Change is the essence of life. Any system that resists change can neither register growth nor avoid stagnation. The National College founded in 1919 is a glorious example for meaningful correlation between dynamism of society and dynamism of education. If the motto of the College, “That which liberates is education”, implied the role of education in liberating India from Colonial rulers, today liberating the suppressed sections of the society from the evil clutches of communalism, casteism and ignorance has become the focal point.

The motto of this premier institution is ‘Saa Vidyaa Yaa Vimuktaye’ – that which liberates is education. The institution was founded to impart and to promote among the youth the highest and loftiest ideals, which constitute the essence of Indian culture and nationalism.

It is no coincidence that the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi addressed the freedom fighters of Tiruchirapalli in the years back on the campus of National College high school. The first among the many freedom fighters and nationalists produced by this great institution is the former President, illustrious his Excellency R. Venkataraman.

As one of the oldest (affiliated) colleges in India with eighty-five years of standing, the institution has thus envisioned ‘Nation Building’ as mission and this is clearly stated in our college calendar year after year. Incidentally that is precisely why our institution was named ‘The National College’. To have a name as such was no doubt a revolutionary and ‘nationalist’ gesture in the pre-independent days. And this mission is reflected clearly in our curricular options in the choice of various programmes, core, non-core and language options as well, not withstanding the fact that we are in an ‘affiliated set up’. We, in fact, offer History, Philosophy and English Language and Literature as programme options besides the other programmes in Arts, Sciences and Commerce. Again we offer Hindi and Sanskrit as language options, besides of course Tamil, for these various programmes. At the same time, Tamil (the Regional Language) has its pride of place in the curriculum as a programme option at the UG, PG and Research Levels. Similarly we are pioneers in this region in offering Philosophy as a programme with accent on Comparative Religion and with Personality Structurisation and Indian Cultural Tradition as part of the programme.

For an institution to have an NCC sub-unit is a common place rather than an achievement nowadays, now that NCC is considered Co-curricular. But to choose to have three sub-units – Army Wing, Armoured Squadron and Air Wing – is certainly an option reflecting our mission of Nation-building. By way of reinforcing this claim, it must be mentioned that the college chose to have a unit of UOTC, the prototype of NCC, even in the early years of our independence, which few institutions in India can boast of.

After our independence, the institution has set as its goal the liberation of the suppressed sections of the society from the evil clutches of poverty, ignorance and casteism. Consequently in its eighty-five years of glorious history this institution has served the cause of socially and economically deprived sections of society, especially from rural Tamil Nadu.

Even during the times of elitist education, National College created history by throwing its gates open to the economically and socially deprived sections of the society. Principal V. Saranathan sacrificed his energy, time and money for the development of the institution. Hundreds of deserving students, in the past, owed their education to him; he personally funded their education for nearly 25 years.

The following incident bears glorious testimony to the services of Principal V. Saranathan. When a group of tourists, one among them Professor of Chemistry from National College, introduced themselves to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India. Pundit exclaimed to the Chemistry Professor “Oh! Are you from that Saranathan College”.

It is no wonder that an institution guided by the spirit of Principal V.Saranathan continues to serve the cause of the under privileged and suppressed sections of society.