Chairperson of Alpha Group of Institutions Grace George dies at 90

Grace George, chairperson of Alpha Group of Institutions, known for her dedication and leadership in education, passed away at 90.

Grace George, chairperson of the Alpha Group of Institutions, died here on Saturday. She was 90. The group runs an engineering college, an arts and science college, and schools with multiple course streams on campuses in Saidapet, East Tambaram, and Porur. She is survived by her daughter and two grandchildren.

She completed her primary education in Hyderabad and graduated in commerce from the Kerala University. She also completed an M.A. in Literature and a B.Ed from the Regional College University of Mysore. A Honorary Doctorate in Education was conferred on her in 1999 by the Corner Stone University, Dallas, Texas, for her role as model academician and educationist.

While she had the help of her late husband N. George in the initial phase of development of the first of the schools, she started the colleges in the suburbs and the schools in Tambaram and Porur on her own in the 1990s, sources said.

According to a principal of one of the institutions, Ms. Grace was known for handling aspects of their development herself in a gritty and dedicated fashion, but working closely with her team. Teachers of the institutions, running to hundreds, had direct access to her, and she knew them all — until she stepped back from handling the full role recently, they added.

“She called us the pillars of Alpha and made it a point to be at all our programmes. She identified me and picked me as a fresher. She invented me for my role in the institutions. Ms. Grace was there by our side to encourage, motivate, and support us,” said a principal of the institutions.

According to the family, the funeral service will be held on April 28 at 2 p.m. at Madras Mar Thoma Syrian Church in Chetpet.