STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: On the day of National Technological Day, the Central Govt Pensioners’ Welfare Association, Jammu (CGPWA) organised a Lecture on ‘Role of Science in developing young minds’ at BALGRAN, here today. The former Director General DRDA, Dr Sudharshan Kumar delivered an eloquent lecture which enthused a lot of interest among the inmates of the Destitute Home.
This Day has been celebrated since 1998 to commemorate India’s technological and scientific prowess demonstrated by successfully conducting the Nuclear Missile Test at Pokhran on this day to become the sixth nation in the world to develop this technology. This year’s theme is “School to Startups-Inspiring Minds to Innovate”
This was the seventh Lecture delivered to the inmates of the BALGRAN under the initiative of the CGPWA to utilise the rich resource available in the Association among the highly experienced retired civil servants, to upgrade the knowledge of destitute students of BALGRAN.
In a 50-minute lecture, Dr Sudharshan Kumar called upon the youth to have dreams of big things in life and develop confidence in themselves to achieve these with proper strategy in life. Asking them to make iconic Indian scientists as their role models, he said everyone is born with a special aptitude which needs to be harnessed to be something important by acquiring education, confidence, magnanimity, and grace. He cautioned teachers against pressurising students for acquiring high grades as every child has different talent which needed to be promoted in him. He told them that proper education is vital for students’ growth as it gives knowledge to youth and knowledge is the power and power commands respect.
Dr Sudarshan who has background of DRDO, drew parallel to the battle actions of Ramayana and Mahabharata with today’s technological wonders and said the pushpak (Chariot) mentioned in Ramayana was nothing today’s Drone and long-range Agni fireworks to today’s missiles. He said that everything which we read in these religious epics are now technologically explained by the present day’s innovations.
Dr Kumar referred to iconic Indian scientists like Homi Jejangir, C V Raman, A P J Abdul Kalam, M S Swaminathan and Aryabhatta and enquired how many of the student were aware of these scientists and was happy to that most of them knew about their discoveries. He asked the youth to make them their role models and work hard to be something like them.
Dr Sudarshan also spoke about the new National Education Policy and that for the first time it acknowledged effective learning in mother language. He said a new structure of 5+3+3+4 of School education has replaced 10+2 system. The Foundation stage is of the first 5 years where teaching is made in the mother language. It is followed by three years of preparatory stage and another three years of middle stage. The secondary stage is of 4 years. In every stage the focus is to develop the foundation of the child, skills, subject specific knowledge and vocational education. The youth under the new system of education are bound to develop holistically, adding value to the nation.
He explained the celebration of the National Technology Day and said that It commemorates India’s success in using science and technology to address the challenges facing the country. The day aims to inspire youngsters and to create awareness about the country’s scientific and technological achievements.
The President of BALGRAN Vinod Raina also spoke on the occasion. Among others present included General Secretary, CGPWA, K B Jandial, Patron BALGRAN A K Arora, S C Sharma, Jatinder Gupta, Ravinder Gupta and Ashok Kapoor of BALRAN.
On the occasion of the National Technological Day the Vice President of CGHS, Dr Sudarshan Kumar, former DG, DRDO interacting with the students at BALGRAN today.