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The India of My Dreams

QUICK BITE – India of my dreams, a winning entry essay on ‘My Ideal India’ by Christopher D’Souza, organized by the Life Skills Committee in association with the Literary Committee In light of Gandhi Jayanti

Leo Tolstoy once said, Everyone thinks of changing the world, but nobody thinks about changing himself. He stands true to his word, because if you take a look at today’s people, politics, education and finance, you’ll really be lost in thought about how messed up the world has come to be. Not just the world, if we take a look at our own country we will be really taken aback. If we picture our country as a plant, we will come to the realization that it does need a great deal of healing and nurturing. Its roots are damaged, its leaves are withered and its branches are almost broken into a thousand pieces. India, for long, has been termed as a Developing country, and heaven knows for how long it will continue to be called so. So, what exactly is keeping India back and what can we, as human beings and citizens of the country, do to save our Motherland? Let us take a closer look at some of the changes we can bring about, as a family, to our country.

Education

India is a country with a lot of people and a vast diversity. But a vast diversity also means a vast variety of problems among people. The first one of them, in my opinion, would be to improve the educational infrastructure of every state. In my past elementary school, I can distinctly remember how the computer lab had 13 computers, out of which only 3 worked. My classmates would always have to be selected 3 at a time, just to practice for the Computer Education lectures. It took around 3 weeks for the entire class of 36 to finally finish one chapter practically. Another really bad example of its infrastructure would be the teaching methods used. Most teachers would just ramble on, force feed the students with notes and in the end, make them throw it all up on the tests. That’s not education; that’s bulimia.

There are many other examples of how the school lacked in supplying adequate drinking water facilities, toilet sanitation and much more. Looking back, most of what I can remember is how the infrastructure lacked on so many levels and could do better. Dyllan McGee rightly stated, I believe in change. I believe in the power it has to unite us and ignite us and I agree with him. I do feel that a change in India’s education system can be brought about, but it will only be possible if we each take initiatives by ourselves and deal with it together. The education system of India, for India to take its first leap towards development, should be greatly improved in every state, town and locality. That’s how an ideal education would constitute to an ideal India, according to me.

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Distribution of Kitchenware to Unaided Teaching Staff – Gift in Honour of Rev. Dr. K.A. Maria Arokiaraj, the Silver Jubilarian

Ramon Magasaysay Mr. Kulandai Francis, Founder and President, IVDP, Krishnagiri as token of felicitation and gratitude to Rev. Dr. K.A. Maria Arokiaraj, Additional Principal offered Kitchenware to 133 unaided teaching staff on 24th February 2021. Rev. Dr. K.A. Maria Arokiaraj celebrates 25 years of his priestly ordination this year. Rev. Dr. John Alexander, the Rector and Secretary, Rev. Dr. D. Maria Antony Raj, the Principal and Rev. Fr. S. Henry Daniel Ambrose, Director, Extension Education and Services, were the other dignitaries who graced the occasion along with the Silver Jubilarian. Mr. Kulandai Francis, a humanist and philanthropist appealed to the staff to empathize with the needy. The staff were quiet pleased with this noble gesture besides expressing gratefulness to the donor and the management.

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Love yourself first

I don’t know if it’s called self love
when you smile, peering through your red swollen eyes
in the mirror after a long breakdown
telling yourself you’ve been strong
and it’s okay to let your fragility take over for a while;
For me, this is acceptance.

Accepting that it’s illogical to put up with happiness every time,
that you hit your lows with full speed and you scatter
when you can’t bear pain
and it’s fine to be in pieces
because being whole is just too much for you lately
so you break down.
Accepting that tears are a form of care,
and you should scatter once in a while to trash your thoughts off
because being strong every time with a happy face is so hoax.
And obsessing over mental peace is something you should pledge on,
for yourself.

How can one love their body when it’s so stained
that every scar refreshes the hurt it has, everytime you look at it.
Or that webbing mind which spins a million thoughts at a time
and it’s hard to love oneself when you’ve spent night after night
cutting your flesh because it’s a pound extra to fit into that perfect dress.

Love doesn’t happen in a day, for others or even for yourself.
You plant love within you, for yourself to bloom.
You affirm, manifesting your worth.
You breathe, when temper shortens.
You take hold, when you slip through.
You smile genuine, to never mask on.
You cry often, to trash thoughts.
You unlearn, what doesn’t serve you to grow.
You allow, when someone tries to help you bloom.
You believe, in what you can possess.
You deserve, beyond what your anxiety tells you.
You live, outside the four walls.
You make mistakes because that’s very human of you.
But most importantly,
You glow even in the dark
because you have shine within you.
You need not stop to search for light,
You have it within in abundance.
So stop reaching for the light at the end of the tunnel
because you are the source of what makes you bright.

