Social Awareness Cell along with Pillai Group of Institutions organized a “Community Service Day” on 18th December, 2010 at Dr. K. M. Vasudevan Pillai Campus, New Panvel. The emphasis was to reach out those who have been disowned by our society especially the elderly staying in the old age homes and destitute and orphan children living in the child care centre. The aim of the event was to develop the moral values of students and emphasize the importance of contributing to the society by reaching out to the underprivileged.
We take it as our responsibility to prepare our students to perform and excel in an increasingly complex and changing world, a world that not only aspires class work, but team work; a world that only values electronic connection, but connection to community. The idea of community service a first of its kind initiative by any college in Navi Mumbai, saw the college reaching out to the locals through a health check-up camp, Blood donation drive, Leprosy and AIDS Awareness Drive. Besides these activities organized by staff and students of Pillai College of Arts, Commerce and Science under the guidance of Social Awareness Cell, the main focus of the day was visit of elderly people from an old age home ‘Ramkrishna Niketan Vridhashram’, Shantivan; tribal children from nearby rural area, Shantivan and orphans from “Pratham” an orphanage that works for orphans and destitute children, to the Dr. K. M. Vasudevan Pillai Campus. The chief Guest Dr. Waman Bhatki inaugurated the program and emphasized on the contribution of the youth to help the less privileged and bring about a change in perception of the society. He shared the experience he had as a consultant to WHO on treatment and eradication of leprosy, where he said that eradication and treatment has been quite successful. The main beneficiary of the program were the inmates of Ramakrishna Niketan Vridhashram, Shantivan, tribal children from nearby rural areas, inmates from “Pratham” orphanage, Panvel. A number of activity such as cultural program by the students of Department of Biotechnology, games and computer awareness programs for the tribal children were arranged besides the afternoon meal. The cultural program had an infectious enthusiasm to it and saw impromptu participation by the visitors. So much so, a 92 year old veteran relived his younger days by reciting some songs. The boys from “Pratham” orphanage presented a skit depicting the sorry state of child labor, so rampant in our country. As we bid farewell to the elderly with a shawl as a token of our warm and our affection for them.