Freedom for Independent Walchand Alumni Assocation

 15 th August 2025 Morning 11 am (India Time) -

After waiting eagerly, for the commencement of  Inauguration of Walchand Innovation Center, at the hands of The Director, Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli, I received a message that due to some emergency, he will not be able to come for the event. 

It was a harsh blow to my expectations. Emergency, no other information. For a moment, I was in panic. But, I understood the reality. Clouds are not yet cleared. I must wait and be patient till the situation improve. There may be some reason not connected with me. I gathered myself and typed Okay. Please send your representative for the function on behalf of you. There was no answer,

All invitees skipped the event except Prof. Ramaesh Charate. The director had sent his representative Dr. Anil Surve, Head of Computer Dept as his representative.

Though I was little bit discouraged, I got relieved when I learnt that Prof. Ramesh Charate (who had been Director of Dnyandeep Infotech in 2000) Walcahnd Alumni Represntative and Shri. Cjhidambar Kotibhaskar, Head of Alumni Sangli Center, Prof. Sharad Bapat and Prof. S. P Kulkarni, Representative of Retired teachers and Other dignitaries participated in the Inauguration event organized by Dr. Yashavant Toro. 

I learnt that the program was well conducted and everybody contributed their views in future activities. I am looking after the photos, video recordings and other feedback, which I shall share later. I thank Dr. Yashavant Toro for handling the situation as a good administrator and conducting the proceedings in well planned way. All participants also gave their views and a new ray of hope for fututure growth and success of the project dear to me.

I am sure, we can strengthen Walchand Alumni by collecting funds for independent specious Alumni Campus with all essential amenities in Sangli on the lines of Alumni Campus at Stanford University which I visited last week.

I shall share photos and videos of my visit to Stanford University as a symbol of my aspired destination to the Glory of Walchand College of Engineering through active contributions from past students who are spread all over the world and are holding prestigious positions and leading industries. 

Latest news about our Walchand Alumni Guesthouse.

We shall be taking help of Student organizations, Walchand Faculty and past students in upgradation, enhancement and Innovation Research. We shall open Walchand Heritage Bank account and collect donations for establishment of full fledged Walchabnd Alumni Center by appealing to past students. Let us hope we can reach that goal in six months.  

Walchand Alumni Guesthouse and Innovation Center -by Dnyandeep Foundation

 

Is a historic path breaking event, Dnyandeep Foundation established Walchand Alumni Guesthouse and Innovation Center in Swanand Bungalow, Shilp Chintamani Society, Vijaynagar, Sangli.

I am thankful to Walcahnd College Administration and Walchand Alumni Association to agree our request to inaugurate the center on 15th August 2025 marking a day of Freedom in Education Sector.

It is once in a life time opportunity to Dnyandeep Foundation to get recognition to build Walchand Alumni as an independent organization for growth and development of its alma matter Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli established in 1947 by Late Shri. Dhondumama Sathye, a great visionary.

Association of Past Students started by Prof. H. U. Kulkarni in 1998 and  I was fortunate to get associated with it as Joint Secretary since then. After my retirement in 2003, I could not actively look after the activities, except event meetings ad elections.

Swanand Bungalw built by Late Prof. Vikaschandra Bahulekar adjoining to our Dnyandeep Bungalow is an attractive and specious with chosen fruit trees, garden and Solar system. Due to financial problems, the bungalow was sold to Kaulgud family from Miraj, who furnished it further with painting and extensions.

When I learnt that they are going to give it for rent, I immediately acquired it, being near to me for our training and internship activities. Unfortunately, response to our training was not good due to summer vacation and I thought it to use it for developing Walchand Innovation Resource Center based on Walchand Seminar in 2018. There was a need of Walchand Alumni Guest house and I decided to combine both.

Now we shall develop a strong and vibrant Alumni Association through https://walchandheritage.com, a web portal launched by Dnyandeep to act as memorial of Walchand History and as a virtual platform for interaction od past students with current student organizations and building bridges for innovation, entrepreneurship and job placements.

