Bhubaneswar: Participation of students in the National Service Scheme (NSS) activities can help them develop qualities necessary for their professional life, said Bishnupada Sethi, Principal Secretary, Higher Education department.
He was speaking at the inaugural function of the NSS state-level cultural festival held at the SOA Deemed to be University in Bhubaneswar. Referring to the Mahabharat, he said virtues like charity and compassion were inherent to the Indian culture which the students should cultivate.
Around 200 NSS Programme Officers and volunteers representing 19 universities of Odisha and the Council for Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) attended the event.
Prof Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor, SOA, said adjusting to diverse circumstances could be the key to leading a happy life while highlighting the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
Ramesh Chandra Behera, State NSS Officer and Deputy Secretary in the department of Higher Education stressed the need for young people to take interest in the country’s cultural heterogeneity while Sarita Patel, Regional Director, NSS said students should understand the diversified Indian culture as it was the only means to keep the people united.
Prof Nachieketa K Sharma, Director, University Outreach Programme and NSS Programme Coordinator at SOA spoke about the large number of volunteers involved in NSS activities and how their efforts were geared towards achieving a tobacco-free environment.
Prof Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) and Prof Kamal Lochan Mahanta, Programme Officer, NSS also spoke at the event.