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The First Semester BSW students in Wayanad for Orientation Visit to SHREYAS & JEEVAN JYOTHI

The First Semester BSW students, accompanied by the Staff Coordinators Zhavierkutty Francis Sir, Vipin Sir and the Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work Lisbel Manikutty Miss, were in Wayanad on Friday, February 19, visiting two social service agencies of repute catering to the marginalised: SHREYAS, the Social Service Society, under the Malankara Catholic Diocese of Sulthan Bathery & JEEVAN JYOTHI, An NGO Working for the Tribal and the marginalized sections of the society since 2011in Kalpetta. Project Officer Shaji KP at SHREYAS, and Executive Director PM Pathrose at JEEVAN JYOTHI took orientation sessions and students had a guided tour to the various segments of both these agencies.
Orientation visits are envisaged in BSW curriculum to familiarise the students with the burning issues faced by the society today, and to develop a critical understanding of the society’s response to these contemporary concerns through the wide range of services of these professional agencies.

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MSW frist Year Student Contruct Check Dams across Kundoor at Uruppumkutty

The First Year MSW students are now from their classroom to the field … in a rural camp at Uruppumkutty, in touch with ground realities of life …. As part of the rural camp, three check dams are being made across Kundoor river under the scorching sun, to retain water upstream, for the water to percolate into the wells getting dry around the area. The families at Uruppumkutty have been battling with water scarcity for years particularly in the months of April and May. These check dams will increase the ground water level in the vicinity. Ayyankunnu Panchayath President Kuriachan Paimkilikunnel inaugurated the camp. Panchayath Member KJ Jose felicitated. Congratulations to MSW HoD Fr. KO Thomas, Teachers and MSW First Year Students.

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Certificate of Application From Health Department

The University is glad to share with you the Appreciation Certificate and Plaque we received from the Dept. of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Assam in recognition of the University’s contribution during Covid19 pandemic. The Certificate reads “The valuable contribution made by your esteemed institution in the fight against Covid19 in the State of Assam will be remembered for posterity. The Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Assam takes utmost pride in honouring your distinguished institution as a mark of gratitude on behalf of the people of Assam”

Distribution of Food Packages
With many families being forced to stay at home to prevent further spread of Covid19, a new challenge was afoot – shortage of food. The University got permission from local authorities to distribute food packages to those who needed the most. Families were identified by the local authorities, food packages were prepared by volunteers from the University and were distributed to 1500 families. Food packages were also distributed to stranded construction workers and tea garden workers. The villages covered are Hatimura, Upper Tapesia, Amgdin, Belguli, Bamunkhat, Khulkhuria, Uralbasti, Sonaru Batali, Laflonggaon, Damrapathar, Hirapara, Ghogua, Hohara and Somata under Sonapur Circle and Keotpara under Azara Circle.

Counselling Services

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the concern for mental health rises sharply due to the unprecedented stress, anxiety and uncertainty among people of all walks of life. As a response to this situation, the University’s Department of Psychology and Counselling stepped up in providing mental health services through tele-counseling in collaboration with DHARA HELPLINE, receiving calls from the COVID19 front liners fraternity. The tele-counselors had also attended training and discussion sessions on tele-psychology and tele-counseling hosted by Global Pandemic Response Forum under eminent psychologists and psychiatrists prior to volunteering for this service. The Department of Psychology and Counseling has a faculty strength of 3 Clinical Psychologists, 3 Counseling Psychologists/ Psychotherapists and a Special Education Trainer (Ph.D) promoting mental wellness.

Online Classes and Examination

At the outset of the outbreak of Covid-19 and the beginning of lockdowns, the University immediately took action and started conducting online classes through various platforms including Zoom, Google Meet, Cisco Webex etc. With the admission season caught up in the middle of this pandemic, entrance tests platforms were designed quickly and entrance test for BTech, MTech, MCA and MSW were conducted successfully. Following the UGC’s Expert Committee’s recommendations and guidelines regarding examinations in the Universities, the University immediately took steps without a pause and successfully conducted online examinations for its final semester students using the University’s Online Examination Portal and mobile app designed for the examinations.

