NSS IIT Kharagpur Newsletter Dec 2012

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Anuraag | The NSS Newsletter30th November, 2012

Selflessness

EDITORIAL TEAM

Umang Thareja Shushman Choudhury

Nishant Kishore Jot Sarup Singh Sahni

Anirban Chandra Aditya Bikram Bhandari

Dr. Goutam Saha

NSS Website: www.iitkgp.ac.in/nss/home.html

NSS Blog: nssiitkgp.blogspot.com

Email: [email protected]

NSS Day Celebrations

EDITORIAL

BUZZ

f ever questioned directly and publicly on the issue, most later in their life which leads to depression and regret; a feeling

students in colleges across the country, as well as IIT almost of worthlessness, until they finally turn their life around

Kharagpur, would advocate a requirement at least, if not an and embrace the ideals they had rejected earlier. And thereafterIobligation, to provide assistance and support where they are so content and happy, irrespective of their name or

possible, to the downtrodden and the underprivileged of fame. When we know this already, and we know the eventual

society. Some would even go so far as to profess going out of outcome that we will probably encounter, then does it not seem

the way to do so, at the cost of some of our own so-called rational to adopt those principles from now, albeit on a small

personal interests. However, when it is time scale, so that we can have a measure of trueto convert words into actions, much of their contentment even as we go through the

apparent zeal and enthusiasm seems lost. most challenging years of our life?

For people who like to imagine themselves

as the future movers and shakers of the Sometimes it's about more than just what

world, such inconsistency in principles is others think about us. Sometimes decisions

not heartening. So why does this happen? which seem to be based apparently only on

sentiments and emotions have a strand of

Well a likely reason is that the motive to logic to them, which is why so many

help somebody who is not a relative or eminent personalities have made similar

friend but simply because they are in need decisions. Most major companies have

of it; that motive is believed to be rooted dedicated a significant amount of money to

purely in emotion and feelings. Simply put, our 'great' logical assisting those in need. It seems conscience does have a role to

and analytical minds cannot find any rationale behind the act of play in the corporate world as well. And don't we students love

giving selflessly, at least not enough to make the act worthwhile keeping tabs on the corporate world and emulating itsin and of itself. That is where we go wrong. When it comes to successful principles? Perhaps that is rationale enough for being

speaking publicly, we believe it is politically correct to appear just a little bit selfless.

altruistic and magnanimous; that it will boost our reputation and

social acceptance, and that in turn increases our confidence and

feeling of self-worth. But it goes beyond that.

Just think if the mere appearance of an altruistic outlook could

be beneficial to our image and demeanour, then what wonders

could actually having those traits do to us! We have seen so

often, both in fiction and in real life, how tremendously

successful, wealthy and brilliant individuals, but who never really

gave thought to helping the underprivileged, have epiphanies


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Featured Unit

FEATURED

VILLAGE: GHOLGHORIASCHOOL HEADMASTER:

PROGRAM OFFICER: Prof. M.K. DAS

Q- Please highlight the benefits your school is getting from

Q- Please explain us the the NSS team and your satisfaction with the work done.

work your group is Ans- School children are getting coaching facilities by IIT

doing. students and they do not need to pay for this, so, it's a great

Ans-The entire group is help for the poor people. Various rally organized by NSS

divided into 5 sub- team helps in spreading awareness about environmental

groups. They interact cleanliness. Various cultural programs are organized like

with the villagers, know dancing and singing competitions, recitation of poems

their problems and which helps in all round development of school children.

make a database and

come out with the Q- What kind of the plans NSS team has discussed with you

so lu t ion o f t hose to implement in the future?

problems. They also try to find whether the children are going Ans- They have discussed with us how they want us to

to the school or not, whether villagers are getting clean conduct future examinations and we are really happy with

drinking water or not. We are planning to make a small garden their new ideas. They have also made plans which batch of

behind the school, arrange sports activity inside the school students will be taught in the coming semester and

campus, organize awareness rally etc. Our main emphasis is on depending on their numbers how many NSS volunteers will

the school so volunteers come to the school not only on be evolved in the

Saturdays rather they come 3-4 a days a week for teaching so teaching activity.

that they can keep a continuous interaction with school They a re a l so

children and maintain their continuous interest in study. In the planning to make a

school they teach reasoning, curricular subjects, drawing etc. garden behind the

Volunteers are even planning to have a small library in the school and they

school. a r e g o i n g t o

organize a camp in

Q- What kind of response has been there from the school the coming days.

management side?

