“There is education for a living, and there is education for life. Along with the education needed to make a living, students should also be given education on how to live life.”

– Chancellor Amma

Learning how to live life, third-year engineering students at the Amritapuri campus participated in a slew of activities this past semester, all designed to instill a sense of social responsibility in them.

They volunteered at an old age home, organized medical camps and initiated eco-friendly practices in their hostels.

They organized debates on social issues such as anti-corruption drives that are now ongoing in the nation.

Students themselves planned, coordinated and executed the activities.

“It was an amazing experience; it was also an opportunity to awaken compassion in our hearts,” said a visibly excited Navami R., B.Tech. student of Electronics and Electrical Engineering.

Navami, with her team members, visited an old age home in Trivandrum, where they interacted with the inmates, trying to bring happiness and laughter to their lives.

Other students organized Raktha, a blood donation camp in collaboration with IMA Blood Bank, Kollam, which saw 54 donors give blood.

The free eye camp, Sunektra, provided eye check up services for students, faculty as well as the general public on the campus premises. Doctors from the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences spoke about eye donation and laser treatment. Free medicines were also distributed.

A team conducted Prathyasha, an open debate that attracted participation from many. Poster exhibitions, movie presentations and essay writing competitions in area schools were also organized.

The entire initiative was led by Mr. Aji A. Nair of Center for Corporate and International Relations. “A sense of social responsibility ingrained in our consciousness can help us lead meaningful lives. Education can be an effective catalyst to kindle such social values in students,” he said.

Providing another perspective, he added, “The initiative helped hone students’ soft skills and their ability to work in teams. The success was testimony to the organizational skills shown by the students. It is precisely these qualities that employers look for, when they come for campus placements.”

The great scientist Einstein once remarked, “Concern for man and his fate must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavors … never forget this in the midst of your diagrams and equations.”
Amrita sure is taking steps to ensure that this does happen.

December 17, 2011
Amritapuri Campus