His early education was confined to his small village, where he studied in his mother tongue, Tamil. His pre-university education at Voorhees College, Vellore, initiated him to the world outside. He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Economics from the prestigious Loyola College, Chennai. Following this, he graduated from Madras Law College with a degree in Law.
A student leader in his twenties, entering the Indian parliament was unthinkable, especially in the 1960s. He championed people’s issues in the parliament, and they, in turn, reposed faith in the leader who fulfilled their expectations. They re-elected him by a more significant margin in the next election for another five-year term. He travelled to different parts of the world as a member of parliamentary delegations and appreciated issues from a global perspective. Dr. GV wanted to play a more significant role in provincial politics so that he could make a direct contribution to bettering the lives of the people in the region. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for ten years. During this period, he served as a Minister for two years.
Dr. GV founded Vellore Engineering College in 1984 at Vellore. He envisaged that this institution would offer world-class education to students, creating an indelible impact on society. The engineering college that started with an intake of 180 students in 1984 has evolved into a university with two campuses. Over 25,000 students are enrolled in 53 undergraduates and graduate programmes, and nearly 16,000 reside on campus. It attracts students and professors from different parts of the world. It houses more than 1000 international students on campus. VIT University has been ranked India’s #1 private engineering institution for the past two years. ISO Certification from Holland, International accreditation from the United Kingdom and the USA, and the highest accreditation grade from the Government of India reflect the University’s penchant for excellence.
Dr. GV’s passion for societal development and compassion for the underprivileged has resulted in several schemes for uplifting the women and unemployed youth in the region to help them become self-reliant. Dr. GV offers scholarships to students from disadvantaged sections of the society to enable them to pursue higher studies. Dr. GV has established the Universal Higher Education Trust to create opportunities for higher education for every deserving student in the region. He has adopted several villages to improve the quality of life of the rural people. His vision of transforming Vellore into a greener and cooler town by planting one million saplings has begun to yield fruit. Dr. GV’s farsightedness extends beyond horizons.
