Award Orientation for Teachers and Students

The NAA Team comprising Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager) and Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT & ORB) visited Kasiga School, Dehra Dun on 8th October 2018. After the formal interaction and discussion with Nakul Raibahadur (Award Leader), the team delivered an orientation to the teachers and mentors. Nine teachers had attended the orientation session. In the late evening, the team delivered an orientation session for the students of grade 9 to 12, which was attended by over 150 students. After the session, there was a Question and Answer round where the students got answers to their queries.

A great experience, etched in our memories forever!

Sixteen Gold Award participants accompanied by two mentors went for a 5-day Residential Project to Shuklapur from 26th to 30th September 2016. The project involved constructing of two bio gas plants and exposure to the farm life of the villagers in Shuklapur village. Vinayak Agarwal, a Gold Award participant sharing his experience with us.

“Over the next five days, you will undergo pressure and not the laid-back physical attitude which a layman can withstand, but one which will strain you and engross your minds to an unimaginable extent.” This was our seemingly peculiar introduction to the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO). The following five days, our two mentor teachers Mr. R. Srikanth and Mr. P. Chaturvedi and we, experienced the substantiation of the aforementioned statements.

The first day we had an introduction to the Padma Shri Awardee Mr. Anil Prakash Joshi, in which he expressed his dissatisfaction about the way developed or developing countries were striving for economic prowess, notwithstanding the fact that the very foundation on which all of their economics lies, is agriculture. India, despite being an agrarian society, had turned oblivious to its invaluable backbone, he said, and with this, we strive to do much more than any other could have, in the given time frame.

On our tour of the Isotope Hydrology Centre and HESCO, we came across a multitude of attention-grabbing things but all of them seem to diminish compared to what lay ahead. The task at hand was to construct two bio gas tanks. All we had was some basic tools and two experienced guides. On arrival at the village, which we had reached scurrying past lush meadows, we were greeted by the warmhearted residents. The task unpredictably turned out to be a very meticulous one, for it required the holes, drills, and cuts to be made at precise locations, which if dealt carelessly, could result in the wastage of two precious resources -- time and money. This tank would be utilized by the villages for household work, such as using the gas in stoves instead of LPG. The tank puts to use the otherwise wasted organic material and slurry and, over a period of days, turns it into bio gas. Through means of anaerobic fermentation, in a sealed enclosure, the methane gas is produced. What’s more is that the remnants in the tank can be used as organic manure. Two of these particular constructions were done within two days, discounting the request of our guides to ‘go slow’. The remaining task now was basic manual work related to agriculture. However, on ground, the work was physically excruciating, to say the least. Nonetheless, with the division of work among 16 Award participants, four pastures were converted into garden farms, which were to be utilized by the villages to grow subsistence for their daily needs.

All through this, we had lively interactions with the villagers through which we got to know a lot about life in a village. The ever so welcome attitude of theirs, not to mention the food back at the camp, had made us feel at home. Moreover, the team at HESCO with their heart-warming approach and far reaching outlook gave us a sense of satisfaction, for it was because of such people that one could have an experience so great that it is worth being etched in our memories forever.

Adventurous Journey Orientation Camp for Award Leaders / Assessors

The National Award Authority is organising a three-day Adventurous Journey Orientation Camp for Award Leaders and Assessors at Maldeota Village, Dehra Dun from 26th - 28th November 2015.  This three-day programme is designed to deliver the theme and essence of the Adventurous Journey section to Award Leaders and Assessors.  The focus will be on explaining the Award's requirements with respect to this section and updating the Award Leaders about the new developments in the Award. The programme includes an interactive presentation on the Expedition and Exploration Manual, in which the Technical and Integrated Skills will be discussed.  The three-day programme will include lots of field activities related to the Adventurous Journey along with sessions on team building and safety measures.  There are limited seats and availability is on a first come first served basis.  Please check the detailed itinerary here. 

Life After Gold

Arunish Singh, Gold Award Holder from Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun sharing his experience during his Award Journey for all three levels.

Don't live life as it is meant to be lived.  Change its course to the harsh and the mildest of conditions and you will see the wonders of life! I have always been actively involved in all spheres of my school life. IAYP was one of them and I must say the experience has been very enriching. Even on having achieved the Gold Award of the International Award for Young People I do not feel content. I say so because during the past three years I have worked to achieve these three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards; I have been from the harshest climatic conditions during my Adventurous Journey trek to the harshest human conditions during my Service. The Skill and Physical Recreations were not something I was compelled to do. I was blessed to be in one of the nation's finest schools, Welham Boys' where all the criteria to be an Award holder of the IAYP did not make us take a harsh route.

The school trained us from the very beginning to be involved in all spheres of life primarily because it's a boarding school. Day boarders and people who are not a part of such institutes might have found it very difficult to achieve the IAYP standards. This Award gave me an objective to work upon. And still there is so much to learn and so much to conquer.

IAYP helps us embark on a journey of learning and discovery which takes us beyond the classroom. And indeed teaches us all the values and qualities of a gentleman and a good human being that we are meant to learn in a class. Our mentor Mr. Laxman Singh who introduced the IAYP to our school motivated us immensely. With his support we always worked beyond the time limit because he taught us on our journey to accomplish the Awards that the Award should not be our main objective; the learning will eventually help us shape our future and guide us through the storms of life. In the words of Mark Twain he taught us that "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream. Discover."

