remembering........................

Vittal in mid-eighties was a sleepy little town.  A couple of shops, two primary, one secondary school and one Pre-University College.  A couple of service organizations like youth club, Lions club and a chapter of Indian Jaycees.

There were a couple of Jaycees, not exactly two but certainly they could be counted with fingers of one single hand.  But they were sensitive men, thinking men, adventurous (foolish?)

If anybody wanted their child to be educated in English they were welcome.  But 15-20 kms.away, in Puttur or Bantwal and some kids used to be educated there for which they were commuting nearly 30 kms. Everyday.  Those were the days when every other person did not own a car.  The plight of those children would not bring cheer to anyone's mind.

Those young members of Vittal Jaycees thought of starting a school right here to impart education in English.  They had ideas.  But starting and running a school needs not only ideas, but money!  That they did not have.

Thus with all the unsolved problems was born Vittal Jaycees Education Society.  And in the year 1986 Vittal Jaycees School started functioning in a building that now houses a hardware shop – Panchalingeshwara Traders.

We had one staff Ms. Marina Ménages who doubled up or tripled up as Teacher, Aya, and Cleaner, all in one!

Starting Kindergarten classes was easy but to start Primary School needs Government permission to do so.  It was applied for and a couple of Jaycees were behind everyone who mattered, not only in Govt. but also in politics, but permission was not forthcoming.  But these young men were undeterred.

Starting primary school was differed for two years and finally it was a great gamble with lot of risks that Vittal Jaycees Primary School came into being.

Running a school is not fun.  Without any government aid its double so.  Jaycee school had no government recognition either.  Thus, the task had to be managed.

To get recognized by the Dept. of Education required the school to have a minimum number of students, the parents of would be pupils wanted to send their wards to a recognized school to secure their future.  After all that is what education is all about.

On this particular count Vittal Jaycees School was extremely fortunate.  The pupils came.  Ultimately after a delay of four years the primary school started functioning.

By this time school had shifted premises twice.  From the first premises we were forced to shift to a public building at Meginapete, that building now houses the Meginapete Higher Primary School, upon the start of which we had to shift to the then vacated hostel of the Vittal Pre-University College.

Then started the real work – getting recognized by the government of Karnataka.  As we were to realize later this task turned out to be the toughest so far.  If anyone decides to deny, there are number of reasons to give and reasons were given – lack of students, lack of space, lack of this and lack of that.

Ultimately when our first batch of students was on the verge of finishing their higher primary education permission was indeed granted.

That was only part of the task.  The school was growing, the number of students was increasing, and we had to have a spacious campus.  Out earlier efforts of acquiring land where the Govt.College today stands was not progressing as we had hoped.  The portion of land we had applied for from the government still eluded us, only later to be given for construction of a college.  What money there was with VJES was peanuts when it came to buying land.  Ultimately after scouting the surrounding area of Vittal one suitable place was found, this had no approach road!  And the asking price was too much for this group of youngsters.

Time and again there was the benefactor who negotiated, advised and did all the ground work for the construction of an approach road and finally paid for the land from his own pocket! The organization will be doing itself a disservice, if at this stage, the name of the benefactor is not publicly revealed.  It was the man who was behind any and all contemporary social service in Vittal.  Sri Koodur Krishna Bhat.  He not only spared the much-required money but leadership in the form of the services of his eldest son, the founding president of Vittal Jaycees Education Society, Sri L.N. Koodur.

Many have worked for the school to be what it is today.  To ignore them would be the biggest folly.  But without these two personalities the dream would still be there as well as dreamers.  But it would have been only a dream.

The project had its share of misfortunes too.  It is only natural and may not be over yet.

This is the beginning.

                                                                               -  Dr. K.G.Bhat