‘Indian approach’ best for our students: space hero

The Hindu dated 01 September 2007


CLEAR PERCEPTION: Retired Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma addressing a meeting at Velammal College of Engineering and Technology in Madurai on Thursday.

MADURAI: India’s space hero, Rakesh Sharma, has urged educational institutions to follow the ‘Indian approach’ by inculcating human values among students and see that the culture was protected.

“There used to be moral science subject in my school days which taught about good conduct and opposing corruption. But, today, not enough importance is given to this aspect from the young age itself,” he said.

Mr. Sharma, Resource Person, Aerospace and Defence Business of Parametric Technology Corporation, Bangalore,was delivering the presidential address at the inauguration of Velammal College of Engineering and Technology here on Thursday.

The cosmonaut, who retired as a Wing Commander and a recipient of Ashok Chakra, said that values could not be taught but only ‘lived and demonstrated’ and hence the importance must be imbibed in young minds.

“Know why”

Stating that the demands of a knowledge society would be different, he said that it was time to lay emphasis on ‘know why’ rather than ‘know how.’

“It is our chance now to create intellectual property on our own rather than learning someone else’s,” Mr. Sharma said referring to the time when the Western countries seized the opportunities that came their way.

Anantha Krishna, Chairman, Karnataka Bank, who inaugurated the college, said that parents should ensure that their children who were earning more these days and had more disposable income did not waste money.

On thrift

He pointed out that excess money in hand should not lead to unwanted consumerism but must be saved properly.

The chairman of Velammal Educational Trust, M.V. Muthuramalingam, said that the newly opened engineering college in Madurai was among the 44 institutions in the State in which all seats were filled.

He said that the college had the approval of the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and more buildings would come up in the next 10 months.

M.S. Palanichamy, Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Open University, R.S. Munirathinam, chairman of R. M. K. Group of Institutions, and A. Kanagaraj, chairman, Jaya Group of Institutions, were among those who spoke.

Foundation stone was also laid for Velammal Vidyalaya, a CBSE pattern school, and another residential matriculation school here.