Dharmamurthi Rao Bahadur Calavala Cunnan Chettys Hindu College, Chennai

About Dharmamurthi Rao Bahadur Calavala Cunnan Chettys Hindu College, Chennai

The origin of the college is traced back to the LAST WILL and testament of the born-to-serve man, Calavala Cunnan Chetty Garu. He had the divine grace of being the doyen among the Arya Vysya community. The seer was so service minded that his WILL says, “.... the bulk of my properties should be utilised for charities and that my name should be perpetuated not by descendants but by schemes of public benefactions which I am anxious to organise and provide for”. To fructify his vision he established a Hindu Public Charitable Institution ‘Dharmamurthi Rao Bahadur Calavala Cunnan Chetty’s Charities’ and nominated prominent citizens from Arya Vysya community its members.

The great man was of the view that education alone could uplift the downtrodden. He himself had established a Sanskrit College at Triplicane and an Elementary School at Mambalam (T. Nagar). He financially supported a Primary School for girls at Chintadripet, a Girls’ School at Narayana Mudali Street, George Town and another School at Thambu Chetty Street, near Parrys’ Corner. He was also maintaining a Library for the use of the poor students.

Not content with the educational services he was also running Ayurvedic Dispensaries and Free Choultries. He was also a prominent member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (SPCA)

The Members of the Trust Board are as dedicated as the founder himself and have strongly resolved to continue the founder’s academic services. The result is the three famous schools viz. Dharmamurthi Rao Bahadur Calavala Cunnan Chetty’s Higher Secondary School at Perambur, Dharmamurthi Rao Bahaddur Calavala Cunnan Chetty’s Hindu Higher Secondary School at Trivellore and Seetha Kingston Matriculation Higher Secondary School at Kilpauk and a College - Dharmamurthi Rao Bahadur Calavala Cunnan Chetty’s Hindu College at Pattabiram. The last two institutions were started to commemorate the Birth Centenary of our donor. None of the educational institutions under the Trust Board collects capitation fees.

The Trust, in continuation of the founder’s social services, makes regular monthly contributions to many needy institutions and individuals. Abhaya Nilayam at Mylapore and the Society for the Protection of Children - the Destitute Home at Washermenpet are among the numerous institutions that enjoy the financial assistance of our Trust. A free choultry is being run at Egmore for those who come to Madras for medical treatment. The Trust also voluntarily donated a substantial sum towards the cost of five class rooms to Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Devasthanam and Charities for their Women’s College at Kothwal Market.

Sri Swami Venkatachalam Chetty was the President and Correspondent of all the educational institutions under the Charities between 1921 and 1951. He thought of upgrading the High School into a College. In 1963 the idea was vigorously pursued by Sri. C. Ethiraj, the then Honorary Correspondent of all the educational institutions under the Charities. He successfully realised this vision in 1969. Thiru. D. Rajarathnam, the then M.L.A. of Poonamallee Constituency, helped the Charities acquire suitable land for the college. The Government of Tamil Nadu permitted the Management to enter upon 21.52 acres of land within the Avadi Township Area on the Madras - Tiruvellore State Highway at Pattabiram. Lecture Halls were built within a month at the cost of Rs. 1.5 lakhs. A master plan was prepared for permanent buildings at an estimated cost of Rs. 25 lakhs.

The background is the rising sun beyond mountains and a vast sheet of blue waters. The foreground has Lord Gajendra raising the trunk and bearing the lotus flowers. There are three lotus flowers floating to specify the inscribed motto :

“CHARACTER, CULTURE, CITIZENSHIP”

The College works from Monday to Friday. The day - order system is followed and the college works for five hours with a short break of fifteen minutes.
All the students have to be in class room atleast fifteen minutes before the commencement of prayer. Coming late to the College and reporting late to the Class is a serious breach of discipline.