Ans- There has been a very wonderful response from the Q- What are the

school management side. All the teachers are very cooperative problems you or the students have faced during the whole

and I am really thankful to all of them. Without their help it programme?

would have been very difficult for us to carry out our work. Ans- We have faced absolutely no problems from the side of

NSS volunteers. They come every week and perform their

Q- Are you satisfied with the work put in by the volunteers and work in a much disciplined way. They never do any activity

their commitment level? which can create hassle for us and for our students.

Ans- Yes, I am satisfied with my group members. They are very

enthusiastic and dedicated towards their work. Sometimes I

ask their suggestion and their ideas like what they want to do in

the coming days .It's not like I have to force them to do

something rather they themselves come out with many ideas

like the idea of setting a small library inside the school

premises. They themselves take the responsibility of doing the

things; I do not have to compel them.

Q- What is your future plan in this semester and the next one?

Ans- We have already made a calendar for the next semester

like we will have an inter school cultural program, an awareness

rally, one health camp etc. We are planning to make a small

garden behind the school. We are also going to purchase a few

indoor games for the school children.

Q- What is your message to the other groups and the

volunteers?

Ans- NSS is a great opportunity for each one of us to know the

condition of our surrounding and to help poor people. NSS

volunteers have tremendous capability and potential to do

something for the poor villagers and they can really change

their conditions.

VILLAGER:

Q- Please tell us about any benefit you have received from

the NSS.

Ans- Various awareness rallies have been carried out by NSS

volunteers which has

veritably helped in

i n c r e a s i n g t h ea w a r e n e s s o f

villagers about the

e n v i r o n m e n t a l

cleanliness. Various

t r e e p l a n t a t i o n

campaigns have also

been carried out by

NSS volunteers.

Q- What problems do you face here?

Ans - Most problems faced by us are related to unhealthy

and improper sanitation of the village. School children don't

get clean drinking water .In monsoon the roads in the village

get water logged which is a major cause of spreading

diseases among people.


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Featured Unit

BUZZ

FEATURED

Group ReportsSONAMUKHI VILLAGE UNIT BALARAMPUR HIGH SCHOOL UNIT

The group conducted the Prerana Scholarship test with great During NSS day, the group took the initiative to include the students

diligence and the result was reflected in the fact that students from of the school in presenting a song and dance performance.

the village school did very well there. The youth training program Moreover, they arranged for a stall outside the auditorium where

continued with instructions being given on how to use basic the program was happening and beautiful paintings and khadi

software and programs on the computer to the semi-skilled works were displayed there. On the teaching side, they expanded

individuals there. The feedback received from them was quite their ambit to include Computer Applications and basic science as

favourable. The extracurricular activities at the Ambedkar School well. The Prerana scholarship test was successfully taken by them in

paid dividends with there being marked increases in the problem Balarampur high school where they selected 1 student from each

solving capabilities of the students class according to both merit and means in classes 9, 10, 11 and 12.

SALBONI VILLAGE UNIT KASTURBA PRIMARY SCHOOLThe major activities for this unit during the past month were two - This unit carried out an extensive literacy program which coversthe Prerana scholarship test, which, as with all units, was conducted several areas both inside and outside the university campus. Eachcomprehensively by the volunteers in the high school of the village; volunteer is required to teach a minimum of 5 students. Thethe other was an important initiative to repair a broken hand pump, teaching is done twice a week and for at least 2 hours per session.for which the help of people from both villages was enlisted This work done by them is closely monitored by the program

coordinator.PASCHIM PATHRI AND PORAPARA UNIT

The unit continued with their educational activities; including TALBAGICHA HIGH SCHOOL UNITteaching Mathematics and English to the village students, and they Other than the standard activities of this unit, and the celebrationshave now started exposing them to MS Word, Paint and other basic for NSS Annual Day, this unit put together another major initiative, aapplications. blood donation camp. This was done in association with the StateThey had also received two sewing machines during the NSS Day Blood Transfusion Council, West Bengal, and the Sub-divisionalcelebrations, which they installed in Porapara. They plan to train the hospital, Kharagpur.women subsequently in tailoring.

