Awareness talk on “Village Development” in Innanje Village

Community club of SMVITM organized a discussion in connection with H. H. Vishwavallabha Theertha Swamiji’s dream project, Development of Innanje Village, was held at Dasabhavana in Innanje on 5^th March 2016. Ratnakumar, Secretary, SSVMET; Prof. Dr. Radhakrishna S Aithal, Honorary Director, SMVITM; Geethanjali Suvarna, Zilla Panchayat Member; Kushalini, Panchayat Development Officer, Innanje Grama Panchayat; Prof. Dr. Thirumaleshwara Bhat and Prof. Dr. A Ganesha, Principal and Dean (A) respectively; HOD’s of various departments, students of SMVITM and people in and around Innanje village were present at the meeting.

Nagaraja Rao, Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, SMVITM, highlighted the major objectives of the project and presented the possible list of programs and activities that could be conducted at Innanje with the support of local panchayat and people of Innanje.

This was followed by the presentation on Grama Vikas by Anusha Pai, Vikas Udupa, Bhuvanamithra Sharma, Prajna Mohan and Samanvitha Bhagavath – students of SMVITM. In the presentation they briefed about the concept of SMART village and how the village should be. They also shared some experience of LEAD Prayana.

In an open discussion that ensured the presentation, Ramakrishna Sharma, a local farmer and V .G. Shetty appreciated the Management of SMVITM for taking interest in developing Innanje village. They shared their views and mentioned some areas, where people were facing problems.

Geethanjali Suvarna, in her speech, assured the gathering of her personal support as well as the support and cooperation of the local panchayat and the people for the success of the project.

She made a request to the management to take the local panchayat and people into confidence while taking up any work related with the project. Prof. Dr. Radhakrishna S. Aithal, addressing the gathering, stressed the importance of the local panchayat and local people for the overall development of the village. He further added that the focus should be the development of the village rather than who got the credit. He motivated all with some live examples and success stories, where similar projects had been implemented. Prof. Dr. Thirumaleshwara Bhat briefed about some issues, where people or students needed training or help that could be provided the by faculty, staff and students of SMVITM.

Sri. Ratnakumar, in his concluding remarks, said that the college was getting actively involved in the development of Innanje and thereby brightening up their lives of its people even when there was no tangible benefit for the college. The only intention of the project was to facilitate the upliftment of the rural people and giving the students of SMVITM some exposure to rural life, according to him.

Ms. Megha S. Samaga welcomed the gathering and Ms. Samani Ashwith proposed a vote of thanks. Ms. Sahana Udupa rendered an invocation and Ms. Shriraksha Acharya compeered the program.