The knowledge and skills acquired through education should be used for the greater good of the society and not for destruction, according to A.S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation and of the Space Commission of the Government of India.
He was speaking at a function where scholarship worth Rs.1.5 crore was disbursed on behalf of Sri Narayani Peedam, Vellore to 800 students hailing from poor families to enable them to pursue higher education under its ‘Vidya Nethram’ scheme.
He said that while the acquisition of knowledge is an important aspect which people have been aiming at traditionally, the moot question today is whether one should acquire knowledge only to improve one’s living standards or to improve the living standards of the society at large.
Given the fact that the knowledge acquired has been abused or used for destruction of society in the past, mere acquisition of knowledge without the wisdom of responsibility in utilising the knowledge for the greater good of the society is no good, he said.
Shripad Yasso Naik, Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare commended the ‘Vidya Nethram’ scheme aimed at providing financial assistance to the students from poor families to enable them to pursue higher studies.
Sri Sakthi Amma, Managing Trustee of Sri Narayani Peedam said that a human being is said to have lived a complete life only when he or she uses his/her success in life to enable fellow human beings to succeed in their lives. Only then his/her success will become history.
Stating that thousands of students have benefited by the ‘Vidya Nethram’ scheme, Sri Sakthi Amma said that the biggest help that these beneficiaries can do to the Peedam was to help a poor student in their community to pursue higher education through financial assistance from their earnings once they complete their education and get jobs. They need not give any money to the Peedam. The Narayani Peedam is continuing to implement the ‘Vidya Nethram’ scheme every year since it firmly believes that social revolution and social reform could be brought about only through education, he said.
Sri Sakthi Amma later distributed the cheques towards scholarship to 800 students from rural areas of Tamil Nadu. They included mostly students who have got admission in medical and engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. M. Kalaiarasu, Anaicut MLA and Nanjil Sampath, orator said that the ‘Vidya Nethram’ scheme is a boon to students from poor families.
