Ahmedabad: State chief minister Bhupendra Patel is expected to launch Gujarat University’s ‘Gujarat Alumni Connect’ portal and a collection of 139 rare books at the concluding ceremony of the national conference on ‘Coastal Ecology, Security and Sustainability’ on Sep 11 and 12. The event will be inaugurated by Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai.The portal’s proposed launch, however, has raised questions as a similar alumni body had been formed nearly a decade ago, sources said. They said that during former vice-chancellor M N Patel’s tenure in 2015-16, GU had set up an alumni association and prepared its constitution. A syndicate member was reportedly assigned responsibility for the initiative, with a separate office and website planned. Membership fees for students and faculty members were also decided.This association remained largely inactive after organising only two programmes — Navratri celebrations and a marathon. Its present status is also unclear. Against this backdrop, the announcement of a fresh alumni portal launch has triggered debate over whether the earlier initiative is being reintroduced as a new project.
