Alumni Association threatens hunger strike from Oct. 2 if demands are not met 

Mysore/Mysuru: The dilapidated condition of the 188-year-old Maharaja High School in the city came to the fore again yesterday with the alumni of the School threatening to go on a hunger strike if a grant of Rs. 1.40 crore is not released by the State Government. 

“We will sit on a hunger strike from Oct. 2 if the Government does not release Rs. 1.40 crore to restore the dilapidated structure,” said President of Maharaja High School and PU College Old Students Association B.S. Sridhar Raje Urs, addressing reporters at the Library Hall of the High School. 

Maharaja Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar founded the ‘Raja Free School’ for the education of poor children in 1833. The Maharaja High School and the Maharaja Pre-University College is a continuation of the ‘Raja Free School’. 

“The Public Works Department has prepared an estimate to repair the structure and to provide basic facilities to the students. Many times we have met the Government Secretaries but the grants have not been released,” he lamented.

“We have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister and Education Minister. We will wait till Oct. 1,” he said. Successive Governments have neglected the institution. “Despite this, the Gymnasium Hall has been converted as the library with the contribution of the school alumni. Alumnus of the institution Dr. N. Chandrashekar of Aditya Hospital has provided a false ceiling to the library auditorium,” he revealed. 

 This apart, Dr. Chandrashekar has come forward to donate 15 tablets. Also, Rotary Mysore North has already donated 15 tablets to the school. “We have an intention to admit many students and to establish an Education Fund to give scholarships to meritorious students,” Sridhar Raje Urs said. 

 The office of the Alumni Association will be open every Wednesday from 12 noon to 1.30 pm and every Friday evening from 4 pm to 6 pm. Special programmes would be chalked out for the welfare of students and the institution, he added. 

Corporator S.B.M. Manju, who is also a member of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and an old student of the institution said that he would make honest attempts to get grants from MUDA to repair the building. 

Honorary President of the Alumni Association Dr. N. Chandrashekar, Secretary M.R. Suresh, Treasurer Rangaswamy and Rtn. Chandru were present.