Continuing its centenary celebrations, Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) commemorated Founder’s Day last week, celebrating the founder’s birth anniversary. The evening featured a play by alumnus Atul Satya Koushik at Shridhar Sriram Auditorium, followed by commemorative honours marking the milestone year.
Commemorative Stamp and Medallion
The college received a commemorative postal stamp issued by India Post to mark its centenary, along with a centenary medallion. Ajay S Shriram, chairman of SRCC’s governing body, reflected on the institution’s origins and founding vision. He said, “Over a hundred years ago, on Basant Panchami in 1920, what began humbly in Daryaganj with 12 students and four teachers was driven by a simple yet powerful belief that education must serve society and that knowledge must be accompanied by character. That belief remains the enduring force behind SRCC even today.”
Play Prem Ramayan by Alumnus
Theatre director Atul Satya Koushik, batch of 2006, brought his play Prem Ramayan to the stage with emotionally charged performances and layered messaging. Narrating the play himself, he said, “This is a different kind of play, an attempt to present the hidden, small love stories in the Ramayan with a new perspective. I have read them sitting in the Xerox lawns here. All these stories and poems have been with me for the last 20 years, whatever little name I have earned today goes to this college.”
Talking about SRCC’s impact on his journey, he expressed, “I am emotional today because exactly 20 years ago, in 2006, I passed out from this college. I did theatre for three years. I was part of the dramatics club for all three years. I must say, wherever I introduced myself, the first thing I said was that I am a graduate from SRCC, and heads did turn.”
Founding Vision and Guiding Values
Ajay S Shriram drew from the life of founder Shri Ram to underline the continued relevance of values such as learning, leadership, relationships, and character. “SRCC itself was founded on the idea that learning must be continuous, relevant and purposeful, as Sir Shri Ram believed learning does not end with degrees,” he said.
Simrit Kaur, principal of SRCC, said in her vote of thanks, “A song comes to mind: ‘Kabhi kabhi mujhe yeh khayal aata hai.’ It goes, ‘Har pal mujhe yeh khayal aata hai ki SRCC ko banaya gaya ho hamare liye. Sau varsh pehle sitaaron mein bas raha tha kahin, SRCC ko banaya gaya hai hamare liye.’”
The play Prem Ramayan portrayed spiritual characters as deeply human, reinterpreting stories from a fresh lens. The event concluded with a sense of pride and nostalgia among alumni, faculty, and students, celebrating a century of academic excellence and cultural enrichment.
