This story is from August 13, 2016

College to adopt village in CM's Varuna constituency

The programme has been envisaged with the aim of helping students understand the conditions and culture of villages.
College to adopt village in CM's Varuna constituency
Chief minister Siddaramaiah.
Mysuru: Drawing inspiration from the words of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who said that the country's true development lay in the progress of its villages, a city-based college has decided to adopt a village in Mysuru taluk, and give it a facelift.
SBRR Mahajana First Grade College has adopted Varakodu village, which falls within the purview of chief minister Siddaramaiah's Varuna constituency, under the community programme, sponsored by the University Grants Commission.
The college has already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Varakodu gram panchayat to undertake developmental programmes.
The programme has been envisaged with the aim of helping students understand the conditions and culture of villages. The community activities serve as a collective platform for students to engage in social service and contribute to its overall development.
Under the institution social responsibility (ISR) initiative, the college is planning a host of developmental programmes in the village. Socio-economic survey, empowerment of the panchayat system, and strengthening self-help groups in the village are among the activities that the college has charted as a part of its outreach programme.
Historical site
With monuments dating back to the Ganga, Chalukya and Hoysala periods, Varakodu is a village with a deep historical connection. Located about 15km away from the centre of the city, the village boasts a population of around 2,000, and most rely on agriculture for their income.
The 700-year-old Varadaraja temple in the village was recently renovated by the department of archaeology and museums. Some of the temples and structures in the village are 1,000 years old and the college is hoping to boost Varakodu's appeal as a popular tourist hub, which they believe will invariably bolster the economy of Mysuru.

Speaking to TOI, SBRR Mahajan College principal said, "In 2008, Abdul Kalam visited our institution, and suggested that we adopt villages. PURA (Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas) is his brain child and we have been giving students a platform that functions as a social laboratory, to engage in such activities. It is a programme for the long haul wherein we are looking to usher in inclusive development in the villages."
Highlighting the antiquity of some of the structures in the village, nodal officer at the college for the initiative, NS Rangaraju said, "Varakodu has many inscriptions and rare Sathis tones. We are exposing students to village life, folklore and heritage monuments."
Expressing his pleasure at the college's initiative, Varakodu gram panchayat president Bhavani rani said, "It is good to see the college's commitment to social service and I am happy that they have chosen our historical village. They have shared their ideas on social, economic and academic development and we will coordinate with the institution."
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