Have lion's heart, Governor tells youths

Nagpur, Aug 20 (UNI) Maharashtra Governor S C Jamir today called upon the youths to ''have a lion's heart'' and tackle every situation in life without fear.

Speaking after inaugurating the 12-day long disaster management training programme, titled ''Avhan'' (The Challenge), for cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) from Maharashtra here this morning, Mr Jamir said the youth must be prepared to fearlessly face any challenge in their own lives as well as in the country. ''You must not be afraid of situations, whether natural disasters like floods and earthquakes, or terrorist attacks,'' he said. ''I want a united, strong, progressive and prosperous India. Be strong and courageous to ensure this,'' he said.

Stressing the need for education, the Governor said that fundamental education must begin at home. ''In Nagaland, the state where I come from, the boys are taught cultivation and to handle the tools of farming, and even to use a gun. The girls are taught to cook, weave and knit,'' he said, adding that parents must teach these simple things to the children so that the family members can fulfil the basic needs.

Mr Jamir said universities, which were institutions of high learning, were sacred places, and that their sanctity must be maintained. Universities must ensure a congenial atmosphere and produce good enlightened citizens, he said.

The country's human resources must be updated to make them competent to compete with the rest of the world, the Governor said.

The system of education must also be re-oriented to give pupils true knowledge and wisdom, so that they could face any challenge in life, he opined.

Earlier, Lt Gen Prakash Chaudhary, Director General, NCC, said the country should always come first for the cadets. In case of a natural or man-made disaster, the cadets must immediately find out what they can do to help alleviate the situation, he said.

Brig Mahesh Mathur, Deputy Director General, NCC Maharashtra, said that in all, 1,050 cadets - 30 from each district in the state - were attending the training, which would conclude on August 31. The platoon from each district consisted of 20 boys and 10 girls, he said.

The training, the second in the annual series started at the initiative of the Governor, was being hosted by the Kavi Kuluguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, based in Ramtek in Nagpur district, Brig Mathur said, adding that the first such training was hosted by Shivaji University in Kolhapur last year.

UNI AB RN VKG1540