Independence Day -15th August, 2018 at NITK Surathkal
The programme started with the guard of honour by the NCC cadets, followed by the singing of Vande Mataram, Flag Hoisting and singing of the National Anthem.
The Music Club students presented a beautiful rendition of a few patriotic songs. The students of M.C.A. also presented a patriotic speech and a song followed by a colorful dance show reflecting the patriotism.
A student from Hindi Forum delivered a patriotic address.
Finally, the Director addressed the gathering where he tried to emphasize on the need for our contribution to Science & Technology, the need to create NITK into a Plastic Free Zone.
The extract of his speech is given under.
Good morning to all my dear faculty & staff, my dear students, ladies and gentlemen.
Wish you all a happy independence day.
We have gathered here today to celebrate 72nd Independence Day of our Nation. This indeed is a great national event and a moment of pride for every single citizen of the country. It is on this day when we got freedom from the British rule after 90 years (1857-1947) of hard struggle by the great freedom fighters of India.
We celebrate independence day every year, to remember the value of freedom in an independent India, as well as remember all those freedom fighters who had sacrificed their lives to give us a beautiful and peaceful life in India.
Today we cannot really visualize what “Independence” really meant then. The country suffered lower literacy percentage, lowest life expectancy. And the people had no identity. It even witnessed a horrifying man made holocaust 1943-44 when famine hit India (Known as Bengal famine) in spite of bountiful harvest.
Independence gave us freedom and freedom gave a unique identity as Indians. And it gave us the feeling of belongingness to the country.
And it is this identity which informs our:
• values, guides our small and large choices, and
• gives our lives a sense of direction and coherence.
And it is for this identity that our forefathers have fought for 90 long years.
• The identity of being an independent country where sovereign power (సర్వాధికారము) of deciding our destiny rests with us, brings about a huge responsibility on our shoulders.
Here at NITK we have got more responsibility compared to a common man, and we shall be failing in our responsibilities as citizens, if we do not dedicate ourselves to the service of this nation. Therefore, we at NITK - the teachers, staff, and students need to take a few long steps in making our institute, an institution of eminence and an institute dedicated to the service of the nation.
The long strides we have to take together in order to realise the VISION 2025 are:
1. Improving the Quality of Technical Education, and Research. (TEQIP).
On the basis of our strength, the areas in which our faculty are well positioned to take on enhanced leadership roles include:
(a) Integration of Research and Teaching,
(b) Campus-Wide Cooperation: in a time of diminishing resources, we will have to be more imaginative in order to ensure the effective intra-departmental utilization of research infrastructure on campus, and more effective resource-sharing amongst departments, and promotion of inter-disciplinary research work.
(c). Focus on Student Learning and Sophisticated Assessment Strategies.
• Towards this endeavour, the institute today takes pride in stating that the Central Research Facility –CRF a step towards a quality research is becoming a reality. We are sanctioned Rs.80 crores through HEFA.
• Career Development Centre CDC – a centre to prepare you for tomorrow, is another transformation being created to the students realising the vision of ‘Skill India-of NSDM (National Skill Development Mission).
A foundation stone is laid on 04th August, 2018 by the Hon’ble Minister of state HRD, Minister of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation for an Alumni centre of excellence, housing CDC with its various wings of career guidance and development. (Guidance and preparation for employment, higher studies India and abroad, civil and Military Engineering Services, and Entrepreneurs)
2. ‘Sanitation is more important than Independence,’ Mahatma Gandhi quoted ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ or ‘Clean India Mission’ is a campaign that aims at clean and green India- “Harita Bharath”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to each citizen of the country to take a pledge as a part of the ‘Swach Bharat Abhiyan,’ which is as follows,
“I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this. I will devote 100 hours per year, which is two hours per week, to voluntarily work for cleanliness. I will neither litter not let others litter. I will initiate the quest for cleanliness with myself, my family, my locality, my village and my work place”.
I am appealing to all for making NITK a PLASTIC FREE ZONE – a ban is enforced on littering plastic on campus.
3. 21st June International Yoga day: “let’s make every day an international Yoga Day”: Yoga is an age-old practice that boosts the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
Most of us are victims of lifestyle diseases and fitness disorders. There is a huge range of exercises and yoga poses that give a holistic healing power to the body, mind and soul. Practising yoga requires no favourable infrastructure, gadget or instrument, all you need is a quiet space and a mat.
4. Save water: While 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water, it is still considered a precious resource because only a very small amount is freshwater and an even smaller amount is safe for human use. According to the USGS, (United States Geological Survey) a miniscule 3% of the planet has freshwater resources, less than 1% of the total water on Earth is considered fit for use. Therefore, it is important to conserve water; it has many important uses in terms of human activity, and the growing world population threatens to destroy the small amount of the planet has remaining.
Young men it is call for you to think of proposing a project for “Rain water harvesting and water auditing”. You all know we at this place receive heavy rainfall, over 4000mm of rain per year………
At NITK, 11 lakh litres of municipal water is consumed every day.
5. Save electricity, and please don’t waste FOOD and other resources.
6. We Indians are good and talented individuals, but still are stuck at some point, and we remained a DEVELOPING country still. We are failing as an organization. Let’s learn to live in harmony, and work in teams.
Through this message, I request that this great possibility will not happen just because of the leadership; it is important that everyone us needs to stand up to make this happen.
“How do I do it?” This will be the question. Regardless of what you do in your life. This is the only way to build the nation. Nation building does not happen with great speeches or with slogans. Nation building happens because every one of us does whatever we are doing at a different level of functioning – whatever we do happens out of dedication and commitment to creating a new nation.
‘Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny and now time has come when we shall redeem our pledge. At the stroke of midnight when the world sleeps, India will rise to freedom and power’ -- Pandit Nehru
Jai Hind
