Golden Jubilee Celebrations – Giriraj Government College remembers the Smiling Buddha

GIRIRAJ GOVERNMENT DEGREE COLLEGE, NIZAMABAD, INDIA

INDIA’S RIGHT TO TEST NUCLEAR WEAPONS

In the year 1961, my father was transferred from Government Arts College, Rajahmundry to Nizamabad upon his selection as the Principal of Giriraj Government Arts College. At age 13, I joined Giriraj as a student of the Pre-University Course. In 1962, at age 14, I joined the Bachelor of Science 3- year degree course. I started understanding the security threats that were faced by India after the brutal Chinese aggression across our Himalayan frontier. I had also started to lose my faith in the United Nations as India was not able to defend its vital national interests in the UN Security Council. India survived on account of the diplomatic support extended by the Soviet Union. At Giriraj , in 1962, when we celebrated the ‘U.N.O. DAY’, I had the opportunity to speak and publicly express my opinion about India’s relationship with the United Nations. As my father, the Principal of Giriraj, was listening to me, I told the Faculty Staff Members and the assembled student community that India should exercise its rights to develop and test the nuclear weapons. India carried out its first nuclear test at POKHRAN on May 18, 1974.

I WAS SMILING LIKE ‘THE SMILING BUDDHA’

I love Giriraj , which gave me this courage to speak my mind without any inhibition or fear. Later in my life, in the year 1979 while serving in the rank of Major in the Indian Army Medical Corps, I participated in a major military exercise in and around Pokhran area of Rajasthan and I was smiling like “THE SMILING BUDDHA.”

Whole Dude – Whole Jubilee:

Golden Jubilee celebrations were held from 20th January 2008 to 21st January 2008 at Girraj Govt. College,Nizamabad. A large number of distinguished guests attended the ceremony and made it a grand success. On behalf of the Golden Jubilee celebrations, Girraj Govt. College launched a web portal named www.ggnzb.info The College was established on July 12, 1956.

I was a student of Giriraj Government Arts College, Nizamabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana), India from 1961 to 1965. I joined the Pre-University Course (P.U.C.) and did the 3-Year Bachelor of Science Degree Course (B.Sc.) at Giriraj. My father, Shri. R. Suryanarayana Murthy was the Principal of Giriraj during those years. My Professor of Zoology, S. Lakshman Rao served as the Principal from 1960-61 prior to my father’s appointment as Principal in 1961. I am glad to find his name again as the Principal from 1981-83. K.S.R. Sarma was my Professor of Physics (1962-65) and I am glad to find his name as the Principal (1977-78).

My friend Apkari Surya Prakash did his Bachelor of Arts 3-Year Degree Course (1962-65) at Giriraj and later he served as the Principal of Giriraj from 2002 to 2005.