President warns youths against substance abuse
SHILLONG: President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Monday appealed to students to help improve the condition of their fellow citizens who are deprived of the privilege of higher education while urging the youths of the region to maintain and further strengthen their image as excellent sportspersons, artists and professionals, and not become victims of habits or substances which are injurious to health.
Speaking at the 26th convocation of the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), he called upon the stakeholders to focus on ‘University Social Responsibility’ or USR for which students of the university can spend time at some villages.
“They should help the villagers deal with their problems. They may make the villagers aware about the importance of sanitation, literacy, vaccination and nutrition of children. This exposure will not only help the villagers but also make the students more aware and sensitive to the ground realities,” the president said.
He also encouraged the students to excel in professional fields.
According to the president, passion for sports, especially football, among the youth of Meghalaya is well known.
“I am glad that Meghalaya is implementing Mission Football to encourage talented youngsters, including girls. The energetic and talented youth of the Northeast, including Meghalaya have earned goodwill as sound professionals in the fields of information technology, healthcare, hospitality and several other areas. I will appeal to the youth not to become victims of habits or substances which are injurious to health”, the president said.
The observation of the president assumes significance in the context of rising trend of drug abuse among the youths in the region.
Urging NEHU to continuously explore areas of relevant learning covering local to global issues, he said that efforts of the University to promote employability and self-employment need utmost encouragement.
He also added that as more than 80 per cent population of Meghalaya is dependent on agriculture, NEHU can play a catalytic role in promoting socio-economic development of Meghalaya and the North East by helping improve agricultural productivity.
“Students and teachers of NEHU’s departments of Rural Development and Agricultural Production, Agri Business and Food Technology and Horticulture can help enhance farmers’ income. The Department of Forestry being set up here will also have major opportunity to contribute to growth and development of the people of Meghalaya and other states in the region,” he said.
Stating that there is a lot to learn from the traditional wisdom of the tribals of the state, Kovind added that the progressive society of Meghalaya gives primacy to women.
Cleanliness lauded
He said that the people of Meghalaya also teach the value of cleanliness as for several years as Mawlynnong has been regarded as the cleanest village in Asia.
Speaking of cleanliness, he said it is worth mentioning that brooms made in Meghalaya from the local broom-grass are in great demand across the country.
The pristine waters of Dawki and Umngot rivers reflect not only beauty of nature but also the wisdom of people of Meghalaya”, he said.
Root bridges
Tribes of Meghalaya had developed the unique art of building root bridges. Roots and branches of fast-growing trees are shaped along both banks of rivers and valleys in such a way that they meet to form a bridge. Root-bridges take around 15 to 25 years to build but these bioengineering wonders are estimated to last 500 years. This environment friendly inter-generational way of building a natural infrastructure is full of messages for entire humanity, he added.
Great leaders remembered
The president further said that the natural splendour of Meghalaya and the warmth of its people attracted Swami Vivekananda and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore who frequently visited the state.
“This land has given birth to great freedom fighters like U Tirot Sing, U Kiang Nongbah and Pa Togan Sangma who have been immortalised at the martyr’s columns in Shillong,” he said.
As many as 14502 candidates, including 126 PhD, 41 M.Phil, 1342 PG degrees and 12983 bachelor degrees received their degrees during the convocation.