DYNAMIC PERSONALITY – REV. BR. HECTOR PINTO
Hullaagu BettadaDi, manege malligeyaagu
Kallaagu kashtagaLa maLe vidhi suriye
Bella sakkareyaagu deena durbalaringe
EllaroLagondaagu Mankuthimma
(Kannada
poem From the book - Mankuthimmana Kagga* )
Be a (gentle) blade of grass at the foot of the
mountain; and jasmine flower at home
Be (strong) like a rock when Fate pours
(torrential) rains of difficulties on you
Be sweet like sugar and jaggery to the poor and
weak
Be one with all, Mankuthimma.
This
poem ably describes Br. Hector Pinto,
the principal of our college. Born on 21st
April 1965 at Bondel, Br. Hector
completed his primary education at St. Lawrence School, Bondel and secondary
education at M. G. C. High School in
1980. He joined the Brothers’ community
and completed his Pre-University education at St. Joseph’s P. U. College, Bajpe. He completed his NOVITIATE ( Brothers’
training) at Shillong. He completed his
B. A. degree from St. Edmund’s College, Shillong and B. Ed. degree from St. Francis College, Bangalore and obtained his M.
A. degree from Karnataka University.
He
began his career as a teacher at Bajpe. He has imparted knowledge to the students of
St. Vincent’s School, Asansol, West
Bengal, Infant Jesus High School, Challakere and Don Bosco ICSE School,
Chitradurga. He was appointed as the Principal
of St. Joseph’s P. U. College, Bajpe in
1995. He has served the institution in
the same position till date. He is the
youngest principal this institution has seen. Also, he has the longest tenure in his
position in the history of the institution. He has attended seminars on Rights
of the Child at Bangkok, Thailand ; Human
Rights at Geneva, Switzerland ; and Spiritual
Renewal Programme in Ireland. His ICSE
Geography blog www. brhectorsgeoworld. blogspot. com is very popular among ICSE
students.
Br. Hector’s tenure deserves to be
recorded in golden letters in the history of our institution. It is his commitment and dedication as
principal that has made available quality education to hundreds of people even when adhering to the
rules of the education department fulfilling societal expectations. It is
during his period of 1995-2017 that numerous facilities like computers, CCTV,
generator facilities have been made available. Golden jubilee school building, multi-purpose
auditorium, open-air stage, toilets for boys and girls, the mid-day meal
kitchen, new library block, garden, canteen facilities were made available to
the students during his tenure. These
facilities have supplemented his efforts in providing quality education to the
students in the surrounding area, and a
clear indication is the increased number of students clamouring for admission over
the years. Earlier Principals had worked
hard to start the Science stream of
education, but it was a major financial risk.
It was Br. Hector who took the plunge in 1996 : the first year there were just 30
students, but numbers improved every year ; and it
is being run successfully even today. New combinations in the Commerce stream have
been started keeping in mind the new career opportunities in the field. The
idea of Karnataka open school was a boon to the SSLC drop outs. Over a hundred students took advantage of the
open school which was introduced by Br. Hector. He also introduced the concept of co-education
in the high school section providing free education to the girl students of
Kannada medium of St. Joseph’s high
school all the way from classes 8 through 12. Free education and Fee concessions are also made available to deserving and
economically weak students.
Being a charter member of ROTARY
CLUB, Bajpe, Br. Hector is very involved
in social welfare activities. Associations like ROTARACT, INTERACT, YSM,
NCC,PTA, RED CROSS and MOTHERS’
ASSOCIATION have all contributed to the vibrancy of St. Joseph’s. He has, through his efforts, make it possible
for the local organizations to organize various socio-cultural programs
successfully by providing the free use of the college auditorium. Programs like blood donation camps and
students’ camps are given priority. Br. Hector embodies the secular qualities and has
worked for the welfare of all. These
efforts have garnered him recognition and awards from various organizations. It is during his tenure in office that we have
had foreign students visiting our institution.