I thank all and look forward for the success of event.

'

वालचंद कॉलेजचा माजी विद्यार्थी मेळावा – 8 एप्रिल 2023

वालचंद इंजिनिअरिंग कॉलेज, सांगलीचा माजी विद्यार्थी मेंळावा मोठ्या उत्साहात पार पडला. कोरोनानंतर यंदा प्रथमच भव्य स्वरुपात मेळावा झाला. या मेळाव्याला पंचवीस वर्षांपूर्वी म्हणजे 1998 साली पदवी घेतलेल्या माजी विद्यार्थ्यांना विशेष आमंत्रित करण्यात आले होते. या मेळाव्याला प्रत्यक्ष उपस्थित राहण्याची संधी मला मिळाली हे मी माझे भाग्य समजतो.

दिनांक 8 एप्रिल 2023 रोजी सकाळी 10.30 वाजता टिळक हॉलमध्ये मुख्य कार्यक्रमास सुरुवात झाली. समारंभास प्रमुख फाहुणे म्हणून मुंबई महानगर प्रदेश विकास प्राधिकरणाचे (एमएमआरडीए) नियोजन विभाग संचालक व माजी विद्यार्थी श्री. शंकर देशपांडे उपस्थित होते. याशिवाय जलसंपदा विभागाचे सचिव राजेंद्र मोहिते आणि सार्वजनिक बांधकाम विभागाचे निवृत्त सचिव विनयकुमार देशपांडे विशेष निमंत्रित होते.

महाविद्यालयाच्या  अँडमिनिस्ट्रेटिव्ह कौन्सिलचे सदस्य तथा खासदार संजय पाटील, महाविद्यालयाचे प्रभारी संचालक उदय दबडे, अर्थ समितीचे दीपक शिंदे-म्हैसाळकर, माजो विद्यार्थी संघटना, तसेच विकास समितीचे श्रीनिवास पाटील, कॉर्पोरेट रिलेशन, तसेच विद्यार्थी करिअरचे अधिष्ठाता प्रा. संजय धायगुडे यांची व्यासपीठावर प्रमुख उपस्थिती होतो.

सर्वप्रथम कॉलेजचा गेल्या पंचाहत्तर वर्षांच्या गौरवशाली इतिहासाची चित्रफीत दाखविण्यात आली. नंतर विद्यार्थी करिअरचे अधिष्ठाता प्रा. संजय धायगुडे यांनी उपस्थितांचे स्वागत केले. दीप प्रज्वलन आणि पाहुण्यांचा सत्कार झाल्यानंतर कॉलेजचे प्रभारी संचालक डॉ. उदय दबढे यांनी प्रास्तविक करून कॉलेजच्या प्रगतीची माहिती दिली. यानंतर श्री दीपक शिंदे यांनी आपले विचार व्यक्त केले.

यानंतर प्रमुख पाहुणे श्री. देशपांडे म्हणाठे, “सध्या वातावरणातोल बदलाने अनेक क्षेत्रात बदल दिसत असून भारताचा आधार असलेल्या शेतो क्षेत्रासाठी यायाबतचे प्रगत संशोधन आवश्यक आहे. कृत्रिम बुद्धिमत्तेचा विकासही झपाट्याने होत आहे. या दोन्ही क्षेत्रांतील प्रगत संशोधनासाठी वालचंद महाविद्याल्याने अद्ययावत केंद्र उभारणीसाठी पुढाकार घ्यावा.

१९८३ चे माजो विद्यार्थी श्री. राजेंद्र मोहिते म्हणाले, '*या सांगलीत शिकलो, त्या सांगलीसाठीच्या टेंभू योजनेसाठी कामाची संधी मिळाल्याचा आनंद आहे. 'वालचंद'ने आत्मविश्‍वास दिला. प्रत्यक्ष कामाचाही अनुभव गरजेचा, हे पटवून दिले. जलसंपदा विभागाच्या विविध प्रकल्पांमध्ये 'वालचंद'च्या विद्यार्थ्यांना प्रशिक्षणाची सोय आम्ही उपलब्ध करू देऊ."