KASHIJORA VILLAGE UNITGHOLGHORIA VILLAGE UNIT The volunteers continued with the survey and awareness programFor a state level art competition organised by the Sarba Sikhsha by having discussions about the various problems faced by theMission Committee all over West Bengal, submissions were made village, as well as spreading information about the dangers posedby students of the Gholghoria Primary School, under the guidance by mosquitoes and dengue fever. At the NSS Day program, theyof the volunteers.The Prerana Scholarship Test was held and it was handed over sewing machines to women from the village, for theobserved that results this year were far better for the school than the purpose of promoting vocational training and work. They had a veryprevious year, thanks to the efforts of the group. The tree plantation inclusive cultural program where the children were involved to aactivities were also continued with winter plants now being sown. great extent in the performances.GANGADHARPUR VILLAGE UNIT GHAGHRA UNITThe Prerana Scholarship Test was conducted by the group in their The regular tree plantation activity of the unit was continuedassigned school, with 24 children giving the test. The group gave a extensively across the village and the school compound. Fencingspirited participation in the NSS Day program as well, with their was put up around saplings to prevent them from being trodden ornukkad being placed 4th out of 15 performances. The daily literacy eaten by animals.Along with the normal literacy program in the

program was continued as usual with the instructions being given to school, informal education was provided at the ICDS centre and thethe students in various subjects. teaching of women in and around the village also. Computer

coaching classes were continued for the local youth club members.

GROUP LEADER: was very uninterested in doing this work, but now I have realized that

whatever I am doing is very useful. By doing this work somehow I amQ- Please explain briefly the work your group is doing. serving those people who really need help. When I come here and teachAns- Our whole team is divided into 5 groups. Two groups are involved in students and when the time comes to leave the school then seeing theteaching activity who teach the school children and conducts various sorts smiling faces of school children really feels good and make me feel thatof competitions like drawing competition, poem recitation competition today I have done something very productive. When they come to me withetc. Third group is involved in organizing various sports related activities for their problems and I solve them then I really feel good from the depth of mythe school children like they are planning to organize a carom board heart. Although it's a big responsibility but on the same time it's also a joycompetition in the next semester. Fourth group is responsible for to serve the people.organizing various cultural activities in the school like singing and dancing

competition and fifth group interacts with the villagers and make a Q- What else are you planning to do in future?database of their problems and unavailable facilities and find the solution Ans- In the next semester we are planning to purchase a few indoor gamesof their problems. like carom etc and we are also planning to set up a small library in the

school. We will collect the books from the IIT campus and distribute that2.Q- How do you feel on doing the NSS work? over here. We are also planning to have a health check-up camp in theAns- It's really a big responsibility to be a group leader. In the beginning I village probably along with the collaboration of B.C. ROY Hospital.used to feel like I was somehow being compelled to do this NSS work and I


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Tribute

TRIBU

TE

NSS Day Celebrations

BUZZ

beacon of light in a country that sorely needs it. Quite Hande has won the Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy 2005 and

literally. Dr. Harish Hande is a prominent Indian social Tech Museum Award 2005. Hande has also received the world's

entrepreneur, and the founder and managing director of leading green energy award from Prince Charles in 2005. In 2007

ASELCO, or Solar Light Electric Company, which is currently India's SELCO INDIA won the Outstanding Achievement Award frompremier solar technology enterprise. Ashden Awards. The award was presented by Al Gore, former VicePresident of the United States of America. Hande was namedBorn in Karnataka and having been schooled in Orissa, Hande theSocial Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 by the Schwab Foundation

pursued his undergraduate studies in Energy Engineering at our for Social Entrepreneurship and the Nand & Jeet Khemka

very own IIT Kharagpur, before going to the USA for Foundation. He was also the featured attendee

his Master's degree and later a PhD in Energy and speaker at the Clinton Global Initiative

