Clubwise - December 28, 2002

Every week, we bring you the latest on the UAE's clubs, associations and groups. We choose one each time and profile it, highlighting its purpose and activities. We also bring you bits of news from other such groups. So that you know what is happening when, where and why.

This week: TKMCE Alumni UAE

Alumni Associations are a norm here, but where most such organisations concentrate on social gatherings, a few stand out for their commitment to the welfare of society in general, and their Alma Mater in particular. TKMCE Alumni Association belongs to the later kind. "The association was formed in 1987 to promote social and cultural activities among the members and their families in the UAE and to strengthen the ties between members and the parent institute," says M. K. Rajan, past president of TKMCE Alumni. In 15 years, from just 22 members from all over UAE, the association has grown to its present strength of 630.

TKM College of Engineering was established by T.K. Musaliar, a noted philanthropist, in the picturesque town of Kollam in the southern Indian state of Kerala in 1956. Today, the college offers graduate and post-graduate courses in various engineering streams to more than 2,000 students. The UAE chapter is an auxiliary unit of the Alumni association at Kollam. Besides organising social events, the association aims to assist members in their career development through a career guidance committee, and to promote Indo-Arab relationship.

The general body, consisting of all registered members, nominates an executive committee and elects office bearers every year through a democratic process.

Since 1994, the association has instituted many awards and scholarships for the B. Tech. degree students at TKMCE, Kollam. These include medals for general and specific proficiency at various levels of engineering courses and merit-cum-means based scholarships. The awards are decided through the guidelines formulated by the association and the recommendations of the principal and a representative of the governing body of the college. The list also includes proficiency awards for children of members for their performance in Grade X and XII board examinations.

"There is no membership fee but members pay for each event. We present a variety of programmes whereby our members and their families get to know each other through participation in cultural, educational, athletic and humanitarian events," informed D. Chandran, president, TKMCE Alumni UAE.

The organisation, in association with Sharjah Toastmaster's club, conducted a Speech-Craft session for their members and a Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) for the member's children. That culminated into a new chapter of Toastmaster's International in Sharjah and a Gavel Club for the YLP participants. Not content with these usual and unusual activities, TKMCE Alumni also organise many charity events. The money collected through a recent blood donation campaign was donated to enable a poor woman from Thiruvananthapuram undergo a heart operation.

"We are now looking forward to our annual family get together to be held at Holiday Inn, Bur Dubai," enthused D. Chandran. 500 members are expected to attend the function when mementos will be presented to veteran alumni members who have completed 25 years with association and are present at the function.