NSS Inauguration and Orientation for 2019-20 Batch

Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.

                                                                                                                             -Scott Adams

DSBA witnessed many students from the first year UG Program eagerly wanting to join the NSS Unit this year. Their response was indeed overwhelming. To welcome them into the unit, Prof. Kasthuri Gopal, NSS Program Officer organized an inaugural and orientation programme in association with Akshaya Patra Foundation on 02 August 2019 at the IV Floor Hall, B Block 

A special invitee-Mr. Harshith Muppiri, Project coordinator at AIKYA, the youth volunteering initiative of the Akshaya Patra Foundation graced the event. Dr. Veena K N, Dean; Prof. Nikitha Sreekanthaswamy, HOD; Prof Kasthuri Gopal, NSS program Officer and NSS volunteers were present on the occasion.

Mr Harshith Muppiri has a BE Degree from B M S College of Engineering and has been the Project Coordinator at the Akshay Patra Foundation since 2018.                 

Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non-profit organization established in the year 2000, to provide a healthy meal to students through school lunch programme (mid-day meal) across India. It feeds more than 17,62,133 school children every day, mostly using eco-friendly fuel; solar energy and biogas produced using organic waste generated in their kitchens.

Before the programme commenced, the NSS Volunteers along with the guest took a pledge to conserve the ecosystem- use eco-friendly products, reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources and pollution; and in addition, make DSBA campus eco-friendly and plastic free zone by the end of 2019.

 Mr. Harshith briefed and enlightened the students about how Akshaya Patra Foundation came into being. Stating the fact and figures, he mentioned the way it is educating and helping students through the mid-day meal programme.

 Further, he spoke how their organization is partnering with AIKYA foundation to improve the lives of underprivileged through various schemes beyond mid-day meals including,

  • Swachh Vidyarthi programme which educates and promotes hygiene.
  • School and Student transformation programme which empowers students by supporting through student mentorship, career guidance and also providing infrastructure facilities and gardening activities.
  • Sustainability and social responsibility programme where people are trained to be socially responsible leaders and campaign for tree plantation, zero plate waste and paper recycling.
  • Social leadership programme: an initiative in which personality development workshops, leadership experience and summits are conducted to develop leaders to bring out the social change makers in the volunteers.
  • Social innovation programme: wherein, the volunteers are encouraged to think of innovative projects and solutions in the field of hunger, poverty and education.

 This was followed by a video about AIKYA and Akshaya Patra Foundation, how they are helping the underprivileged and the experiences shared by the student volunteers working with them.

Watching the inspiring video and listening to the motivating talk, the NSS volunteers of DSBA were waiting eagerly to join the foundation, take up the activities assigned to them and do their best to serve the society.