Alumni Must Retort By Giving Guru Dakshina To Their Institutions : Khattar

Chandigarh, April 9: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said alumni must ensure their contribution as ‘Guru-Dakshina’ to their institutions because any institute can grow better with the contributions made by its alumni. Stating this while addressing the gathering on the occasion of ‘Alumni-Meet-2022’ held at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak on Saturday, he said whenever old students revisit their institutes, then they reminisce about that glorious phase of their lives that they spent there. Going down the memory lane of his college days, he said he still remembers each corner of his college Pandit Neki Ram Sharma in Rohtak.

Describing the importance of Alumni-Meet, Khattar said from the 273-year-old University of America, Princeton-University to Harvard University, Alumni-Meets are organized in almost every University across the globe. Alumni of these Universities have made a special contribution in the progress of their universities. “It is the responsibility of all of you to support the younger brothers and sisters studying in this University either by guiding them, paying their fees or in any other way,” he said while addressing the alumni. Referring to the role of education for development in society, the Chief Minister said in ancient times, Gurukul tradition was there in our country where free education was given. Students who were educated from these Gurukul used to give Guru-Dakshina once a year showing respect to their Guru. The same in the present time, Dakshina-Day is now known as a convocation ceremony, he added.

Giving information about the steps taken in the education sector, he said this year an amount of Rs 20,000 crore has been allocated to the education sector so as to achieve the target of constructing one college within a radius of every 20 kms and one medical college in every district. This year four new medical colleges will be made functional, he informed. Khattar directed the Vice Chancellor of the University to write a letter on his behalf to all the alumni of the University, urging them, to ensure their contribution in the progress of the University. Soon after his appeal for ‘Guru-Dakshina’, several alumni on the spot announced to donate lakhs for their University along with sharing their expertise in their respective fields, after which the Chief Minister also honoured them. “It is not only the government’s responsibility to take the country forward, but it is the duty of every citizen,” he said. Calling upon the Alumni to follow the principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’ given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said all of us together have to make India ‘Vishwa Guru’. UNI