Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Cell of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) organized an expert session under the Student Induction Program to sensitize newly admitted undergraduate students and those enrolled in the Community Engagement and Social Responsibility, a value-added course about rural development and social responsibility initiatives.
Mrs. Jeyoti Kaul, Outreach Assistant, IIT Jammu, delivered an expert talk on the Scope of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), highlighting its objectives, activities, and the process of village adoption under the initiative. She emphasized that UBA, an important program of the Ministry of Education (formerly MHRD), aims to involve higher educational institutions in the process of holistic rural development, thereby strengthening the social responsibility of academia towards the community.
SMVDU has adopted five villages in the vicinity of the University under the umbrella of UBA to address local challenges and contribute to their sustainable development.
Dr. Bharat Bhushan Jindal, Coordinator, UBA-SMVDU, appreciated the insightful talk delivered by Mrs. Kaul and assured the Regional Coordinating Institute (RCI), IIT Jammu, that SMVDU would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the success of UBA by contributing effectively towards the upliftment of rural residents and addressing their pressing concerns. In her concluding remarks, Mrs. Kaul also assured full support from RCI, IIT Jammu, to SMVDU whenever and wherever required.
UBA Cell members Dr. Sunny Kumar Sharma and Dr. Amit Kumar Sinha also actively participated in organizing the event. Student members Ms. Rydhm Rajput, Mr. Akarshan Sanmotra, Ms. Saloni Singh, Ms. Bhaavna, and Ms. Anooshi Wangoo also attended the event.
The event was well-organized and smoothly coordinated by the UBA Cell, SMVDU. Nearly 450 students actively engaged in the discussion, showing strong interest in rural transformation and social responsibility. The session offered valuable guidance to students, inspiring them to link classroom learning with real-world issues and to contribute positively to nation-building.
