The upliftment of a country largely depends on education as only that can help people grow economically, said G. Viswanathan, founder and Chancellor, VIT.

Presiding over the alumni reunion of the 2001 batch of B.E and B.Tech students, which was organised by VIT at its campus here, he said that education remains the lone tool that can bring change in the economic condition of the country. It can make a developing country a developed one. “No nation can progress without education. Through its STARS (Support The Advancement of Rural Students) initiative, VIT provides free education to meritorious students, who are poor, in government schools,” he said.

The Chancellor highlighted the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the growth of the country in terms of remittance. He said that Indians working abroad remit around ₹12 lakh crore to the country annually, providing a major boost to the national economy. “Alumni should financially support special schemes and initiatives that provide free education for poor students. The culture of contributing to education should be encouraged,” he said.

On the occasion, the 2001 batch alumni contributed ₹11 lakh to the STARS programme. Mementos were also presented to the alumni in the presence of Sankar Viswanathan and Sekar Viswanathan, vice-presidents of VIT.