President confers NSS award on KU

Warangal: Kakatiya University (KU) added a jewel in its crown on Saturday when President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Service Scheme (NSS) Award for the year 2020-21 for its outstanding contribution towards voluntary community service with a view to further promoting NSS in the country.

KU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Thatikonda Ramesh and NSS Coordinator Sunkari Jyothi received the second best award in the country for the varsity at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi on the formation day of the NSS. A total of 42 awards were given on the occasion. KU is one among the two universities selected for the award. The award carried a trophy and Rs 1 lakh cash reward.

The award is in recognition of several community services such as vruksharchana (plantation), blood donation camps, self-defence training for women, nearly 16,000 volunteered to help the people during the Covid pandemic. It may be noted here that KU has more NSS units than any other varsity. The volunteers also served at Medaram biennial jatara and voter awareness programmes. It may be mentioned here that the KU NSS unit hosted Youth Parliament competitions in February 2019.

The KU NSS unit had also received the prestigious Indira Gandhi National Award 13 times and the State-level award 23 times by the Governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Speaking to The Hans India from Delhi, KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Thatikonda Ramesh said, "Education through Service is the purpose of the NSS. The NSS develops a sense of social and civic responsibility. The need of the citizens is to inculcate a service motto among the children. NSS also augurs well for national integration and social harmony."