Valedictory service held in UTC

The Valedictory service and handing over of diplomas to the graduating students was held in UTC yesterday at 5:00 P.M. on the UTC college lawn. The valedictory address was delivered by Rev. Dr. Monica Melanchthon, professor and head of the department of Old Testament, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai. The awarding of the college diplomas and certificates was done by the president of the UTC society, the Rt. Rev. Dr. P. Surya Prakash. The principal of the UTC, Rev. Dr. John Samuel Raj introduced the graduating students and the registrar Rev. C. Lalmuankima co-ordinated the handling of the certificates. The Doctoral Dean and dean of Diploma in Women's Studies Rev. Dr. Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar, the Masters Dean Rev. Dr. K. Jesu Rathnam, the Graduate Dean Dr. Joseph George, the YMCA director Mr. George Varghese, and the co-ordinator of the UTC Counselling and Training Centre, Dr. Nalini Arles were present for the presentation of certificates.

The graduation in the UTC is done in the form of a valedictory service and the guest speaker will deliver the valedictory address just before the students are introduced and granted their certificates. The students who have completed their college requirements are given the college certificates. This includes DTh, MTh, BD, YMCA, Diploma in Counselling and Diploma in Women's studies students.

The grand service starts with a procession with the president of the UTC council, the principal of the college, council members and faculty members leading the students to their seats. At the end of the service, the students proceed to form a circle in the lawn and are then greeted and congratulated by the faculty, guests and all those who have gathered. Guests of the college and family and friends of the students come to be part of the service. The gowns used for the service are indigenously modelled gowns which were first used in 2004.

The list of graduating students for the year 2011-2012 are
Doctoral certificate 
1. Atula Ao
2. Shiju Mathew
3. T.B. Premjith Kumar

Post- Graduate Certificate
1. K. Sagar Sundarraju
2. S. John
3. Toshilemba Imchen
4. Y. Khoben Tungoe
5. Mercy Bennett
6. Sam Lal
7. Sindhu Joseph
8. Suraj Singh
9. Sushana Pramanik
10. A. Pravin Kumar
11. Arpan Vinubhai Christian
12. K. Nifato Chishi
13. Malaviya Sanjay Vinodkumar
14. Zulunungsang
15. Andrews E. Moses
16. Imochujang
17. Michael Rualzakhuma
18. Moarenla
19. Livingstone Arputharaj
20. Paul Yesudasan
21. Rajendra M.
22. V.S. Rinshim
23. Holika Sumi
24. K.V. Lazarus Epaphras
25. Jacob Joseph
26. Lunkim Zangtinlen Khongsai
27. Rokhum Lalremruati Rk Lalhmuaka
28. Tinneichong Haokip

Diploma in Theology
1. Chukka Das
2. Madhu Geddam
3. Gift E.
4. Prabha Gracy
5. A. Hmingthanzuala
6. Sijo John
7. J. Iniyan Joshva
8. Joby Joy
9. S. Susheel Kumar
10. Lordwin Lowrence
11. R. Moses
12. Hminga Pachuau
13. Zohmangaihi Pachuau
14. Richardson R.L.
15. S. Ngatar Ruivanao
16. Prem Samuel
17. Prasanth Selvamony
18. Shibu P.L.
19. Rejeev Titus
20. Asish Idiculla Varghese
21. Prathap Vasamalla
22. Prakasa G.
23. RNG William Anal
24. T. Vanlaldinpuia

YMCA
1. Godwin Fernandes
2. Jose Stanly
3. Robert Ranje
4. Samson Mathew

Diploma for Profeciency in Counselling
1. Asha Manikkam
2. Bhagora Parulben Eliyahbhai
3. Joyita Choudhuri
4. Jessie V. Hebbal
5. Sudha Rani Gadi
6. Sony Oommen Thomas

Diploma in Women's Studies
1. Sheeja Rani P.S.
2. A. Praveena Kumari
3. Ruth Evangeline G.
4. Jensirani N.
5. S. Angela Veronica

Valedictory dinner in UTC

The Valedictory dinner was held yesterday at 6:30 P.M. The programme included farewell speeches to the outgoing students, thank you speeches by the outgoing students, handing over of various prizes and various cultural activities. The president of the UTC council Rt. Rev. Dr. Surya Prakash and his wife, the principal Rev. Dr. John Samuel Raj and the council secretary Rev. Jeyakumar were seated on the stage. UTC follows a tradition of having the valedictory dinner on a Saturday followed by the valedictory service and giving of diplomas on the Sunday which follows. Families of students, college guests, well wishers, faculty, staff, students and the entire UTC family gathers together for this academic-year ending exercise which ends with dinner.

Rev. Dr. Monica Melanchton will be delivering the graduation address today evening which will be followed by the handing over of the college diplomas to the graduating students of the BD, MTh and DTh programmes. The academic year in UTC officially ends with today's programme.

Public Lecture in honour of Prof. Arvind P. Nirmal

The Carey Society of the United Theological College and the Student Christian Movement of India will be conducting a public lecture on March 17th at 4:30 P.M. in the Tagore Hall of the United Theological College, Bangalore to commemorate and celebrate the 31st anniversary of Prof. Arvind P. Nirmal's Carey Society address of 1981 in the UTC. The public lecture titled "Now we will have the Dalit perspective: Dissecting the Politics of Identity" will be delivered by Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock, Associate Professor of Theology, Ethics and Social Analysis, Bishop's College, Kolkata.

