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Launched in the Aula Maxima in May 2017, the Indian Alumni Community in Cork provides a social and professional network for Indian alumni and also for alumni of all nationalities who have an interest in Indian culture and traditions. In addition, the group supports current UCC students from India, giving advice and guidance on life in Cork. The Indian Alumni Community organises the annual Spandan festival on campus – a day of celebration of Indian music, dance, heritage and cuisine. Spandan is open to alumni, students and members of the public.
Lekha Menon Margassery: Doctorate in Microbiology at UCC, 2013 A founder and core member of the UCC Indian Alumni Community, Lekha Menon Margassery is currently working as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Lekha is a member of UCC’s Alumni Board and is the founder of an Indian dance troupe in Cork called Aatma. Her research group is based in the Environmental Research Institute. Since arriving in Cork and joining UCC, Lekha has focussed on work, building friendships and exploring life in Ireland.
Pooja Jayaprakash: Masters in Molecular Cell Biology with Bioinnovation at UCC, Class of 2016 Pooja Jayaprakash is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy, having obtained her master’s degree in Molecular Cell Biology with Bioinnovation from UCC. A founder and core member of the UCC Indian Alumni Community, Pooja is an active participant in various activities organised by the group. Pooja’s experience as a student in UCC had a huge impact on her life, giving her an opportunity to live in different countries and experience different cultures. As part of her PhD project, Pooja will be working in UCC’s School of Microbiology.
Anuya Mane: Doctorate in Food and Nutritional Sciences at UCC, 2020 Anuya Mane is currently working as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences. A founder and core member of the UCC Indian Alumni Community, Anuya is also associated with Indian cultural community groups in Ireland and is a member of UCC’s Alumni Board. Her student and postgraduate experiences have been versatile in terms of work and extra-curricular activities and her doctoral research has provided both local and overseas travel experiences.
Rohan Gowda: Masters in Molecular Cell Biology with Bioinnovation at UCC, Class of 2018 Voluntarily working at MicroSynbiotix as a Research Assistant, Rohan Gowda is a core member of the UCC Indian Alumni Community. He assists in the coordination of UCC Indian Alumni Community activities and also DJs for many events around Cork. As a student at UCC he made long-term friends and as a member of the Indian Alumni Community he assists current students, helping them to have the best possible experience of UCC.
Vimalkumar Velayudhan: Various UCC Research Groups, 2007 – 2017 Vimalkumar Velayudhan is an an independent software developer and trainer in Cork. He worked in various research groups in UCC from 2007 to 2017, providing support with their computational and programming needs. He manages the website of the UCC Indian Alumni Community.
Manasi Nadkarni: Masters in Public Health at UCC, Class of 2020 Currently a student of Public Health, Manasi’s passion is dance. She aspires to promote health through the medium of performing arts. Combining her expertise in writing and dance, she promotes positive mental health on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Manasi manages social media for the Aatma Indian dance troupe. As a member of the Indian Alumni Community, she looks forward to new friendships on the horizon.