from Divvy Kant Upadhyay, Manipal
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (GA)

Udupi, Oct 20: "One of the most important roles of a University apart from teaching, learning and research is to contribute to the community", said dean of KMC Manipal, Dr Sripati Rao congratulating students of the KMC International Centre on organizing a 6-kilometre walk to raise money for AIDs patients who cannot afford treatment.

Dr Sripati praised the efforts of the organizing committee, MSAID, which consisted majority of PIOs and NRIs pursuing their education at Manipal. "Foreign students taking such initiatives for the social benefit of the people of Karnataka is worth appreciation", he said.

Saurav from WGSHA Hotel Administration School won the race. The students managed to raise Rs 55,000 from the sales of T Shirts and a collection drive. Expressing its solidarity with the effort of the student community, the Manipal Foundation announced a matching grant, thus raising the entire amount collected to surplus of Rs 1 lac.

The students group, MSAID, hopes to start a new fund with the collected amount to help the poor patients suffering from AIDS in a number of ways.

Dr Poornima Baliga, dean of KMC-IC, mooted the idea to encourage several such initiatives and organizations where students get to interact with each other. "Rather than being book worms it is very important that students broaden their horizon with respect to social work and think of ways they can contribute to the underprivileged section of the society," she said.

Last week on the occasion of their annual day, the students of KMC-IC along with the University Trust donated Rs 30,000 to Archana Vittal Trust to help poor patients pay part of their surgery bills at KMC Manipal.