By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:Teachers play an invaluable role not only in imparting knowledge but also in shaping character, nurturing values and laying a strong foundation for a brighter future, SOA Vice-President Mrs. Saswati Das said on Saturday.
By spreading the light of knowledge, teachers transform individual lives and make an enduring contribution towards building a progressive, aware and compassionate society, she said.
Gracing the occasion as the Chief Guest at Teachers’ Day celebration and prize distribution ceremony organised by JAGO, the social and cultural organisation of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), here, Mrs Das described the SOA students associated with JAGO as true teachers for their dedicated efforts to educate and empower underprivileged children.
The programme was organised at the campus of the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), SOA’s faculty of engineering and technology.
Mrs. Das said that JAGO, which was launched in 2007, had today evolved into a significant social movement. Since its inception, SOA students have been bringing children from economically and socially disadvantaged families living in slums near the campus and providing them with education and support for their overall development.
Appreciating the JAGO student members who have carried forward this noble mission with dedication and commitment over the years, SOA’s Vice President said that they were doing much more than merely imparting education.
“The culture of sharing knowledge helps strengthen the values of equality, empathy and social responsibility,” she said.
Teachers’ Day, she said, was not merely an occasion to honour teachers but also an opportunity to recognise the vital social role of education and mentorship in transmitting knowledge, values and humanity from one generation to another. A teacher’s guidance empowers individuals who, in turn, can bring about positive changes in their families and society, she added.
She thanked all the JAGO members for their contribution and wished them a bright future.
SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, who attended the programme as the guest of honour, highly appreciated the commendable activities of JAGO Club. Describing SOA students as teachers in their own right, he said that a university was a centre for the exchange of knowledge and collective learning.
Learning from one another and sharing knowledge lead to the development of new ideas and create possibilities for innovative research, he said, adding that every student in a university, in one way or another, could play the role of a teacher for others.
Prof. P. K. Sahu, Dean, ITER; Prof. J. K. Nath, Dean (Research and Development), SOA and Prof. Manjula Das, Controller of Examinations, attended the programme as special guests. They highlighted the significance of Teachers’ Day and highly appreciated the activities and social initiatives undertaken by JAGO Club.
Outstanding participants among SOA faculty members, employees, students and children associated with JAGO, who took part in various competitions organised on Saturday morning to mark Teachers’ Day, were presented with prizes by Mrs. Das and other guests.
Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), ITER, delivered the welcome address, while Prof. Anita Panda, mentor of JAGO, conducted the programme and proposed the vote of thanks.
The programme also featured colourful cultural performances by SOA students, JAGO members and children.
