As part of its continuous philanthropic drive, the State Bank of India on 17 September donated an air-conditioned bus to Girijananda Chowdhury University, Assam. The 40-seater Tata Ultra bus is a gift aimed to benefit GCU students belonging to the underprivileged sections of society, under SBI’s corporate social responsibility scheme for providing transportation to poor and marginalized students.
A key handing over ceremony to commemorate this magnanimous gesture was organized on 17 September, in which several dignitaries from both institutions were present. Prominent among the guests from SBI were Shri Rama Mohan Rao Amara, Deputy Managing Director & Chief Risk Officer, SBI, Corporate Centre, Mumbai; Shri Sahadevan Radhakrishnan, Chief General Manager, Guwahati Circle and Mr. Dhruba Charan Bal, GM (Network Tour), SBI. On behalf of the university, Hon’ble President of Shrimanta Shankar Academy (SSA) Society, Shri Jasoda Ranjan Das, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of GCU, Prof. Kandarpa Das, and Hon’ble Registrar Prof. Dipankar Saha graced the occasion. The handing over of the 40-seater AC bus marks a further development in the long-standing relationship between Girijananda Chowdhury University and SBI.
Although a private institution, Girijananda Chowdhury University itself has a remarkable track record of contributing to society over the years. The university’s commitment to provide affordable and quality education to all is exemplified by various scholarships which provide education to at least 15% of deserving students at concessional rates. Around 40% of the students commute from Guwahati and nearby areas. The inclusion of a 40-seater bus would therefore facilitate excursions and field visits for students, some of whom can barely afford the commutation charges. Among its other philanthropic activities, the university adopted five villages during the pandemic. The Garbhanga village is being cared for by the university.
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