बांधकाम विभागाचे निवृत्त सचिव विनयकुमार देशपांडे म्हणाले, ''केंद्रीय मंत्री नितीन गडकरी यांच्या नेतृत्वाखाली महाराष्ट्रात राष्ट्रोय महामार्गाचे जाळे विणण्यात मला सहभाग मिळाला. राज्यात १९ हजार किलोमोटरचे राष्ट्रीय महामार्ग झाले. सावित्री नदीवरील १८० वर्षांचा वाहून गेलेला पूल आम्ही अवघ्या १६५ दिवसांत उभा केला. अत्ते तंत्रज्ञान देण्या-या अभ्यासक्रमांची गरज वाढली असून त्यासाठी माजो विद्यार्थ्यांना सक्रिय सहभागाचे आवाहन केले.

कॉलेजच्या व्यवस्थापन समितीचे सदस्य आणि सांगलीचे खासदार श्री. संजयकाका पाटील म्हणाले की वेअरमन  अजित गुलाबचंद यांच्या दूरदर्शी नेतृत्वाला महाविद्यालयाने आंतरराष्ट्रीय पातळीवर नेण्याचा संकल्प आहे. त्यासाठी माजी संस्थेसाठी आम्ही सारे काम करू. याकामी मी माझ्या राजकारणाचीही चिंता करीत नाही. 'एमटीई'चे संस्थापक धोंडूमामा साठे यांचा शुद्ध शैक्षणिक उद्देश पुढे नेण्यासाठी सर्वतोपरी प्रयत्न करू.

शेवटी माजी विद्यार्थी संघटनेचे अध्यक्ष श्रीनिवास पाटील यांनी सर्वांचे आभार मानले आणि माजी विद्यार्थी संघटनेसाठी ऑफिल व माजी विद्यार्थ्यांसाठी गेस्ट हाऊस उभारण्यासाठी व्यवस्थापनाकडे पाठपुरावा करीत असल्याचे सांगितले.

 या समारंभास 1998चे व इतरही माजी विद्यार्थी बहुसंख्येने हजर होते. याशिवाय माजी प्राचार्य डॉ. पी. जे. कुलकर्णो. माजी प्राध्यापक  डॉ. बी. सुब्बाराव, प्रा. भालबा केळकर, डॉ. आर. एस. पाटील, माजी उपप्राचार्य श्रीराम कानिटकर, डॉ. एस. एम. कुलकर्णी, प्रा. जे. जी. कुलकर्णी, डॉ. शैला सुब्बारामन, माजी महापौर सुरेश पाटील, अशोक सावंत यांची प्रमुख उपस्थिती होती.

या मुख्य समारंभानंतर दुपारी माजी विद्यार्थ्यांनी सर्व विभागाना भेटी दिल्या. मी सिव्हिल डिपार्टमेंटच्या सादरीकरणास हजर राहून सहकारी प्राध्यापक तसेच आजी माजी विद्यार्थ्यांशी संवाद साधला.

मी यावेळी माझ्या मोबाईलवरून घेतलेले फोटो आणि व्हिडीओ ज्ञानदीपच्या वालचंद हेरिटेज डॉट कॉम या वेबसाईटवर प्रसिद्ध करणार आहे. यावेळी विभाग प्रमुखांशी झालेल्या प्राथमिक चर्चेआधारे ज्ञानदीप कॉलेजच्या विविध विभागाशी परस्पर सहकार्य करार करणार असून इंटर्नशिप, प्रशिक्षण आणि माजी विद्यार्थी संघटनेच्या कार्यात सहभागी होणार आहे.

