The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : “Confidence is crucial for achieving success”

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

“Confidence is crucial for achieving success”

Staff Reporter

International Award for Young People programme in India is said to be instilling confidence in students

The IAYP in India seeks to recognise students of the Commonwealth member-countries, who have no other avenues for success

Photo: M. Karunakaran

WORD OF APPRECIATION: ADGP (Administration) Letika Saran hands over a certificate to a participant of the IAYP programme, at the Olcott Memorial High School in Chennai recently. —

CHENNAI: Confidence is crucial to achieving success, and that’s what the International Award for Young People (IAYP) programme in India develops in students, according to P.S. Srikant, Secretary for the IAYP South Zone Award Authority.

He was speaking at an awards distribution ceremony recently at the Olcott Memorial High School here, in which 105 students received certificates in the bronze, silver, and gold levels of the programme.

Along with nine others from south India, former Olcott student R. Radha, gold winner from the Madras School of Social Work, will represent all the South Zone’s gold level awardees in Delhi on April 20 when she meets Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, he said.

The award is unique because it does not involve competition between students; rather, it assesses how individual candidates meet four qualifications. Students in the 14-25 age group must develop an intellectual, technical, or artistic skill, provide community service, undertake an expedition, and engage in a recreational physical activity for 6 to 18 months, depending on the level for which they are applying. They must also complete a five-day residency in an unfamiliar place, a trip which is usually financed by IAYP itself.

Those who get the award usually gain a sense of confidence and self-motivation that compel them to continue working hard, Mr. Srikant said, because it is with that vision that the programme was initially conceived.

Established in 1956 by Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, known as the IAYP in India, seeks to recognise students of the Commonwealth member-countries who may otherwise have no avenue for success. With the aim of setting children on the “right track,” the award provides children motivation to continue pursuing their dreams and developing their talents, he added.

Letika Saran, Additional Director-General Police (Administration), who was the chief guest, urged the students to adopt a positive approach and not to be discouraged as they are young. “Teachers can tell you how to do things, but you can go tell the world,” she said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu