Gourav Singhal, a final year BTech student from the School of Computer Science and Engineering at Lovely Professional University, has been conferred with the prestigious National Service Scheme Award 2018-19 for his contribution towards society. He was awarded by President Ram Nath Kovind during the Virtual National Service Scheme Awards ceremony held at the Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, recently. Gourav, who is an NSS volunteer and was the only student from a private university to be awarded, was also felicitated by Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
The 21-year-old was among the 32 volunteers selected for the awards from all over the country. Gourav was chosen among the 40 lakh NSS volunteer students of 298 universities and 42 school conclaves and vocational institutions from across the country and he is the youngest from the North Zone. Gourav, who hails from Rohtak, Haryana tells us that he has been interested in social service since school and joined the NSS at LPU in 2017. "My motto is to be able to serve society with the help of technology, I want to connect each and everyone — even the masses from rural areas, who do not have access to smartphones, electricity, the internet currently. I want to create an equitable distribution of technology among people so that the ones who do not have access now can use it too and that will lead to the betterment of our society," quips Gourav.
NSS volunteers work on issues of social relevance which include literacy and education, health, family welfare and nutrition, environment conservation, social service programmes, rescue and relief during calamities. To promote the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative started by the government, he has conducted at least a hundred awareness campaigns through poems and nukkad nataks (street plays). "I wish to bring a change to society. To make sure that women are respected and every girl child is born and has access to education," he adds.
Gourav has also conducted over 150 yoga and spirituality camps in Rohtak and Jhajjar districts of Haryana. He began learning yoga since he was in Class III and eventually began teaching children in his district to provide emphasis to the benefits of practising it at an early age. "I wanted to create awareness among children that yoga can improve their health. It also helped me increase my concentration levels. I got a chance to meet Swami Ramdev a few years ago too and we celebrate International Yoga Day every year in our district. It strengthens our immune system and makes us healthy," he adds.
Gourav has numerous feathers in his cap already. He also worked extensively with other NSS volunteers for the Swachh Bharat Mission through rallies and cleanliness drives in Haryana and Punjab. "LPU has adopted at least 10 villages nearby where we organise camps, social activities on girls' education and women empowerment," he says. Gourav started an initiative where his fellow members and other youngsters can spare two hours in the evening on weekends to visit the slum areas and teach the children there. He adds, "We have also begun computer literacy programmes. We provide the children with meals so that they come to the classes. We get the food from our mess and take it to them during the classes."
Commenting on his achievement, Ashok Mittal, Chancellor, LPU said, "We are extremely proud of Gourav’s achievement. It is not common to have such dedication and commitment to public service at his age. We salute his efforts and will provide him with all the necessary help to continue his mission of creating awareness towards social initiatives."
