#NBJKPresident addresses #Colloquium at #AzimPremjiUniversity @azimpremjiunive

21 July 2017, Bangalore: Mr. Girija Satish (President, NBJK) was invited by Azim Premji University to deliver his lecture in a colloquium. This was held at the university campus and more than 200 students, their faculties and directors of schools have participated in this seminar. Mr. Subrat Kumar Mishra (Faculty, Field Practice) has anchored the program and introduced Mr. Girija Satish before the audience. Mr. Mishra has briefed about the background of NBJK, its philosophy and practices under the guidance of Mr. Girija Satish, a follower of Gandhi, Vinoba and JP.

Mr. Girija Satish has recalled the year 1966-67 when he joined drought relief work in villages of Kalahandi district in Orissa and other places of Bihar. Also he shared about the activities for promotion of Gandhian thoughts in the campus of BIT Sindri, a premier engineering college then where he studied and formed a group of likeminded friends, who played significant role to start NBJK later. In 1970, all they met JP and decided to begin NBJK as their future course of life. NBJK president has talked about students’ movement in Bihar, imprisonment, nationwide emergency and initial support by Oxfam to Food for Work program. He talked about Lok Samiti, issues of land reform, women empowerment, social evils and campaigns like Right to Work (1989), Bihar Jagran Yatra (1992) to make the system sensible towards development.

Mr. Girija Satish has stressed upon integrated approach of development, NBJK believes in and follows through a number of programs in the areas of education, health, livelihood, support to small NGOs, people’s organization and advocacy. He mentioned about such programs, their implication and said that development doesn’t mean increasing production or providing sufficient health & education facilities merely but this happens by individual development and makes us with positive mindset. He appealed the youths to be value focused, to avoid liquor/drugs and imitation of West. Mr. Girija stated that caste, communalism and regionalism are enemies of freedom required by our youths and women. Practically all religious faiths disseminate the universal message of love, non-violence and truth but communalism hampers our development deeply, he pointed out.

NBJK president has opposed liquor, superstition and said that Building India comprehends some vital aspects like adequate employment, health, education, agro/small industries, thrust over individual scheme, guaranteed price for farmers’ products, rational mechanization and promotion of private sector intervention to run schools or health centers. The colloquium was much live and students have asked several questions addressed by Mr. Girija Satish.