The now famous Carey Society lecture of 1981 by Prof. Nirmal strengthened the cause of looking at theological studies in India from a totally different view point. Dalit theology came into focus as not just a branch but a discipline in itself. UTC has over the years kept up this tradition of lectures as part of the Carey Society and this year the Carey Society co-ordination committee decided to remember the path breaking Carey Society address by Prof. Nirmal  by asking a young and promising theologian in India to speak on the occassion.

 

Engaging with powers: International Women's Day Celebrations in UTC

The Women's Studies department of the United Theological College organized a four day seminar  from March 7-11, 2012 to celebrate the International Women's Day. The theme of the seminar was "Engaging  with Powers: Expressions of Faith Lived Out in Context." The seminar had renowned scholars from various fields giving presentations on topics ranging from body, media, violence, power, justice, liturgy, theology, social change, human trafficking, women's ordination, resistance motifs, nuclear disasters and renewable energy. The host of resource persons included Ms. Shahina K.K., Dr. Ettienne Rassendren, Ms. Ammu Joseph, Mr. Anto Akkara, Mr. Ashok Pannikar and Ms. Cheryl Rebello, Ms. Laxmi Murthy, Ms. Brinda Adige, Dr. Aruna Gnanadasan, Dr. Arati Choksi and a host of other eminent persons.

Rev. Dr. Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar and Dr. Rini Ralte were the co-ordinators of the programme and they were helped by the students of the Women's Studies department along with other students of the college.

College play "Clowns" impresses one and all

The College play “Clowns” was held on the library lawn yesterday evening. The play which started at 7:30 P.M. was planned, organized and executed by the students of the college on a shoe string budget. The play was well attended and appreciated by one and all. The natural location with the effective use of light and sound gave a totally different experience to the UTC community, and guests who had come. The cast and crew included thirty people. 

The initiative to start such a group came from an informal gathering of students who formed an unofficial drama group after an acting workshop in the college. They then started practising small scenes and then took the initiative to conceptualise an entire play by themselves. The director and scriptwriter Deepak Gnana Prakash, who is doing his third year Bachelor of Divinity course, then expanded this group to include more people. The script was ready by early December itself and the character familiarisation process was on by then.

 The team then thought that they should perform for the entire community on a single day and the College day faculty convenor and student co-ordinator were happy to include this in the college day programme.

Female clown Eunice

Male clown Aby

The play “Clowns” revolves around two clowns, one female and one male. The audience sees different incidents through their eyes. Indirectly the clowns draw the audience to reality and push them to take a decision to fight back against the wrongs in society. The first scene involves a baby and her conversation with God, before she is aborted by her parents. The second scene is about a young girl who is going to be given away by her father to the church so that he gets rid of her and benefits in the process. The third scene involves a couple who are in love. The man divorces the woman after two months of marriage because she is barren! The third incident is about a Sri Lankan Tamil girl who is raped by soldiers during the war and only has her brother left. The final scene involves a man who is beaten up because of daring to love a girl belonging to an upper caste. In the final scene an angel appears to the clowns and dares them to fight back.

Director Deepak

 The theological significance of the play is one thing which makes it interesting for a theological college like the UTC. The students worked hard to construct a set and record songs. They practised hard to get into the respective roles and learn the dialogues. The success of the play is also the involvement of campus children and adults as well. All of this was pulled off making use of a low budget. 

College Day food fest

The College Day celebrations kicked off to a delicious start  today morning with several regional fellowship groups cooking up mouth watering delicacies. The cooking which went late into the wee hours of midnight and into the chill of the early morning was held together by the spirit of contributing towards the College Day.

The stalls brought the crowds in as they chose what to eat among the labyrinth of choices on offer. It was an opportunity to eat, listen to music and play fun games and thereby coming together to celebrate the 102^nd College Day of the UTC. Getting to eat a cross section of food from all over India was a first experience for the new comers and guests to the campus.

Faculty members, students and guests all got together in a spirit of celebration. The food on offer started with idli and chicken curry, omlette, vada and chicken biriyani from the Tamil fellowship. The Telugu fellowship offered puri and a variety of tasty side dishes. The Kannada fellowship put on display spicy pork curry, appam, chapathi and chicken fry. The Malayalam fellowship cooked the traditional kappa (tapioca) with beef curry and appam with chicken stew and banana fry to tame the taste palate. The North East was represented by the Nagas and Mizos. The Nagas mesmerised with their pork momo's while the Mizo's cooked their mouth watering potato fry and sweet corn soup. One could not decide what to eat and where to start. The vegetarians had aromatic dishes on offer too.

The food fest was accompanied by music, fun and games for the children too. The children had a drawing competition and children of all ages tried to put their ideas on a single canvas.

Clowns: UTC play to be held on March 3rd

The United Theological College will be staging the play “Clowns” on Saturday March 3, 2012 at 6:30 P.M. on the library lawn of the college. The play engages with contemporary issues in society and how we relate with them. UTC is celebrating the 102^nd year of its theological journey on March 3 in the form of its college day celebration.

The highlight of the college play this year is that it is a students initiative. It has been conceived, directed, planned and executed by students. Students doing their bachelor of divinity studies and Master level studies will be seen acting side by side.

                                          (Behind the stage work in full swing)