“The foundation of every state, is the education of its youth” (Diogenes).
“The best education in the World, is that which got by struggling to get a living” (Wendell Philips)
“Respect for the opinions of others, is one of the clearest signs of a truly educated person” (O’Brien).
Don Bosco College of Agriculture, Sagayathottam, stands as a model of education of young people of this state, to world quality education in Agriculture, teaching them to have honourable living and to respect the knowledge and experience of each person and to build a loving, respectful and healthy human society in its neighbourhood.
Don Bosco is a Saint of the Catholic Church, taking forward the goal of educating the poor and abandoned youth of the Turin Society, Italy and the same youth of today, all over the world, through the establishment of its institutions in 136 countries around the world, through his novel teaching methods of Reason, Religion and Loving kindness. Reason refers to sound knowledge, Religion refers to fear of God (Goodness personified), and loving kindness refers to the human approach in achieving its goal of making the youth, good Christians and worthy citizens.
The Don Bosco institutions in India are spread over 11 Provinces, having membership of 3000 and more full time dedicated members and thousands of collaborators and lakhs of students. The children and youth of the country receive, primary, High School, Secondary, Technical, Professional education, with holistic formation including training in arts, science, sports, cultural aspects.
Sagayathottam land was a sandy, palm groves, before it was bought for the society in 1948. With no water source and absence of modern cultivation techniques, it was a rain fed area. The European missionaries identified its resources and its worth, and established a farm in 1948.
Initially a non formal agricultural training (School) was started for the poor Christian youth of the Vellore Catholic Diocese. Later on, all poor youth irrespective of caste, creed and religion were admitted. The non formal agricultural school, became a formal 2 year Diploma course, affiliated to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore in the year 1987.
In 1991, a Tamil medium higher secondary school, self financed with coeducation was started. A boarding was maintained, even earlier, to help the poor school going boys of the diocese.
B.Sc (Hons.) in Agriculture, was started in the year 2014, affiliated to TNAU, Coimbatore. At present the College functions with 440 students and having separate hostels for men and women students.
In the course of time, the campus has become a well designed and developed farm, with variety of crops, orchards and fields, to impart apt knowledge in Agriculture, with innovative techniques and commitment to quality education.
Quality staff, established teaching methods, close follow up of student involvement, continuous assessment, holistic formation, support systems of hostels, sports, cultural, transport, library, computer facilities… and the dedicated administration of the full time Christian management Fathers, make the College unique in the whole of the University and of the state and the country.
Don Bosco College of Agriculture, Sagayathottam will grow up into a PG and Research institute in the future.
Thank You
Rev.Dr. Maria Soosai, SDB
Secretary, DBCA