Principal
Dr. Sr. Annamma Philip,
f.m.m., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Eminent educationist Dr. Sr. Annamma Philip f.m.m. has headed Stella Maris College from 1990. As the seventh Principal of the institution, she continues the tradition and vision of the founding mothers.
During her tenure, she has guided the institution through several phases of its growth, development and change and has thereby enhanced the effective functioning of its various departments and offices. Through her dedication and commitment to the mission of empowering young women in our society, she has succeeded in positioning the college as one of the foremost institutions of higher education in India.
Sr. Annamma holds a doctorate in Chemistry and has been a faculty of the college from 1976. As Vice-Principal and Dean of Faculty between 1985-90 she was actively involved in the administration of the college. As Principal she has steered the college through the process of autonomy, the establishment of the credit system and the restructuring of the curriculum to meet the needs of a society in transition. Inspired by the charism and vision of Blessed Mary of the Passion, Foundress of the Institute of the
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, Sr. Annamma has taken many initiatives to introduce socially relevant programmes such as Functional Literacy, Social Awareness, and Environmental Education. Apart from helping sensitise students to social realities and to encourage service to society, these
programmes have also contributed to the uplift of socially disadvantaged women. She has also played a key role in the establishment of the Madras Community College, a novel concept in education in India.
In recognition of her contribution in the field of higher education, the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi has appointed Sr. Annamma as a member of three national committees on autonomous colleges, vocational education and identification of colleges of excellence. In her capacity as member of the Peer Team for Accreditation by NAAC, she contributes significantly to upholding quality standards in higher education. She is also the University of Madras Nominee on the Governing Body of several colleges in the city and is a member of the Senate and Academic Council of the University of Madras.
Sr. Annamma has held positions of honour such as Vice-President of The International Federation of Catholic Universities (FIUC),
France (1994-97), UGC deputee under The International Visitors Programme to study Community Colleges in
USA (1995) and Member of the Syndicate, University of Madras for two consecutive
terms (1992-98), to name a few.
Alive to the changing scenario, Sr.Annamma has convened several symposia and presented papers at national and international fora espousing the cause of higher education.
She has received several awards in recognition of her contribution to the cause of
women's higher education in India. The many awards that she has received testify to her eminence as an educationist and administrator. In 1995, she received the Mahatma Gandhi Award for Service in the Field of Education from the National Integration Committee. In 1994, she was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation By
the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. In 2003 she received the Mother Teresa Award for Higher Education by
National Integration Committee. The Centenarian Trust, Chennai presented her with the Seva Ratna Award for being "an educationist par excellence”.
As a distinguished citizen of Chennai she was the Chairperson, State Minorities Commission, Government of Tamilnadu (2001-2004).
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