The Osmania Alumni Association of America, an organisation of former students of Osmania University in Hyderabad, received in pledges $250,000 (more than Rs 1 crore) to establish projects and programs to help students of their alma mater.

To launch this education mission, the association and the university recently celebrated the university's Alumni Day at an event in Hyderabad at which several alumni were recognised for their outstanding achievement, according to Harinath Medi, the association's president.

Though the association was formed recently, it has been actively raising funds to establish projects and programs to help students at Osmania University. The response has been overwhelming with over Rs 1 crore being pledged in a few weeks and more on its way, Medi said.

The honourees at the event were Aziz Jamaluddin, president and CEO, Epcorn Industrial System; N Damodar Reddy of SutiSoft; Sena Reddy of Solid State Media Business; and Dr Pagidipati Devaiah of Suncoast Laboratories  (for their entrepreneurial accomplishments).

- Dr Kailas Rao, president and CEO,  Indus Inc, Milwaukee for his success and for initiating and propagating Osmania alumni sentiment.

- Dr Pailla Malla Reddy, chief executive officer and chairman, Group of Pharmaceutical Companies and Dr Lakki Reddy Hanmi Reddy, a cardiologist and a member of the board of trustees at the University of California (for their charitable and philanthropic work).

- Professor J N Reddy of Texas A&M University and Professor M Ramulu of Washington University (for academic excellence).

'The alumni and the mater alike are proud of these honorees, and by honoring them, who are our own, we are honoring ourselves,' Medi said.' All these individuals have excelled and attained unprecedented heights in their fields," he said.

Founded in 1918 by the Nizam of Hyderabad, Osmania is home to nearly 300,000 students pursuing their higher studies on its campus, constituent, affiliate colleges and district centers,' according to Vice Chancellor Professor Mohammed Suleman Siddiqi. The university's faculty and staff number nearly 5,000.