Engineering at the University of Massachusetts at 2007. In 2008, Hande was chosen by 'Business

Lowell. His glittering academic career served as a Today as one of the 21 young leaders for Indias

potent platform to carry out what he felt was his true 21st century. In mid 2008, India Today named

calling social development. In 1993, upon him one of the 50 pioneers of change in India.

returning to India and having done field work in He was awarded with Asia's prestigious Ramon

Karnataka and Sri Lanka, Hande realized that Magsaysay Award for 2011, also sometimes

affordability could be defined in many ways, referred to as Asia's Nobel Prize, for his

beyond Excel sheets. pragmatic efforts to put solar power technologyin the hands of the poor, through his social

This led to the formation of SELCO India (in 1995), a enterprise SELCO India.

social enterprise, to mitigate poverty by promoting sustainable

technologies in rural India. With its headquarters in Bangalore, All these laurels sit lightly on the shoulders of this dynamic and

SELCO has 25 branches in Karnataka and Gujarat. Today SELCO innovative individual, whose primary motive has remained

INDIA has installed solar lighting systems in over 120,000 steadfast ever since he founded SELCO almost two decades ago

households in the rural areas of these states. Hande's initiative to serve the society by providing practical and affordable energy

through SELCO has had very positive effects in several areas. It has solutions. His next goal is to replicate the SELCO model across India

augmented the affordability and hence access to energy among and have 6 labs for social innovation up and running by 2016-17.

the rural people. SELCO helps customers get funding through Veritably, the sky is the limit for this IIT Kharagpur alumnus, and we

banks and micro-finance institutions. It offers very pro-active truly believe he will be an inspiration and a role model for the

customer care including doorstep services and routine checks by enterprising individuals who enter the portals of this hallowed

technicians. Also, SELCO's measures have helped small rural institution.

businessmen and homes improve their productivity and earning

opportunities greatly, with a stable source of energy to rely upon.

All in all, SELCO has transformed the lives of the people it has been

able to serve.

he Annual NSS Day Function was held with much fervour on t h e m s e l v e s h a d p u t

Saturday, October 13, at the Kalidasa Auditorium, after a together skits showcasing

slight postponement due to the presence of mid-semester some important socialTexams during the normal date. As with every occasion, it message, and the one which

was a chance to acknowledge the good work done by the various was chosen as the best, was

units over the semester and the people who had contributed to now put on for the entire

and benefited from their efforts. audience.

The show kicked off with the The village schoolchildren

address given by Professor who had performed well in the Prerana Scholarship Test and had

Goutam Saha, where he been granted the scholarship, were invited on stage and in the

extended a warm welcome to midst of applause and cheers from their friends, they proudly

all the dignitaries present accepted their certificates. Moreover, as a special gift, certain

there. Then we were ready to women's groups in the villages were also given sewing machines

begin with the function. The by some units. to help with their vocational training. Outside the

stage events were being auditorium, some of the units had also arranged for the displaying

managed by the volunteers of group 15, who were actively going of beautiful handicrafts made by people in the village they were

about lending a hand. Short presentations were made by each volunteering in.

group, stating the work done so far by them, and the work they

plan to take up in the future. This was very well appreciated by the All in all, the function was a true celebration of all that NSS stands

audience looking on. for - love, compassion, caring and social service. Our motto 'Not

Me but You' was burning bright in our hearts as we took stock of

After this, it was time for some wonderful performance, put on by what we had done and what we have left to do. And the beamingthe talented and lovable village children who had been trained faces of the villagers, full of gratitude and happiness, told a better

and guided by the group doing work in their village. There were story than yours truly ever could.

songs, dances and recitals. Earlier in the day, the volunteers

Documents

NSS IIT Kharagpur Newsletter Dec 2012