Sports and games are given due
importance. This unfailing support and
guidance have brought the talents out in many a sports person. He has not only organized training camps but
has actively participated as one of the trainers for foot ball. Teams formed under his guidance have not only
achieved heights but are also noted for their discipline and sportsman spirit. Athletics who have trained under Br. Hector have emerged victorious at various
taluk level events. Volley ball teams
have consistently reached state level competitions. In the year 2002 - 03 the volley ball team
secured second place at the National level competition. One of the shuttlers grabbed the Gold medal in
under-14 national level shuttle tournament. The Girls’ foot ball teams of High School and
P. U. College have, over the past few
years, been the state level champions with them achieving Third place at
national level tournament in 2014-15. The
St. Joseph’s girls’ foot ball team is
adjudged NO. 1 in Karnataka state. Br. Hector is the one who has trained these
athletes and sportsmen. Many of the
players have played in junior and senior foot ball tournaments. The Joseph’s Premier League foot ball tournament is a much awaited sports
event for the sports lovers.
Leading
an institution for such a long duration, so ably, is an achievement in itself. But taking it to heights where St. Joseph’s P. U.
College, Bajpe is called “Br. Hector’s College” - that takes that much more dedication. Br. Hector personifies human values. His ability to understand people, his empathy
towards children, students and parents, his love and affection towards his
friends and colleagues have brought in a “Human Touch” to his management
approach. His ability to listen to suggestions,
his capacity to motivate every single individual to participate in the
day-to-day working of the organization has brought about great success of our
institution. Br. Hector has the ability to bring out the best
from not only his colleagues but also from his students. His ability to bring out the talents inherent
in students without sacrificing their pride and uniqueness is an achievement by
itself. He is a person who respects
quality, a person who supports individuals by giving them artistic freedom, the
freedom to work in the best way they can, so as to get the best possible
results. In today’s world we see selfishness in all
walks of life : Br. Hector stands out like an oasis with his positive
attitude, and people around him are motivated to act similarly. His ability to get things done through the
most suitable people with the minimum of fuss is a quality much admired.
Br. Hector is a nature lover. His cleanliness drives and clean campus
programs have been in force much before the “Swachch Bharath” slogan came into
being. Motivating and educating students
towards cleanliness, minimization in the use of plastic, creating awareness
about the same among students is another topic of interest for this
multi-faceted personality. He was the
guiding authority in the construction of benches around the campus so that
students, in their free time, could sit amidst nature and understand its
various qualities.
Br. Hector is a person who believes erring is
human and that people deserve second chances to set themselves right. He is a person who believes in advising people
about their mistakes and giving them a chance to learn their lessons. Where situations warranted stricter actions,
he was very impartial in his dealings. His empathetic behaviour made him the epitome
of forgiveness and understanding. An
orator par excellence, he has the ability to reach people at the most basic
levels. He has the ability to convince
people of the most complicated of matters in the simplest of the ways. His sense of humour is very evident in his
speeches. His interest in latest
technology and its uses in the field of education is again a quality which
should be the guiding light for most of our educationists. He was in full support of use of the
audio-visual aids in teaching. His quiz
programme for students using this media is ever popular. The life, thoughts, words and actions of Br. Hector have touched hundreds of students,
parents and general public. Hundreds of
his students, colleagues have benefitted by being in contact with him as well
as implementing those suggestions and qualities that he imparted to them. So many of these individuals have moulded
themselves to become assets to the society by now leading a socially, morally
and humanely aware life within the country and abroad.
Enumerating all his achievements
during his tenure as principal of St. Joseph’s P. U. College, Bajpe is an Herculean
task. However, if this little article
helps turn pages of memory of all those who were in contact, who were
positively influenced by this great personality, the objective of this article
is well attained. It is with a heavy
heart that we are now bidding adieu to Br. Hector who is all set to take up his position
at St. Joseph’s College, Nainital. We take this opportunity to express our
heartfelt gratitude to this great personality and hope that relations will
strengthen all the more in spite of the physical distance.
*Mankuthimmana Kagga, written by D. V. Gundappa and published in 1943, is one of
the best known of the major literary works in Kannada. It is widely regarded as a masterpiece of
Kannada literature and is referred to as the Holy Bhagavad Gita in Kannada. The title of the work can be
translated as "Dull Thimma's Rigmarole". Kagga is a
collection of 945 poems, each being four lines in length. Some of these poems are written in classical Kannada. Kagga poems are profound as well as poetic. Though the author calls it 'a foggy fools farrago', it is a book giving
expression to a noble personality's rich experiences.
1 comment:
Really aporeciable would like to meet brother shortly.
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