Bhubaneswar-based educationist and social entrepreneur Dr. Achyuta Samanta is among 15 laureates selected for the prestigious Gusi Peace Prize 2014. The list was announced recently by Gusi Peace Prize International, the Philippines-based awarding foundation. He was selected for the award for his efforts and achievements in “poverty alleviation through education and humanitarianism”, said the announcement.

Dr. Samanta is only the third Indian and first citizen from the eastern seaboard state of Odisha to receive this award since its inception (2002). The Gusi Peace Prize (aka Asia’s Nobel Peace Prize) is awarded after detailed assessment of nominees by an international jury with members from the US, Europe, Australia and Asia with the list of awardees also requiring approval of the Philippines senate.  

Also conferred the EducationWorld Lifetime Achievement 2013 Award in Education Leadership and inducted into the EW Education Hall of Fame, Dr. Samanta is the promoter-director of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (estb. 1993), a free-of-charge K-PG school-cum-college with an enrolment of 22,500 children of marginalised indigenous tribes of Odisha. He is also founder of KIIT University, Bhubaneswar.

Bluemix training platform

The Coimbatore-based Sona College of Technology (SCT, estb. 1997) which has been associated with the US-based IT multinational IBM since 2009, launched IBM’s Bluemix training platform for students in the presence of Robyn Selge, director of ecosystems development (IBM Asia Pacific) and Lawrence Mohanraj, deputy general manager, IBM, India on November 15.

Sona College of Technology was recently conferred the AICTE-CII Award for Best Industry-Institute Interaction in Information Technology/Computer Science in India, 2013. 

“There will be a huge requirement for qualified developers with expertise in Bluemix platforms for building, managing and running applications of all types, such as web, mobile, big data, and smart devices. This platform provides extensive support for  scalability and security,” said Selge, speaking on the occasion.

Added Chocko Valliappa, vice chairman of SCT: “IBM’s Bluemix platform has given opportunities to the young minds of SCT to transform innovative ideas into products and become successful entrepreneurs. With exposure to IBM Bluemix, we expect our students to develop innovative apps for the benefit of society and emerge as winners of the IBM Great Mind Challenge Contest.”

EduSports health & fitness survey

School-going children in India, regardless of age or gender, are heading towards an unhealthy future with lagging health and fitness levels. This is the conclusion of the 5th Annual School Health and Fitness Survey 2014 of the Bangalore-based S.V. EduSports Pvt. Ltd. One of India’s largest sports education companies, EduSports (estb. 2009) has contracted with 400 schools countrywide to deliver sports education services to 300,000 children in 80 cities/towns countrywide.

According to the survey which covered 115,559 children in the 7-17 years age group enrolled in 287 schools in 85 cities across the country, children of all ages show alarmingly poor fitness levels. The survey was built into the co-scholastic curriculum of schools during the academic year 2013-2014 and assessed key health and physical fitness parameters such as anaerobic capacity, flexibility, lower and upper body strength, and BMI (body-mass index), among others.

According to Saumil Majmudar, co-founder and CEO of EduSports, the prime message of this nationwide survey is that schools need to increase the play hours of children. “Lack of health and fitness among such a large number of children yet again proves that physical activity/sports in schools should be viewed as an important part of the curriculum for the overall development of students. There’s urgent need for greater awareness of the importance of play and more time must be allotted for games and sports,” he says.

Ram Bajaj Foundation initiative

The Delhi-based Ram Bajaj Foundation introduced its Shiksha ki unchi udaan (‘The Long flight of Education’) programme in two schools in Churu, Rajasthan, viz, Shri Jain Bal Vihar and Shri Jain Ucch Vidyalaya, in early November. The objective of the programme is to empower students by developing their decision-making and communication skills, and self-confidence.

On the occasion, the foundation’s representatives presented a student motivation and skills development programme to more than 600 students in Hindi and English through explanatory audio visual presentations. “The presentation was very informative. The students were very happy with the programmes and we would appreciate more such programmes,” commented Ms. Vijaylaxmi, principal of the state board affiliated Shri Jain Bal Vihar School.

According to Dr. Ram Bajaj, chairperson of the foundation, the programme is proposed to be rolled out in smaller districts of Rajasthan including Naguar and Hanumangarh in addition to Churu and will foster skills development and career awareness within students. “We would like students to take full advantage of these programmes. We are confident these soft skills development programmes will complement their formal education,” says Bajaj.