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Awardees pose with PB Acharya and Temjen Imna Along.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, April 2: The Janjati Shiksha Samiti (JSS) of Nagaland organised a ceremony felicitating meritorious individuals in the field of academics, and sport and music, besides felicitating prominent personalities. The event was conducted with the theme “importance of motivation in education.”
Three students from JSS schools in Dimapur were presented awards by Nagaland Governor PB Acharya. Maithang Langthasa was awarded the Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore award in the field of music; Khasrindi Jidung was awarded the Freedom Fighter Rani Ma Gaidinliu award in the field of academics; and Derjet Phonlo the Dr. Talimeren Ao award for excellence in sports.
Acharya said that the need to change ‘mindset’ was necessary to understand movement forward. “Education empowers the person and knowledge should be applicable to the society,” the governor said in his address to the gathering.
Referring to the language of Hindi being spoken in Nagaland, Acharya said that the content of what is spoken is ‘more important than the language.’ “Vehicle of thought is what matters,” he remarked. He appealed to all that ‘everyone must empower the less privileged people of society and that needs to be the goal of the empowered individuals.’
While acknowledging the resources Nagaland has to offer, he took the example of food processing. He said that such subjects should be taught in schools also.
“Once a student finishes his course, he or she should not be a job seeker but a job giver,” he said.
The minister for higher and technical education Temjen Imna Along also addressed the event. He said that motivation was ‘lacking amongst not just the children in Nagaland but also the teachers and staff.’
“The greatest pillar to make a turnaround in the state is education,” he said. He urged the teachers to take the opportunity to shape students as nation-building tools and be motivated by that thought.
In regard to the new government, the minister urged the gathering to welcome the initiatives of the country to make it a “great nation” while looking forward to an “integral nation.”
Padma Shree for literature and education M Piyong Temjen Jamir, the principal of Rashtrabhasha Hindi Shiksha Sansthan at Padum Pukhuri was also felicitated at the programme. Jamir is regarded as a Hindi scholar and teacher in Nagaland and has taught students to be Hindi teachers.
Apart from the awards, scholarships from the Sona Devi Sethi Charitable Trust were also given away by the minister of Higher and Technical Education, and by Dimapur’s Deputy Commissioner Sushil Kumar Patel.