Singh said that while Bengaluru had come up as a rival to Silicon Valley, there was a need to develop more such places in locations which were “dispersed and affordable”.
There was considerable disparity among various regions and states with regard to development of skilled manpower, he said adding along with the expansion of higher education in less developed areas, it should also reach out all sections of the population, both in the more developed and backward areas.
This was what ‘inclusion' meant in the policy of the UPA Government.
Cardinal George Mar Alenchery, Major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar church, who presided, described Fr Chavara as a pioneer in the field of education and said his mission for the humanity, particularly the poor would be remembered always.
It was high time the basic values of justice, peace and harmony were inculcated in the young minds through education, he said. adding there was need to instil the research culture also amongst them.
Former Union Minister, K V Thomas, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and an alumni of the college, was among those who spoke.