Good Deeds That Got Rewarded

Good Deeds That Got Rewarded

KOZHIKODE: Life was not a cakewalk for Shajin K S, a final year BSc Computer Science student at the College of Applied Sciences, IHRD. His decisions, his skills and his actions are all the result of a life led the hard way.

A software engineer aspirant by choice and a social worker by passion, Shajin received the award as the Best NSS Volunteer, out of the 14 volunteers shortlisted in Kerala on Wednesday, from Minister for Education P K Abdu Rabb.

“I was not expecting an award for any of the work I volunteered for. This came as a surprise and I learnt I have been shortlisted from a news report,” says an elated Shajin, who just returned back home from Thiruvananthapuram after receiving his award.

Shajin was introduced to the world of social work during his first year in college.

“I did not know about the NSS nor did I take a membership in it back then. Initially, I started as a volunteer for certain social work groups without any membership. Once I joined the NSS, I got plenty of opportunity to serve people,” he reminisces. He is currently the NSS volunteer captain in his college.

Shajin was selected from a whooping number of 2 lakh students who are volunteers with various NSS units in universities, technical cell, higher secondary schools and vocational higher secondary schools across the state. Shajin is also a volunteer and a core committee member with ‘Heart Beats Foundation,' an organisation involved in blood donation awareness programmes and campaigns. “I donate blood regularly. Even in my campus I am the ‘go to' person for all my friends and fellow students when it comes to blood donation.

Out of the many camps he has volunteered for, one of his most memorable caps is the ‘Gothra Jyothi,' where they had to teach people belonging to the Scheduled Tribe category about skill and personality development. Says Shajin, "I was part of the unit that took class for nearly 100 people belonging to the ST category. It was after that camp that most of our perception about people belonging to that category changed. There were people who were postgraduate degree holders and many of them were well-educated."

The visit to the children's home at Vellimadukunnu is yet another most memorable camp for Shajin. The students of the home were given classes in basic computer applications. “Most of the children there did not know how to operate a computer. So we prepared a syllabus for them in basic operation, paint and MS office. I take classes for students selected from the camp held at the children's home, even today,” he says.

When asked about his future plans, Shajin says, “I would definitely wish to start an organisation to help and serve others. But, at present I have no financial backing for something like that. Besides, I also wish to pursue MCA, but I have to provide financial support to my family as well, so I also hope I will get through in any of the placement interviews that will take place on the campus.”

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