31/08/2020
St. Joseph’s College of Engineering & Technology, Palai, deeply mourn the sad demise of our founder Project Director, Dr. P. J. George, who moulded and nurtured the College into one of the best Engineering Colleges in Kerala, through his visionary deeds.
Born at Bharananganam on the 1st of July 1931 to D. Joseph and Rosamma Joseph, in the aristocratic family of Perekattu, Dr. George had his school education at St. Mary’s High School, Bharananganam and did his Intermediate course at SH College, Thevara. He took his B. Sc. (Engg) degree from College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET) in 1953 and joined the same College as a provisional Lecturer in September 1953. In January, 1954, he joined Government Polytechnic, Kalamassery, as Lecturer. He went back to CET as Lecturer in 1958. He was promoted as Asst. Professor in 1962 after completing his M.S from USA in 1959 under TCM Scholarship. Before moving back to USA under UNESCO Fellowship in 1967 for his Ph.D, he was promoted as Professor at Government Engineering College, Trichur. He rejoined Government Engineering College, Trichur, in 1970 and was promoted as the principal of the college in 1974. He was transferred to CET as Principal in 1980.
From 1982 to 1986 he worked as Director of Technical Education, Government of Kerala. His master plan for the development of technical education in Kerala, was accepted by the Government and implemented in full. When the entrance examination was introduced by the Govt. of Kerala in 1986, Dr. George was appointed as its first Commissioner. He gave it a good start by developing a fool-proof computerized entrance examination system. In 1988, he was posted as the Programme Director and Executive Secretary of Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), New Delhi. He worked there for nine years which was a period of unprecedented growth for the Society. He started the International Foundation for Education at Kochi in the year 1997 with five other eminent persons. From 2002 Dr. George has been the Project Director of SJCET.
Through his agile and indefatigable leadership, he guided and raised St. Joseph’s College of Engineering to the summit it has scaled, for which generations of SJCETians are indebted to him.
His career has been marked by true professionalism and dedication. The picture perfect, well designed and neat campus of St. Joseph’s College of Engineering and Technology, Palai, owes its existence to Dr. George. As a born teacher, he found pleasure in training fellow young teachers on teaching methodologies and budding students in learning skills, which were unique courses developed by him. His orderly life will remain a model for others to follow.
Knowledge shows the path and wisdom lights it; the wisdom and vision of Dr PJ George that lighted the path of SJCET for decades will continue to inspire and lead us in the years to come.
With folded hands and bowed heads, the whole family of SJCET joins with the thousands of students who have passed out through the portals of this temple of learning to pay our homage of profound gratitude to the glowing memory of this great visionary and leader.
