Over 150 staff and students of National Institute of Technology – Tiruchi (NITT) have been participating in the fifth annual edition of ‘Daan Utsav’, an initiative to encourage philanthropy among the younger generation.
Launched on October 1, this year’s programme of events, titled ‘HumaNITTy’, is expected to end on October 12, outlasting the traditional ‘Joy of Giving’ week that is celebrated from October 2 to 8 in honour of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
“HumaNITTy’ teaches students that the act of sharing matters the most beyond academics and the materialistic world,” lead organiser A.K. Bhaktavatsalam, Head, Department of Training and Placement, NITT, said.
With a budget upwards of Rs. 5 lakhs this year, nearly 22 events are lined up involving over 3,000 students, 400 orphans, 40 mentally challenged children and over 300 visually challenged people.
The flagship event ‘Sarathy Diwas’ was held on Saturday, as NITT team members gave out care packages containing a biscuit packet, water bottle, juice/soda, towel, soap, a chocolate, a pen and notepad to the crew of at least 70 government and private buses. In the evening, HumaNITTy members spent time with the residents of Kangaroo Karunai Illam, an old age home in Srirangam.
On Sunday, the team visited the Malarchi School for Children with Special Needs, where a cheque for Rs. 10,000 was handed over by the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) Association of NITT. A ‘wish fulfilment’ interaction was held at the Loopra Home for the Blind.
Over the coming week, the initiative will be spreading out to towns like Ayyampatti, Kattur, Thiruverumbur, Pathalapettai and Thuvakudi to donate infrastructural material to libraries and laboratories of schools. Equipment for the hearing disabled will be distributed.
The ‘Kids Gala’ will host 400 children from orphanages to be part of a fun-filled day on October 9. A visit to the Anna Science Centre-Planetarium for students of 160 pupils of Thuvakudi Higher Secondary School is scheduled on October 5 and for students of Classes 6 to 8 of REC Middle School on October 12.
“This is an opportunity for students to learn how to derive happiness by giving joy to others. They move out of their comfort zone to see how much can be done by sharing one’s time, energy and money with the less fortunate,” said R. Gururaj, event co-organiser and Head, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, NITT.
A major part of the corporate sponsorship for HumaNITTy is provided by Livia Polymers, Tiruchi, an NITT-alumni owned venture.
