The Fact Maker

MAHE Celebrating – Daan Utsav 2021

Bengaluru : Daan Utsav, formerly known as The Joy of Giving Week is a “festival of philanthropy that aims to become a part of the Indian ethos, with the Week being celebrated every year covering Gandhi Jayanti by engaging people through “acts of giving” – money, time, resources, and skills – spanning the corporate, NGO and government sectors, schools, colleges and the general public.

Over the years DaanUtsav have scaled new heights and have been spreading the joy to each part of India.  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is a strong supporter of the idea too, he spoke about it in Mann Ki Baat.

MAHE has been celebrating DaanUtsav for the past 10 years and VSO, under the dynamic leadership of Dr Anup Naha has been facilitating this celebration along with all the constituent institutions. MAHE has been recognized at Pan India among the DaanUtsav community including corporates, NGOs for leading many students in act of Giving and also setting up an example of a model of how community service can be incorporated as part of curriculum in a structured way in a university set up. Even our sister Universities, Manipal University Jaipur and Sikkim Manipal University celebrates Daanutsav.

This year 45+ projects has been planned by the various institutions of MAHE to be executed between Oct 2-8. The projects range from Vastradaan, Gyandaan, Rakthdaan, Annadan, Shoe Collection drive, Stationary drives, Care for Environment, Seva ko Salaam to name a few.

Most of the projects are in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and has been planned in collaboration with reputed NGOs.

This Daanutsav, VSO has initiated “Creativity for Change” in line with Skill India Movement of Government of India. Our university students will be sharing their creative skills in designing posters, video, content writing, handle their social media for rural NGOs across India for their campaigns and fundraisers. The recent National Education Policy 2020 encourages Universities to promote Multidisciplinary and Holistic approach for students learning.

During this entire one week of joy of giving, We at MAHE will be helping the community around and spread happiness, but our students will also inculcate the value of giving and will be engaged in life skills and lifelong learnings through this Daanutsav.

Dr HS Ballal, Pro-Chancellor, MAHE said: “I am happy to mention that this year, Rotary Club of Manipal Town, majority of members are from MAHE is also participating in the Daan Utsav, to create awareness about Child Cancer and raise funds for the treatment of poor Child Cancer patients.  MAHE also matches the funds collected by Rotary Club and gives treatment at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal.

I congratulate and thank all the heads of the institutions & department of MAHE for taking this initiative from the front and encouraging their students, faculty to celebrate Daanutsav. Each VSO faculty coordinators of the respective institutions are acting as a catalyst and giving a shape to the planning and execution of the ideas of the students. I thank all of them for their contribution.

Lastly, I appreciate all the student college coordinators and volunteers of the various institutions of MAHE for celebrating DaanUtsav.”