MUMBAI, July 9 -- A senior minister, grateful to his alma mater for "shaping his political and public career", has urged the trust that runs the college to apply for autonomous university status. The suggestion came from Maharashtra's higher and technical education minister, Chandrakant Patil, at an event to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the People's Education Society (PES), on Tuesday. Patil, an alumnus of Siddharth College run by the PES in Mumbai, said the trust has educated generations through its colleges, hostels and academic programmes over the last eight decades. Founded by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in 1945, the trust is now well-positioned to transition into a university, he remarked. "Becoming an autonomous university will empower the institution to introduce innovative courses tailored to today's needs," said Patil, at the Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan. He added that he would wholeheartedly support the trust, should it decide to take that step. The PES runs more than 40 institutions, including five colleges in Mumbai and nine in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, apart from a network of schools and hostels. Governor CP Radhakrishnan, who presided over the function, praised the PES for enabling lakhs of students from underprivileged backgrounds to pursue higher education. He said that while reservation remains crucial for social upliftment, the youth, especially from scheduled castes, should aim for excellence through merit. At the event, the Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Award was presented to 20 individuals from various fields, including higher and technical education minister, Chandrakant Patil, and social justice minister Sanjay Shirsath, both alumni of PES institutions. Among the others who received the award were actors Bhau Kadam and Kranti Redkar. At the function, Shirsath announced plans to construct 120 modern hostels for students across Maharashtra under the social justice department. He also mentioned the Rs.100 crore allotted for Bhima Koregaon and Rs.10 crore for the historic Chaudar Tal in Mahad. Shirsath, who studied at PES-run Milind College in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, also shared his vision to revamp the college premises....