Remembering Dr. Mithra G. Augustine, former Principal of Madras Christian College

Dr. Mithra G. Augustine, renowned educationalist and former MCC Principal, leaves behind a legacy of academic excellence and integrity.

Dr. Mithra G. Augustine, Educationalist, Zoologist, former Principal of Madras Christian College and former director of Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield, Bangalore passed away on Tuesday (February 18, 2025) at Tambaram.

Dr. Mithra represents the best of post-independence higher education in India and the role played by colleges in shaping a better citizen. To a large extent, he was the living exponent who practiced what William Miller, one of the greatest Scottish educationalists of the 19th century mentioned about higher education” College is educating, not training! It seeks to prepare the students for life, rather than a livelihood. He is helped to think clearly and independently, have a moral compass, live fully and courageously”.

Generations of students who studied at MCC as it is popularly known, had the pleasure of his company and guidance in various forms as their professor, warden and their principal from 1981-89.

His contribution is substantial for the reason that UGC introduced the concept of autonomous colleges in 1978, and India’s first autonomous institutions came up during that time. Few colleges in Tamil Nadu which included MCC were the first to take up that. It was a model which was being tested for the first time and academic integrity which was the corner stone of that model needed academic leaders of impeccable integrity.

As the Principal of one of the oldest colleges in India, Dr. Mithra just fitted into that role beautifully. His dedication and enthusiasm and ability of overcoming tides of difficulties made the system work like a well-oiled machine. He never compromised on academic integrity which was visible in the way assessments and examinations were carried out internally and externally.

With his team of department heads, he revamped the syllabus, made it contemporary and equipped to staff to learn more, so that it could be transferred to the students. He also made the departments decentralised, so that developments in their respective fields can be shared with the students without waiting for the central authority to give the green signal.

This enabled the products of the college to be respected for their learning acumen, value their standards and rank them high in career placements. To a large extent, the success of the autonomous colleges like MCC is the reason why UGC decided to expand on this model, make it pan India and decade’s later move on to private universities and deemed universities.