Special Project -- Adventurous Journey Camp

A report on the Silver level Special Projects Adventurous Journey camp, organised at Inside Passage campsite situated in the lower Himalayas, from 29th March to 1st April 2015.

A group comprising 43 Award aspirants from NAZ foundation (33 girls + 7 boys) and Open Award Centre (2 boys + 1 girl) along with five escorts and mentors, took part in an Adventurous Journey held on 29th March to 1st April 2015, at Inside Passage Camp at Maldevta Village, Dehra Dun. The team left Delhi by bus on 28th March for Dehra Dun and reached the campsite on 29th morning.  The camp activities started after breakfast with a session by Bivujit Mukhtoy, Programme Manager, IAYP. The campers took part in different types of activities during the four days. The instructors of ICNL and Inside passage took theoretical and practical classes on mountain ethics, camp manners, mountain hazards and their solutions, rock climbing, rappelling, shelter-making, survival, jungle walk, cave exploration, river crossing, trekking, fire making, Spider Web, knot-making and the use of different mountain gear and equipment. Under the guidance of instructors, the participants completed all the practical sessions successfully. The participants also received training on Bird Watching with the Award Participants of Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun, who were participating in the State Bird Watching Camp for their Residential Project.  A campfire was organized on 31st March evening. The camp experience helped the Special Project Adventurous Journey participants enhance their self-confidence,  self-reliance, leadership skills, and ability to work as part of a team. They gained the appropriate knowledge and skills to make an Adventurous Journey successful and improved their investigating, reviewing, planning and presentational skills.  Click for pictures

Award Leader Orientation Workshop at Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun

The National Award Authority organised a one-day Award Leader Orientation workshop at the Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun on 30th January 2015.  The training sessions covered the four pillars of the Award i.e. Physical Recreation, Skills, Service and Adventurous Journey. Other topics like Residential Project, Award Branding and Safety issues were conducted by National Director Kapil Bhalla and Bivujit Mukhoty, Programme Manager.  Priyank Kumar Gupta, Head IT & ORB delivered a session on Online Record Book. The workshop was attended by 38 participants from the host school.  Click for pictures

Award Leader Training Workshop at Selaqui International School, Dehra Dun

The National Award Authority organized a National Award Leader Training Workshop at Selaqui International School, Dehra Dun on September 19-20, 2014. The sessions coveredthe four pillars of the Award i.e. Physical Recreation, Skills, Service & Adventurous Journey, Residential Project, Award Branding and Safety issues were conducted by Kapil Bhalla, National Director; Bivujit Mukhoty, Programme Manager and Priyank Kumar Gupta, member National Training Panel. 

The workshop was attended by twenty-three participants from Jodhamal Public School, Woodstock School, Inside Passage, Shri Ram Centennial School, Welham Boys' School, Unison World School, The Aryan School, Maa Anandmayee Memorial School, Hopetown Girls' School, Doon International School, Cambrian Hall, DPS, Vidyut Nagar and Bajaj Institute of Learning for the Deaf. The workshop completion certificates were presented to the Award Leaders by Rashid Sharfuddin, Headmaster, Selaqui International School. Click for pictures

Purkal Youth Development Society - Creating change agents in Rural India

The Purkal Youth Development Society (PYDS) is a registered charity dedicated to enhancing the lives of disadvantaged rural youth through education and empowering women through skill development.

The PYDS program dates back to 1998, when GK Swamy first started tutoring four young students in English and Mathematics in his home. Mr. Swamy with his friends found several sponsors who were willing to fund their formal education and these four children were enrolled into a local English Medium Secondary School. The number of children seeking help swelled and in 2001, 29 students were participating in the sponsorship scheme and coming to Mr. Swamy’s house after school.

Formally launched in 2003, PYDS has grown rapidly and today has over 215 children under its care. Accommodation has moved from the Swamy’s house to a custom-built school campus in 2005.

PYDS provides young people in the rural community around to quality education, mentoring and learning, thus providing hope and control to become of transformational change in their society. This simple effort to provide at least these few underprivileged young people a healthy learning environment, no different from that available at many good schools in India. Young people get a sense of self – esteem and confidence to learn and excel, realize that poverty is nothing to be ashamed of and that they should respect and honor the culture and parentage that they come from. By helping them develop their inner talents and build confidence in their self, PYDS allows young people to overcome such barriers and reach their potential.

PYDS and Young adults: PYDS are committed to helping young adults discover talents and in providing for college education and work experience. Through vocational training and english speaking classes, PYDS successfully provides young adults to acquire knowledge and professional skill to leading professionals in the global market place.

PYDS believes that by strengthening capacities of young peoplethe youth in the community, generations of educated and healthy families can be created in the rural Uttaranchal region.

Most of the parents in this community are barely literate. None of them, even the wealthy few in the village, have had the advantage of a good education. They have therefore little idea of what education means and what it can do to change lives. Sadly, few parents are involved with the lives of their children. In this scenario, we are attempting to provide the example and mentorship that educated parents of successful children provide their children.

We believe that the capability of the families and the community also has an influence on the shaping of the individual. Highly educated and well-placed family and community members can raise the aspirations of future generations. They also act as mentors and role models, and can provide the influence that is often required to help their community access services and a good standard of living. The absence of these influences has made a significant difference in career achievements in this poor community.

Click know what young people at PYDS have to say.