The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Building capacity and empowering students

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 11, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Building capacity and empowering students

Staff Reporter

Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access workshop

AN INSPIRATION: G. Valarmathy receives participation certificate at the valedictory of FAEA workshop from Stella Maris College principal Annamma Philip on Friday. FAEA governing body member V. Mohini Giri is also seen in the picture. — PHOTO: S.S.KUMAR

CHENNAI : Engineering graduate G. Valarmathy, clad in black full skirt and pink blouse, won everyone's hearts by declaring that she had overcome her fear. She is an inspiration for other polio-afflicted students like her who participated in a five-day workshop held at the Stella Maris College.

Wheel chair-bound, Valarmathi lost her parents in an accident at the age of two and was brought up by her grandparents. She studied Electronics and Communications Engineering at Kanchi Pallavan Engineering College in Kancheepuram on a scholarship and is now applying for a master's degree in the same subject.

She was a participant at the Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access (FAEA) sponsored workshop, whose valedictory was held on Friday.

Communication skills

The students at the workshop, chosen from various engineering and arts and science colleges across the State, learnt inter-personal communication skills, participated in group discussions, watched movies and set goals for themselves under guidance of resources persons drawn from various walks of life. In the five years since its inception, FAEA helped empower over 3,000 students across the country, said V. Mohini Giri, its governing body member.

Former vice chancellor of Delhi University V. R. Mehta established the foundation five years ago with the aim of building capacity of poor but academically excellent students pursuing higher education.

The students received a pep talk from FAEA members before the certificates and prizes were distributed.

"You have come here with a dream. The day you say `I have no fear' then you are empowered. As long as you are honest and do your work diligently, there is no need to fear anything," Dr. Giri said.

"India is a complex country with complex problems. We have such diversity in language and people. Qualities like tolerance, acceptability are necessary. You have to learn to contribute to the harmony of the country," she told the students.

FAEA regional coordinator (Tamil Nadu) P. Nagabhushanam said: "If you conquer fear and anger then you can solve your problems."

"We do not stop with just disbursement of scholarship. Our main purpose is to develop social leaders through training. You can also suggest the type of training you require," K. Subash, finance officer of FAEA, told the students.

Stella Maris College principal Annamma Philip and senior faculty of the college participated.

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