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VITA NOVA

VITA NOVA As a part of Campus Connect , Language department in association Library Club (Bibliotech) and IQAC organized VITA NOVA , literary fest of the year 2020-2021. The fest mainly focused on the constructive changes in ecology that happened in the context of COVID -19 Pandemic . The fest revolved around four events Wall Art, Bottle Art , Seed Paper pen and Happy Pots . The prior registration was done for all the events. On 20/01/2021 the fest began with wall art at 9.00 AM . 9 teams had registered for wall art. The Teams were allotted walls based on the lot.

All the other events began at 11:30. Around 100 students participated in the events. The fest ended with a formal concluding ceremony along with prize distribution at the college auditorium. Fr. Mathew Kapplikkunnel SDB (Director), Fr. Raju Chakkanattu SDB (Principal), Fr. Lijo Kalambadan SDB (Vice Principal), Ms. Chris Aloysius (Dean of Academics) gave way prizes to all the winners. All the winners were awarded with cash prizes and an ever rolling trophy was given to the class with maximum participant percentage. Vita Nova was indeed a great opportunity for the students to nurture and exhibit their artistic talents and skills.

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NSS to construct Sneha Veedu for a Homeless family in Edoor

Having won Kannur University’s best NSS Unit, best NSS Programme Officer and best NSS Volunteer Awards in 2018 and 2020, and having constructed three houses (Sneha Veedu) for three homeless families consecutively in the last three years, NSS volunteers are now on another challenging venture: a Sneha Veedu for a deserving mother.

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ICERME-2021: International Conference on SDG-7

Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) of India, being appointed as the leader of the cluster formed by the International Association of Universities for SDG-7, organized an Online International Conference on Emerging Renewable and Modern Energy (ICERME-2021) on the theme “Access to Affordable, Reliable, and Modern energy services to all” under its Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) of ADBU, in collaboration with Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Sikkim Manipal University, India during 12-13 February 2021.

A total of 18 research papers on sustainable development and clean energy were presented on this global agenda. ICRME-2021 brought together researchers, educators, students and policymakers from various nations including Bhutan, Algeria, Thailand, UK and India, across academia, government, industry and non-governmental organizations to discuss, share and promote current works and recent accomplishments in various aspects of green energy sector.

ICERME-21 also featured a panel discussion titled “Synergies and trade offs between sustainable development goals and targets, with special reference to SDG-7“. The panel discussion of the conference was aimed at bringing some pertinent issues to the attention of the policymakers, budding researchers, innovators, industry professionals and the intelligentsia of the global community. With the active support and participation from various reputed institutions including IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, Royal University of Bhutan, SMIT Sikkim, NIT Silchar, Tezpur University, Assam Engineering College, RedLemon Technologies, etc., the International Conference concluded successfully.

Sustainable energy generates opportunity – it transforms lives, economies and the planet. There are tangible health benefits to having access to electricity, and demonstrable improvement in wellbeing. Energy access, therefore, constitutes a core component of the sustainable development agenda for energy. Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG-7), as set by the United Nations General Assembly, aims to correct the enormous imbalance by ensuring everyone has access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services by the year 2030.

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Don Bosco College and GCCI forge ties to promote industry-institution collaboration

To promote skill development and industry-institute collaboration, Don Bosco College, Panjim and Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 6 February 2021. It highlights eight potential areas identified for the industry-institute engagement. Curriculum design, industrial visits, student internship, skill development programmes, guest lectures, faculty development programmes and strengthening incubation centres through industry to promote innovation, and entrepreneurship among students were the thrust areas in the MoU.

The institution is likely to have access to rich resources of essential business information and various chamber events. The offices of GCCI are conveniently situated in the heart of Goa’s capital, and also in the largest industrial estate at Verna.

The MoU was signed by Mr. Ralph de Sousa, 1st Vice President, GCCI, and Fr. Joaquim Lobo, Director of Don Bosco College Panjim, in the presence of Mr. R.S. Kamat, Director General, GCCI, Ms. Pallavi Arondekar, Deputy Director, GCCI, Ms. Alisha Souza, Assistant Professor, Don Bosco College and Mr. Gilbert Mendes, Assistant Professor, Don Bosco College, Dr Cedric Silviera, Principal at Don Bosco College at the Chamber Office of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Panjim.

The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry is Goa’s premier non-profit business, support service and networking organization. They represent and liaise with SMEs, corporate organizations and government bodies and an association like this is aimed at bridging the existing gap between education and the industry.