एकूणच हा कार्यक्रम अतिशय नेटकेपणाने आणि चांगल्याप्रकारे साजरा झाला. कार्यक्रमाचे ऩियोजन करणा-या सर्व विद्यार्थी व प्राध्यापकांना धन्यवाद.

Dr. H. K. Abhyankar to lead Walchand Heritage Website

 I am happy to inform you that Dr. ( Prof.) H. K. Abhyankar has accepted my request to act as Editor of http://walchandalumni.com website.

He is coordinating Walchand Alumni Meet for his batchmates ( 1971 Batch) to be held in Jan. 2021

Dr. Hemant Abhyankar was instrumental in building a strong organisation of Past Students Association of Walchand College of Engineering. He is past president of the association ( 2008-2013. ) and has an active Pune chapter still functioning with regular events. He has contacts with many educational institutes and providing guidance in management of private engineering colleges. He is associate with Dnyandeep Foundation since its inception through his colleagues in college and various social groups. 

I personally have great respects for him and expectations from him in networking of Dnyandeep Foundation with different Education Institutes.

He is authorized to take any other members on his panel and make changes in design and updations necessary to make the website more resourceful, dynamic and serve as main platform for all past students and retired teachers of Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli

I give below his profile.

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Profile of Prof. H. K. ABHYANKAR.

Date of birth - May 21, 1949.

E Mail - hkabhyankar12@rediffmail.com

Education - B .E.(Elec) , M.E.(Control Systems), Ph .D . (Management) Executive  Director, VIT, Pune.
❑ Working in Teaching & Research, since 1971. Guiding Masters' & PhD students since 1986
❑Headed Vishwakarma Institute of Technology,Pune, since 1994, first as a Principal & then as the Vice-President, till 2015. 

❑Currently working as an Executive Director, KJEI. 

❑Holding also the honorary position of Dean as well as Professor Emeritus of Management, at TMV, Pune

 ❑ Worked on a number of committees appointed by the Govt at State & National level.
❑ Worked for a long time on Boards of Governors(Management) of many Institutes of repute and Universities in India & abroad.
❑ worked as Member of committee for Norms & Standards for Engg institute at AICTE/ISTE & State level.
❑Worked as Executive Concil member on ISTE & other Professional Societies.

Honours & Awards :

-Best Engineering College Principal Award at national level by ISTE in the year 1999.

- Recipient of "PRA,' Maha Intrapreneur" Award in the year 2009.

-Life time Achievement award by MAEER's MIT, Pune

-Felicitated by Pune Municipal Corporation for contribution to Technical Education in the year 2000.

-Awarded by Lions Clubs International for "Yeoman's Service rendered in the field of education" in the year 1998.

- "Significant Contribution Award" by Rotary Club in the year 2001.

Current Positions held :
❑ Research Guide since 1986

❑ Hon. Dean-Faculty of Management, TMV, Pune

❑ Past-President & Member International Society of Automation (ISA), Pune Section.

❑ Member of Advisory Board of various technical institutions. ❑ Member, MCCIA — Research and Education Panel.

❑ Ex-Member, School of Engineering and Technology, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand.

❑ Member, CII Task Force (WR) on higher education.

❑ President, Taal Chakra  in the year 2001.

Publications :
❑ Published more than 50 papers in research
journals/international conferences/national conferences.
❑ Books published recently —
Abhiyantrikiche Shikshan Ka Aani Kasey Road to Engineering (Facts Explained) Bridge (A Management Card Game) : Learning Guide for beginners.

Countries visited

Bangkok, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, U.S .A., Portugal, France, South Korea, China, Canada, Poland, Austria, Ireland, Germany, Myanmar 

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I hope that under his leadership the Walchand Heritage  website will become central attraction for all past and current students of the college. We can make it financially sustainable by taking advertisements of businesses and professional services of past students. 

This will also provide a good opportunity for students to get admissions for higher studies and job postings. 

Dnyandeep Foundation thanks Dr. Abhyankar for accepting our request.