AVC College

The history of A.V.C. College is part of the history of the Anbanathapuram Vahaira Charities (A.V.C.), Mayiladuthurai. The illustrious Thiru. S. Ramalingam Pillai, whose descendants settled down at the villages Anbanathapuram, Enathimangalam, Pallavarayanpet, Karugudy and Kanganamputhur, set apart the sixth share of his deceased son, Thiru. Velayutham Pillai, for charitable purposes. The property endowed for charitable purposes was managed by the eldest male member of the five families in 1948, at the initiative of some of the elder members of these families, a scheme was framed for the better management of the charities. Under the scheme, the Sub Court of Mayiladuturai appointed M/s. S. Rathinam Pillai, N. Somasundaram Pillai, B. Thirugnanam Pillai and T. Sadayappa Pillai, as the first Trustees. Besides mass feeding of the poor and conducting regular poojas in various temples, the Anbanathapuram Vahaira Charities did yeoman service to society. The Local Fund Hospital building at Manalmedu, the General Ward in the Mahatma Gandhi T. B. Sanitorium at Sengippatty near Thanjavur were constructed by A.V.C. The efficient management of the Trust enabled the accumulation of a surplus of Rs.2.5 lakhs by 1952-53. With the active support and guidance of Thiru T.S. Palaniappan, IAS, then the Collector of Thanjavur District, the trustees could start the A.V.C. College. The Syndicate of the Madras University granted affiliation to the College at its meeting held on 20th May, 1955. The college was inaugurated on 29th June 1955 by His Holiness, the 25th Guru Maha Sannidhanam of Dharmapuram Adheenam and started functioning from 5th July 1955 at the Municipal Elementary School building in Dr. Varadachariar Park, Mayiladuturai. The student strength in the inaugural year was 120, in the first year of intermediate class. A beautiful 54 acre site at Mannampandal belonging to Arulmigu Mayuranatha Swamy Temple was chosen for the permanent location of the College. His Holiness the Guru Maha Sannidhanam of Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, the hereditary trustee of the temple gave the site in exchange of 17 acres of wet land belonging to the A.V.C. The College was shifted to its present location at Mannampandal after it had functioned for two years at the Municipal Park premises. The College started its Post Graduate Programme in 1970 and celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1980. The College started the Evening Section for women students in 1984. With its commendable performance, the College was conferred the 'Autonomous' status in 1987 and the same is extended till date. It celebrated its Golden Jubilee in the year 2005. A.V.C. College that was started with 120 students has been identified as College with Potential for Excellence (CPE) by University Grant Commission in 2011 and has been Accredited as 'A' Grade Institution in the third cycle of reaccreditation by NAAC in 2013. Presently it has grown to offer 17 Under Graduate, 19 Post Graduate and 17 Research programmes with a student strength of about 5600, faculty strength of 263 and non-teaching staff of 105 members. The College is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee in February-March 2016.