Student members of Amrita Sanjeevani, the seva association at the Amritapuri Campus, put up a stall on the ashram premises a couple weeks ago to sell X-Mas and New Year greeting cards. The stall remained open during Amma’s darshan hours on Saturday and Sunday. Over Rs. 12,000 was raised, which will be used to fund the education of poorer students.

The greetings cards used hand-made paper, which was made by the students themselves. “We used recycled paper and waste products such as elephant dung from the ashram elephants, grape and pineapple pulp left-overs from the ashram juice-stall,” remarked Gayathri, a BSc 3rd-year biotechnology student. “People are surprised when they learn that this beautiful paper is made from waste products.”

Other items sold included incense stick holders, christmas ornaments, glass paintings, etc., all made from recycled and waste products. When the students went to Amma afterwards, she said that she appreciated their compassion towards society.

Several students from all 4 schools at the campus — Arts & Sciences, Ayurveda, Biotechnology, Engineering — had worked over the past one month making these products. On most evenings they had gathered at the Amrita Sanjeevani workshop from 5:00-6:00 pm, helping turn waste into something useful. We are proud that our students are helping make a difference thus. May their efforts be emulated by students at all Amrita campuses.