A series of programmes will mark the golden jubilee celebrations of Janata Shikshana Samiti (JSS) under the new management in Dharwad.
Addressing a press conference in Dharwad on Wednesday, secretary of JSS Ajit Prasad said that in the last five decades, a number of institutions imparting education from kindergarten to post-graduation have come up under the aegis of JSS and the leadership of late Vajrakumar who served both as principal and secretary of JSS.
JSS was established in 1944 by Ramarao S. Hukkerikar. Renowned scholar B. Srikantaiah was the first principal of the college.
As years passed, the JSS ran into severe financial crisis and as per the advice of the seer of Pejawar Mutt late Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji, the institution was handed over to Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Sri D. Veerendra Heggade in 1973.
Mr. Ajit Prasad said that five decades have passed under the new management and the guidance of D. Veerendra Heggade.
“In the last five decades, the JSS has grown immensely with the establishment of engineering, medical, dental and physiotherapy colleges and a hospital under SDM Education Society in Dharwad and later, the SDM University also. The campuses in Dharwad and Hubballi together have 22 institutions with 26,000 students and 1,200 teaching and non-teaching staff,” he explained.
He said that as the golden jubilee year of JSS coincided with the 75th birth anniversary of D. Veerendra Heggade, a year-long programmes have been chalked out.
“The main golden jubilee event will be held in September. But prior to that, planting of 500 saplings, free education to 50 meritorious students from PU till post-graduation, free training to 50 students for competitive examinations, construction of a playground with a 400-m track, training in sports for national and international competitions, refresher courses for government schoolteachers and special training to SSLC students to improve passing percentage, among other programmes, will be conducted,” he said.
Suraj Jain of the samiti and Mahaveer Upadhyay spoke about other initiatives taken up by the group of institutions under JSS.
