February 1, 2011
School of Engineering, Bengaluru
 

A variety of student activities at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Bengaluru Campus last month exemplified students’ fervent desire to serve, through various means.
 

The inauguration of a dance club and the subsequent blood donation camp provided opportunities for students to grow as artists, humanitarians, or both.
 

Renowned dance personalities, Mr. Kiran Subramaniam and Mrs. Sandhya Kiran, delivered inspirational speeches at the inauguration of the dance club on January 12.
 

Known for their decades of service in the fields of classical art and Indian culture, the couple has conducted many workshops and led numerous presentations.
 

“A dance club will facilitate greater learning for the many dance enthusiasts at Amrita,” the guests exclaimed. “We are honored by our association with your institution.”
 

After the speeches, Amrita students performed classical and folk dances that elicited a massive applause from the audience. Numbers like Pushpanjali a la’ Bharatnatyam, and a Bhangra from Punjab, provided delightful entertainment.
 

A week later, came the annual blood drive on January 18. For five years now, the Rashtrothana Blood Bank has collaborated with Amrita on this project.
 

The camp, which lasted from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm, saw as many as 300 students volunteer to donate blood, a fact much appreciated by camp organizers. Students contributed between 350 to 400 ml of blood each.
 

“Across the world, many patients succumb due to the unavailability of blood transfusions,” shared an event volunteer. “We are honored to do our bit to help avoid such dire calamities.”
 

“Organizing such events helps us understand the gravity of the situation.”
 

Student volunteers represented the Prerana Club. They acknowledged the support of Swami Amritagitananda Puri, Brahmachari Dhanraj and Associate Dean Dr. S. G. Rakesh.
 

Approximately 100 liters of blood was donated. Participants were awarded certificates of appreciation by the blood bank and a token of thanks by the Mata Amritanandamayi Math.
 

“It is with great satisfaction that we note the events of early 2011 that have given us a feeling of immense satisfaction,” stated the student organizers.
 

As the year unfolds, the campus will see more activities such as these; the activities will allow students to explore various facets of learning and culture, in addition to their academic studies.