Wednesdays are eagerly awaited by students of The American College. It is a day when they take a short break from the logarithmic textbooks and grab some extra ‘gyan' under a tree in the garden or over a cup of chai in one of the seminar halls. It is part of an exercise of the American College Students' Study Circle, which conducts weekly discussions on wide range of topics apart from the regular syllabus. “It is aimed at exposing students to practical knowledge, honing their soft skills and training them towards life as a whole” says C. Muthuraja, Associate Professor of Economics and Advisor of the study circle.
On one such session last Wednesday, patriotic fervour charged the entire hall where a 40- minutes-documentary on the Border Security Force was screened. Named ‘Sarhad ke Rakshak', the film talked about the 1971 war at Hussainiwala border, Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the BSF's role in protecting the nation.
“I feel every one of us should know how the jawans sacrifice their life guarding our country's border. Youth especially from southern districts like Madurai are unaware of or are not much interested in defence related jobs and opportunities” says Muthuraja, “On my first visit to the Attari-Wagah Border, I came across two jawans from Usilampatti and Thirupachethi and another time I met one from Sholavandan. I felt proud that there is someone at the border from our region too.”
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The retreat ceremony at the Wagah border and the title song by A.R.Rehman, ‘Hum hain khade seema par' awakened the Indian in all those watching it while scenes on the Delhi-Lahore bus and Samjhauta Express initiated impromptu discussion on trade relations between neighbouring countries and the concept of borderless societies to the fore. As the topic branched into socialism, cultural boundaries, nation building and youth empowerment, many sons of the soil were already ready to become part of the sena and guard the nation.
“Youth are full of energy and we just try to put them on the right track ” said Muthuraja.