A five-day State-level youth festival organized by the University of Mysore and Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports was inaugurated in the city on Sunday.
The festival is being conducted by the University’s National Service Scheme (NSS) wing and Vice Chancellor G. Hemantha Kumar said that University of Mysore was the first in the State to launch NSS activities in 1969 through 11 units and 1,100 NSS students. He said the concept of NSS is education through service and is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and holds relevance even today.
Though the jurisdiction of the University of Mysore has shrunk since 1969, the NSS has grown and today the varsity had 15 NSS units and 1500 NSS students besides 19200 NSS volunteers. The Vice Chancellor said the varsity has adopted a few villages as per the recommendations of the Niti Aayog and camps and other activities will be held throughout the year as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Prof. Kumar said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had taken interest and participated in the Yuvajana Mahotsava in connection with which a programme was conducted recently at the Maharaja’s College grounds. The actual events including contests, debates, quiz, round table conferences, cultural programmes, special lectures etc and is being attended by hundreds of students drawn from various institutions from across the State.
Earlier, the inauguration was preceded by a colour procession of cultural troupes.
