Our delegation had a free half-day and we felt we should view some of the area's cultural offerings. It was recommended we see some of the finest stone carvings in India. The small town of Mahabalipuram sits on the Bay of Bengal about an hour's drive from Chennai. Various rock outcroppings in the area provided the raw material for the creations of rock temples and carvings. Animals, temples, gods, etc. were created in stone dating from the seventh century and are a major tourist attraction.

The first site we visited was a major rock outcropping where we walked on steep sides of the rock face. The carved detail is meticulous and is enjoyed by people of all ages. A particular point of interest was a huge ball shaped boulder precariously perched on the side of the rock face-a fine example of nature's balancing act.

There are numerous locations to visit and we were amazed at the state of preservation of these centuries old sites. It was definitely worth our while to visit the area.

         A Precarious Perch

Stella Maris CollegeAministration
Building and Computer Center

During our visit to Chennai, Dr. Ponitz visited the campus of Stella Maris College. Stella Maris has worked with CCID in various capacities for the last seven years collaborating on two US government grants. Stella Maris College is affiliated with the University of Madras, but is autonomous in creating its own instructional programs ranging from baccalaureate programs to a limited number of doctorial programs.

The college has an enrollment of about 2,500 students. It is a Catholic institution with a female student body. The college is innovative in the development of computer courses and programs and there is a movement in place to have a computer literacy requirement for all students.

Dr. Ponitz met with Sister Dr. Annamma Philip, Stella Maris principal. Sr. Annamma is an ardent supporter of the community college concept and feels that the community college, adapted for Indian conditions, can play a key role in providing technical education to support India's growing infrastructure needs.