Make NSS, Scouts and Guides mandatory for students to get degrees: Vice President  

The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has called the educational institutions to make it mandatory for students to undertake social service or service in armed forces or voluntary organizations like NSS, Scouts and Guides for being conferred with their degrees. Participating in social service or enrolling in such services would help them inculcate the feeling of oneness, nationalism, Social consciousness, he said.

Addressing the valedictory celebrations of the Birth Centenary Celebrations of Shri Deenadayalu Naidu, the Vice President asked students to draw inspiration from the visionary leader and the committed nationalist. He has also suggested the educational institutions to incorporate moral science classes in schools.

Expressing displeasure over the depleting values in public life, the Vice President stressed the need to elect responsible public representatives with calibre, capacity and conduct. India needs committed leaders with a clean record to fight social evils like poverty, illiteracy, violence and others. They must be responsive to the needs and sufferings of the people and ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach the poorest of the poor, he added.

Highlighting the ill effects of climate change, the Vice President called for a constructive action plan to preserve and protect the nature. Governments, public representatives and the young people of the scout and guide movement should work towards empowering rural communities to conserve water, he added.

The Governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai Rudhabhai Vala, the Minister for Cooperation, Government of Karnataka, Shri Bandeppa Kasampur and officials, members and over a hundred students associated with the Bharat Scouts and Guides movement, members of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike District Association were present on the occasion.

VP Naidu said, “It is a pleasure to be here on the occasion of the valedictory of the birth centenary celebrations of Shri Deen Dayal Naidu, a visionary leader and a committed nationalist. Born in a reputed family, Shri Naidu completed his schooling from St. Joseph’s European High School and graduated from. St Joseph’s College, Bangalore in 1942. The leader in him began to take shape during his college days when he was elected as the Vice-President of the St. Joseph’s College Union.”

He joined the Indian National Congress in 1942 and was closely associated Gandhiji, Nehru, Chakravarthi, Rajgopalachari, K. Kamaraj, Nijalingappa, Jagajivan Ram and many other leaders during the freedom movement. He actively participated in the Quit India Struggle and was imprisoned on two occasions. He carried the spirit of freedom with him wherever he went and was chosen as the President of the Freedom Fighters Association, Bangalore, a position he retained until his death.

While studying law at Law College, Pune, he was chosen as a candidate to contest municipal elections by the Bangalore District Congress Committee and was unanimously elected to the post. He completed Law in 1945 and became a Member of the Karnataka Bar Council and took up active practice from 1947.  He was a nominated Member to the Legislative Assembly in 1948 and was later elected to the Legislative Assembly (1957-1962) from the Cubbonpet Constituency. He also held the posts of Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Corporation of the City of Bangalore.”

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 Naidu was also appointed as Chairman of City Improvement Trust Board, (C.I.T.B)– Present Bangalore Development Authority– in 1959. He was mainly responsible for the Development of Greater Bangalore.

Sri V.P. Deenadayalu Naidu has an impressive record of Public Service in Scouting and Guiding. Starting as Rover Scout during his college days in 1942, he served the Scouting Movement for over six decades. He held many important positions before reaching the highest position of Chief Executive- State Chief Commissioner of The Bharat Scouts and Guides, Karnataka and held the post continuously for 10 Years (1983-1993).

He was responsible for the merger of the different Scout and Guide Associations in the country to form the present United Bharat Scouts and Guides. He shared his passion for the Scouting Movement with Sri Kondajii Basappa, who was his guide and mentor and together their contribution was invaluable to the movement. His association with other pioneers in the movement helped Karnataka reach the pinnacle of Scouting and Guiding.

He also appointed as Deputy Chief Commissioner (Scout), India and was elected as National Commissioner, the Bharat Scouts and Guides, India, the highest position in the movement and served from 1992 to 1995. During his tenure as National Commissioner, he travelled all over India and motivated all the State Associations to promote Development of Scouting and Guiding.

The National Adventure Institute of the Bharat Scouts and Guides, at Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, was established during his tenure which continues to be the leading Training Institute for the Movement even today.

He received the Highest National Award– Silver Elephant Award of the Bharat Scouts and Guides in recognition of his outstanding service to the Movement.

In recognition of his selfless service as a freedom fighter and to the Scouting Movement, the Karnataka Government conferred the prestigious “Kannada Rajyothsava Award” in 1995. He served in Rotary for over 30 years and was recognized by Rotary International with highest award of “Service Above Self”.

Other important positions held by him were President, Karnataka State Council for Child Welfare, Senior Member, Bar Association of Karnataka, Founder and Correspondent of Yogeshwara Nanda High School a Branch of Ramakrishna Ashram.

Because of his association with the Scouting Movement, he had traveled far and wide, including to U.K., U.S.A., Canada, Germany, France, Thailand, Australia, China and Japan. I am happy to know that with such a committed career, he also had a happy family life.

He left his earthly abode in 1998.  Shri Naidu might not be with us today. But the legacy he left behind continues to live and inspire us. It is often said that the key to immortality is to lead a life worth remembering. In that sense, Shri Naidu has truly been immortalized.

He was a nationalist, a freedom fighter, a leader, an able administrator, a talented sportsman and above all, a genuine humanist who believed in the potential of the youth. The Bharat Scouts and Guide movement plays a crucial role in inculcating discipline among the young people and contributes to their education through a value system. The movement in India owes its current stature and achievements to Naidu in no small measure.

I hope that the young boys and girls of the movement would always remember, cherish and seek inspiration from Naidu’s outstanding work.  Such qualities of self-service are needed in the present times than ever before and I appeal to young boys and girls to devote some of their time in helping the needy and vulnerable sections of the society. They could make a difference to lives of the poor through community development, environment, health and education, among others.

I am happy to know that the Vision Statement of Bharat Scouts and Guides seeks to make it by 2024 a globally visible, self-reliant premium youth movement that will be gender-balanced, vibrant and responsive to trends.

It also seeks to provide young people with value-based, attractive and challenging youth programme, through competent leaders, effective communication, optimum use of technology and efficient management.

I wish the movement all the very best.