Chandigarh, February 7: Today as part of international exchange programmes of city NGO-Yuvsatta, a senior level three member delegation of officials of Ministry of Youth & Sports, Malaysia led by Ms. Azura Bt. Abidin, Director, International Youth Centre (IYC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia met and interacted with local students at Gurukul Global School and later at Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarh.
Recalling her recent visit to Malaysia with Yusvatta and welcoming the three delegates namely Ms. Azura Bt. Abidin, Director, International Youth Centre (IYC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mrs. Hazila Kamaruddin, Senior executive, International Youth Centre (IYC) & Dr. Mohd. Ghani from Ministry of Youth & Sports, Malaysia, Aruna Bhardwaj, Principal of Gurukul Global School shared that in Malaysia they felt so inspired by the kind of freedom and dignity women enjoy there, by their 1 Malaysia campaign, uniting people of all ethnicity, religious beliefs and origin under one nation that they want to inculcate all these values among their students as well.
At GCG-11, the Malaysian delegation was hosted by NSS Unit of the College and Bikram Singh Rana, State Liaison Officer of NSS, Chandigarh plus Pramod Sharma, Coordinator, Yuvsatta & Sanjay Sharma, Resident Editor of Sunday Gaurdian also joined as guest of honours.
Answering the queries of NSS volunteers at GCG-11 Ms. Azura shared that Indians Students are welcome to study, do jobs & explore Malaysia, which is also known as truly Asia as one can find people & culture from all parts of Asia in Malaysia. And especially this year 2014 has been designated by their Government as ‘Visit Malaysia’ year. In which they also plan to hold a Peace Festival in the month of May, 2014, in which Ms. Azura requested Yuvsatta coordinator Pramod Sharma, to arrange a youth delegation from Chandigarh too for participation and experience sharing. And he suggested that it’ll be better for Yuvsatta to take this time an ‘All Girls Delegation’ from Chandigarh to Malaysia to learn more Malaysia’s women empowerment programme.
Sanjay Sharma added that both India and Malaysia enjoy age old relations and are also connected by various cultural and historical ties that date back to antiquity. He also added that Mr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, the fourth and longest serving Prime Minister of Malaysia was of Indian origin – his father Mr. Mohamad Iskandar was an Indian Muslim who migrated from Kerala province in south India and majority of words in Malay language are derived from Sanskrit, so one can find many similarities in both countries cultures and traditions.
Highlighting the role of NSS in India, Bikram Singh Rana said that this scheme now extends to all the states and universities in the country and covers +2 level also in many states. Students, teachers, guardians, persons in authority in government, universities and colleges/schools and the people in general now realize the need and significance of NSS. It has aroused among the student youth an awareness of the realities of life, a better understanding and appreciation of the problems of the people. NSS is, thus, a concrete attempt in making campus relevant to the needs of the community.
