar, the longest serving principal of the state and of Dnyanprassarak Mandal’s College & Research Centre, Assagao – just 24 years!
Our association goes back to the late 80s, when we were students of geology, he being my senior.
While the University was still in its embryonic stage, he understood the need to get himself proficient in higher education, and to pave way for generations of Goans and others by knocking on the doors of the powers that reign and getting the Geology Department kickstarted at Goa University. That large-heartedness paid him dividends enabling him to secure a job in Goa’s first Government College in Sanquelim, where he went on to establish and head the Geology Department.
Prior to his appointment as college principal, he also served as a deputy registrar at Goa University, a role that equipped him with the requisite academic and administrative prowess to function seamlessly as principal.
During his nearly silver jubilee tenure, besides developing the barren plateau at Assagao into a well-structured and aesthetic educational complex, he also earned the rare distinction of having four of his teaching staff eventually don the mantle of principalship. He galvanised the management to support him and introduce not only state-of-the-art infrastructure but bread and butter courses too. He also instilled a strong sense of discipline that was not an easy task in a small state with ready access to the powers that be. Yet, he stood rock solid and today the college stands out not only in public perception but also across various national barometers
The University has also harnessed his expertise and he has served on almost all its bodies – from chairing the College Development Council, to serving on the Executive Committee, the Academic Council, and as chairman of the Board of Studies in Geology. His contributions have kept the University in good stead and he has enjoyed the fruits in the form of A+ accreditation to the University.
We have taken many traverses in the field, and I once had the opportunity to spend a night at the Advai NSS camp where he was the NSS programme officer in1994.
And finally at this age, I find myself wishing to emulate his size zero figure. May he enjoy the hard earned fruits of his passion with robust health and a life as serene as the old Mandovi River. Long live our tribe.
(The writer is a professor at School of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Goa University)
