Mangaluru : Forty-three years after leaving the classrooms of the prestigious St Aloysius High School, members of the Class X batch of 1983 returned to their alma mater with a lasting gift. They launched a self-sustaining scholarship endowment with an initial corpus of ₹65 lakh. It is believed to be the 146-year old institution’s first class-driven scholarship endowment of its kind, both in vision and structure. The endowment seeks to recognise students with outstanding academic promise and encourage the Aloysian values of excellence and service. Unlike conventional scholarships, it has been professionally structured to grow over time and support increasing numbers of students in the years ahead.
The inaugural St Aloysius Class of 1983 Scholarship Awards were held on June 20 during the annual feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga, the patron saint of youth and students. Scholarships were presented to Ashwini Shettigar, M.A. Abdul Azaz Shayan and Sharon D’Costa. The fourth awardee, Snithik Churya, who could not attend the function, received the scholarship later at the Headmaster’s office on July 7.
The occasion also saw the felicitation of former High School Assistant Headmaster Mr Shambu Shetty and former Primary School teachers Miss Lidwin D’Souza and Mrs Celine Rego for their lasting influence on the Class of 1983. Headmaster Fr. Johnson Pinto and Assistant Headmaster Mr Lancy D’Souza were present. The Class of 1983 was represented by Anil Pinto, Dr Rohan Mascarenhas, P. Sudhir and Mahesh Nayak.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Shambu Shetty said, “It is easy to plant a seed. The real challenge is to nurture it and help it grow.” He urged the younger generation to carry the initiative forward and strengthen its legacy. Fr. Johnson Pinto said St Aloysius Gonzaga was a symbol of selfless service and the scholarship reflected his message of serving others.
A Permanent, Self-Sustaining Endowment
The idea for the scholarship was born in 2024, when more than 70 classmates from India and abroad reconnected through social media after over four decades. What began as a nostalgic reunion soon grew into a shared vision. Months of planning with the institution followed. The endowment was formally established in April 2025 under the guidance of the then Rector, the late Fr. Melwyn Pinto.
The endowment combines alumni generosity with professional investment management. Besides contributing financially, classmates also pooled their expertise in finance, administration and management to design the structure of the endowment. The ₹65 lakh corpus has been invested in carefully selected financial market instruments under the guidance of classmates with expertise in finance. Only the annual investment earnings are used for scholarships, while the corpus remains intact and continues to grow through market returns and future contributions. As the endowment grows, it is expected to recognise increasing numbers of students from Class X to II PUC, with the long-term goal of supporting 12 students every year. It is administered jointly by the alumni and the Institutional Development Office (IDO) of St Aloysius Institutions.
Dedication
The endowment is dedicated to the alma mater, its teachers and the memory of departed classmates. It reflects the enduring bonds forged in the classrooms of St Aloysius. Inspired by the Aloysian motto, Lucet et Ardet (“Shine to Enkindle”), the initiative seeks to encourage similar alumni-led scholarship endowments at St Aloysius and other educational institutions.
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