Ghagra, Sonamukhi, Soladahar Village Units : Last Month

The tree plantation program of Ghagra village unit (Unit 14) was special in the sense that the volunteers provided beautiful fence around the plants. The Sonamulhi village unit (Unit 1) involved school kids in a unique way. Plants were named after class and were dedicated to class teachers. The school students were given the responsibility to nurture them for five days and on the sixth day (Saturdays) NSS volunteers will take care of them - watering, clearing weeds etc. It would be interesting to see which methodology or a combination of them becomes most effective.

The Soladahar village unit (Unit 15) participated in well cleaning and also got engaged with teaching assistance in the Sarva Shikhsha Kendra situated in the village. In general, every village unit has such supplementary teaching activity. All three units participated enthusiastically in the Independence Day program of the institute.

Fencing of planted trees

Involving school students and teacher

Cleaning well water 

Teaching assistance in Sarva Shiksha Kendra (SSK)

In Independence Day function

Gangadharpur Village Unit : Last Month

NSS, IIT Kharagpur expanded its reach in this academic session. The team members of UNIT 7 decided to move beyond our neighbourhood Gopali Gram Panchayat. This was  village Gangadharpur, Khelar Gram Panchayat, PO. Benapur. Their service is also available to adjoining village named Shyamraipur. In the words of a young student volunteer, "We felt it very difficult to ride bicycle for 6.5 kms. But after knowing that children in that village go to school (higher) by travelling 5 kms on cycle / foot every day, we felt pity for that."

The team started the work very systematically. Since it was a new village to set foot in, a meeting with villagers were arranged in the village primary school on 29.7.2012. Panchayet Member and Panchayet Officer were very supportive, so were community leaders. Sixty four villagers attended this meeting. Activities were identified. The villagers welcomed IIT students whole-heartedly. 

Since then literacy program in village school is going on as a regular activity. Among special activities 100 trees were planted, water of 15 wells were purified. The unit along with other units participated in Independence Day function enthusiastically.

First Meeting 

Tree Plantation

Cleaning Wells

Regular Teaching Activity

Independence Day Function

Kashijora Village Unit : Last Month

Here is a glimpse of the month as it was for Kashijora Village Unit (Unit 13) since the academic session began in third week of July at IIT Kharagpur. Besides regular activity of engaging with village primary school students, the unit carried out a drawing competition to encourage talents among village kids, a special on games like Kho-Kho and Kabadi, a colourful awareness rally with posters and slogans where village school kids and young students of IIT Kharagpur walked together. The theme of the rally was health and hygiene. The posters and slogans depicted the importance of administering polio drops, the need for abstaining from intake of alcohol, smoking, consuming tobacco and the issue of prevention of spread of mosquito related diseases by the simple use of a mosquito net. The dengue fever and other diseases are prevalent during this monsoon time.

The Unit participated in enthusiastically in Independence Day function (Link) and had their representation in Institute Foundation Day function. Preparation of nukkad (street corner) to further the awareness campaign is going on. A survey is going on to look into quality of drinking water and possibility of rain water harvesting.

Drawing Competition:

Kho-Kho, Kabadi :

Awareness Rally :

At Independence Day Function:

Institute Foundation Day Function:

Village Survey:

Independence Day Celebration

NSS team had more of a supporting role in the Independence Day function of the institute where NCC and IIT security took the responsibility of the main flag-hoisting ceremony of the morning. After hoisting of national flag and singing of national anthem, our Director took guard of honour, conducted oath-taking and delivered his Independence Day speech. He reminded that IIT Kharagpur and the Bhakra Nangal Dam were two of the major initiatives to come alive after we became free in 1947. And the journey at IIT Kharagpur started from a jail where freedom-fighters were held captive. Since then the role played by this institution is immense and he gave a road map of what to come in future. We all feel proud to hear that and take a resolve on this auspicious day to shoulder our responsibility in the nation building work, being humble and sincere. There was a cultural program after this where school children of various campus schools made short but beautiful presentations. The function ended with all singing in chorus, "Vande Mataram".

NSS team arranged refreshment of school children during their rehearsal on previous two days as well as today. It was a pleasure and privilege to offer this service to young kids. We made sitting arrangements for our guests of the function. The Independence Day edition of the newsletter was published which can be downloaded from here (Link). Most of the units prepared colourful posters and exhibited them. A disciplined and uniformed NSS volunteers added to the spectacle of the ceremony. We join the rest of the nation in saluting our Heroes who earned freedom for us and take this opportunity to imbibe in us the spirit of sacrifice, service and love for the country. Jai Hind.

In the evening, many of us attended a cultural program at Kalidas Auditorium titled, "India's Urges, India's Future in the Making." This was a joint production of Alumni Association and Students Gymkhana involving larger campus community in its production. To have India's journey from Vedic era to modern times in 90 minutes of narration, song, dance and choreography was an experience by itself. Each of us emerged more proud after the show knowing who we are as a nation and our sincere thanks and gratitude to the organizers to present such a wonderful program on Independence Day evening.



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We present below the glimpses of the morning function. We shall populate this space with more pictures as and when they are available from student volunteers.

The preparation

Unit 1 to Unit 15 (In order, Unit 1 first)

 

Together

Independence Day edition of newsletter (Link)