Student Orientation and Induction Program (Day 4 – Session 2)

Day 4: Session 2 – 11th August, 2023 [12:15 PM – 01:15 PM]

Topic – Holistic Development

Speaker: Dr. Uday Nawalekar

Dr. Uday Nawalekar, the Principal at Abasaheb Parvekar College, Yavatmal, was cordially welcomed by Dr. A. S. Tale, Head of the Applied Sciences and Humanities Department, who honoured him with a memento and a shawl as tokens of respect. He initiated the session by expressing gratitude for the invitation and introduced the topic of holistic development.

To illustrate the concept of a machine, a short clip from the movie “3 Idiots” was played, which triggered a discussion on its definition. He engaged the students by asking them to describe a machine in their own words, highlighting the contrast between simple language and technical terminology. He then talked about taking care of our bodies and shared stories of how he overcame physical challenges. He stressed the idea that staying active through daily exercise is really important for our health and encouraged the students to make studying a top priority in their lives.

Drawing inspiration from the choices of being Kabir (a saint) or Kuber (the god of wealth), he encouraged students to aim for financial success alongside personal growth. He elaborated on the importance of investing the initial 25 years of life in hard work rather than mere enjoyment. He encouraged the students to think creatively and shared instances from the arts domain to highlight the widespread presence of mental creativity. He then pushed them to break conventional patterns of thinking by presenting a complex problem and urging them to propose imaginative solutions. This emphasized the idea that thinking outside the box is a powerful tool to solve practical problems in the real world.

Shifting to spiritual development, he initiated a discussion on belief in God. He shared his personal transformation from atheism to belief, offering his story as a lesson in learning from experiences. He emphasized the importance of selflessness by recounting the story of Nandan Nilekani and encouraged students to actively participate in acts of giving.

Environmental consciousness emerged as another aspect of holistic development, highlighted through his experiences in Germany. He invoked Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” as inspiration, urging students to make a difference by taking unconventional paths. He shared a quote by William Shakespeare, “Work more, know more, expect less,” encouraging students to embrace a humble and continuous learning mind-set.

He concluded by sharing anecdotes about the importance of money, employability in a global context, and personal growth. He ended the session by narrating a motivational story that left the students inspired and thoughtful about their own holistic development journey.