Eighty Years of Freedom, A Renewed Tryst with Destiny: FMCI Celebrates India’s 80th Independence Day
Mangaluru: The spirit of patriotism, gratitude and reflection filled the campus of Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI) as the institution celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day on August 15. The celebration brought together the management, faculty, staff, students, patients and their bystanders in a shared expression of love for the nation and pride in its remarkable journey.
The programme commenced on a prayerful note, with students of Father Muller College of Allied Health Sciences leading the gathering in prayer through a hymn. Their melodious rendition set a reverent tone for a celebration that was not merely ceremonial but also an occasion to reflect on the responsibilities that accompany freedom.
Mr. Ashwin Bromeo, Professor and Head of the Department of Medical and Surgical Nursing, Father Muller College of Nursing, formally welcomed the gathering and introduced the Chief Guest, Dr. Anil Shetty, Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics, Father Muller Medical College.
Dr. Shetty is a distinguished member of the Father Muller family and has been associated with the institution since 2000. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of the Muller Journal of Medical Sciences and Research since September 2015 and has published more than 40 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. An avid quizzer, he is the co-founder and Vice-President of the Mangalore Quizzing Foundation. He is also a passionate chronicler of Mangaluru’s past and has written extensively on the city’s history for mainstream media.
His association with Father Muller is particularly special. He grew up in the Father Muller quarters, where his father, Dr. A. Vishwanath Shetty, served as the institution’s first paediatrician and established the Department of Paediatrics. Dr. Anil Shetty’s presence as Chief Guest therefore added a deeply personal dimension to the celebration.
The most solemn moment of the programme followed with the hoisting of the National Flag by Dr. Anil Shetty. As the Tricolour unfurled majestically in the morning breeze, the gathering stood in respectful salute, united in pride and gratitude. The National Anthem that followed echoed across the campus, transforming the occasion into a powerful expression of national unity.
The ceremonial grandeur was further enhanced by the disciplined presence of the security personnel, who marched with precision and stood in impeccable formation. Their bearing, coordination and ceremonial calls added dignity to the flag-hoisting ceremony and evoked the spirit of a national day parade.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Shetty recalled the immortal words of India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, from his historic Independence Day speech—“Tryst with Destiny.”
He posed a thought-provoking question: after 80 years of independence, has India truly travelled the path towards that destiny?
Dr. Shetty observed that the answer was mixed. He highlighted the extraordinary strides India has made over the past eight decades. The country has established a strong global footprint in its economy, industry and foreign policy, created centres of excellence, reached the moon, embraced digital payments on an unprecedented scale and emerged as a global information technology powerhouse.
At the same time, he noted that challenges such as malnutrition, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, corruption and the erosion of human compassion continue to demand introspection.
Dr. Shetty reflected that those who sacrificed their lives for India’s independence would perhaps be saddened to see some of the shortcomings that still confront the nation. Freedom, he reminded the gathering, is not merely the absence of foreign rule; it also carries the responsibility to build a nation founded on dignity, justice, compassion and humanity.
In a particularly poignant observation, Dr. Shetty described Father Muller Charitable Institutions as an “Indian cosmos”—a vibrant community where faculty, students and patients from across the country come together in search of education, opportunity and healing.
He appreciated the progressive approach of the management, which listens, responds and takes bold steps towards the growth and development of the institutions while ensuring that every individual feels valued, heard and cared for.
His words captured the ethos of Father Muller: an institution where education meets service, medicine meets compassion and diversity finds unity in a shared mission of healing and comfort.
Dr. Shetty concluded with a message of renewed hope, urging everyone to use the 80th Independence Day as an opportunity to strive towards becoming better citizens, better members of the Father Muller family and better versions of themselves.
Patriotism found a vibrant expression through music as talented students of Father Muller College of Physiotherapy presented a stirring patriotic song. Their performance filled the gathering with emotion and national pride, reminding everyone that love for the motherland can be expressed through words, action and the unifying language of music.
As a gesture of appreciation, Rev. Fr George Jeevan Sequeira, Administrator, Father Muller Medical College Hospital, felicitated and presented a gift to Dr. Anil Shetty in gratitude for his presence as Chief Guest and for his inspiring Independence Day address.
The programme was compered by Ms. Melissa Saldanha, faculty member of Father Muller College of Speech and Hearing, who guided the proceedings with warmth and poise and proposed the vote of thanks on behalf of the organising committee.
The celebration was graced by Rev. Fr Faustine Lucas Lobo, Director, FMCI; Rev. Fr George Jeevan Sequeira, Administrator, FMMCH; priests of the management; the Dean; Principals; Heads of Departments; faculty; staff; students from various institutions; patients and their bystanders.
The programme was planned and meticulously organised under the guidance of Rev. Dr Michael Santhumayor, Administrator, Father Muller Medical College. Mr Chandrashekhar, Physical Director, FMMC, and Mrs Sushma assisted with the arrangements and ensured the ceremonial requirements and decorum of the flag-hoisting.
The presence and precision of the security personnel further enhanced the dignity of the occasion, demonstrating how every member of the Father Muller family contributed to making the national celebration meaningful.
The Nursing Services Department, led by its Head, Sr Nancy Mathias, distributed sweets to all those gathered. The gesture added to the festive spirit, with adults and children sharing smiles as they joined in the celebration of the nation’s Independence Day.
The 80th Independence Day celebration at FMCI was more than a commemoration of a historic milestone. It was an opportunity to look back with gratitude, look around with awareness and look ahead with hope.
The Tricolour that rose above the Father Muller campus carried with it the dreams of those who fought for India’s freedom, the achievements of eight decades and the aspirations of generations yet to come.
For the Father Muller family, the celebration served as a reminder that true patriotism is lived through service, compassion, integrity and responsibility.
As India completes 80 years of freedom, FMCI renewed its commitment to contribute to a nation that is not merely stronger and more prosperous, but also kinder, healthier, more just and more humane.
Beneath the proud colours of the Tricolour, the spirit of “Tryst with Destiny” lives on—not merely as a memory of India’s past, but as a promise to its future.