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Great things can be achieved when hearts come together

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Poster

Dateline Dehradun: Star performer Shekinah Mukhiya and her team put together a musical evening at the Founder’s Day celebrations of The Doon School, Dehradun. The fact that made this performance stand out amongst others was the fact that it aimed to provide financial support to the Bich Pawak Primary School, in the Kalimpong district of West Bengal.

The musical performance was much appreciated as the team received support from all quarters for their “Gift A Future” Fundraising Campaign. The campaign though modest in its monetary achievements, stood as a testament to the power of unity and empathy, transcending geographical boundaries.

Shekinah Mukhiya, along with her dedicated team, extended their gratitude to the Headmaster and The Doon School community for the opportunity to make sure that the noble initiative was a success.

“We are truly thankful to The Doon School for providing us with this platform to make a difference,“Shekinah expressed, “and we hope that this is just the beginning of a lasting partnership. The future holds infinite possibilities, and together, we can help secure a brighter future for the children of Bich Pawak Primary School. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for this opportunity, and we are excited to see how far our collective efforts can take us.

The “Gift A Future” campaign, is a humble beginning that bears testament to the power of compassion, community, and collective action. In a world that is often divided by borders, the initiative serves as a shining example of how a shared commitment and vision towards education for all can transcend boundaries and make a positive impact on the lives of those less fortunate.

As Shekinah Mukhiya and the team moves forward with their mission, they carry with them the enduring support and goodwill of The Doon School, ensuring that the flame of hope continues to burn brightly for the children of Bich Pawak Primary School in Kalimpong.

In a world that often seems increasingly distant, this act of kindness serves as a reminder that when hearts come together, great things can be achieved.

SRHU raises awareness about substance abuse amongst students

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Dateline Dehradun: The admission team of Swami Rama Himalayan University (SRHU), Jollygrant, is raising awareness about the harms of addictive substances in collaboration with the Community Medicine Department of the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS). They are providing information to students on a regular basis.

On 13th October they visited Kendriya Vidyalaya BHEL, Haridwar, and spoke about the adverse effects of consuming addictive substances. SRHU’s admission team is conducting awareness campaigns for students in the region and nearby schools and taking on social responsibility proactively. In this effort, a seminar on awareness was organized at Central University BHEL, Haridwar, where a large number of students participated.

Dr. Ashok Shrivastav and Dr. Chirag, the heads of the Community Medicine Department at HIMS, provided students with detailed information about the consumption of addictive substances and their negative effects. It is reported that 13% of individuals worldwide who use addictive substances suffer from substance-related disorders. Furthermore, in one of the sessions, Shivani from the admission cell also conducted career counseling for the students.

Students VoW the audience at its Children Vertical

By: Shivang Yadav

The Valley of Words/Shabdavali International Literature and Arts Festival, within the domain of its Children’s Literature program dedicated a one day event to its five shortlisted authors, 2023 under the Children Literature Category hosted by Himjyoti School institutional partner for the vertical.

Nine esteemed schools from Dehradun: Brooklyn School, Doon International School, Himjyoti School, Greenwood Hills, Mondrian House, Mount Fort Academy, The Oasis School, SummerHills International School, and Tons Bridge School actively engaged in the one day event.

The proceedings commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by the esteemed Chief Guest for the event, Mr. Bharat Jyoti, Director IGNFA, Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, Festival Director, Ms Rashmi Chopra Chairperson VoW, Curator Ms. Jyoti Dhawan & Ruma Malhotra, Principal of Himjyoti school.

Creative book reading sessions included reading, reciting, puppeteering and enactments with props that brought to life VoW shortlisted books: “The Girl Who Climbed Mountains” by Lavanya Karthik, “Jhupli’s Honey Box” by Achintyarup Ray, “Hum Jungle Ke Jagar Magar” by Raj Shekhar, “Where Is Molly?-I must smell everything by Natasha Sharma and “The Monster Who Couldn’t Climb a Tree” by Tanya Majumdar.

Alongside an array of activities designed around the shortlisted books such as Book Review, Crossword and Book reading/enactment. The students showcased remarkable performances that captivated the attendees including parents, grandparents, principals and teachers. There were one-on-one sessions with the three authors moderated and curated by students of Himjyoti School.

Thanking the young students, VoW authors, the host Himjyoti School and curator of the event Jyoti Dhawan, Dr Sanjeev Chopra, Festival Director said, “Thank you for an absolutely wonderful interaction and free exchange of ideas. It’s not just very important for the children but everybody present here today. We take something new with us every time we have one such event”.

Mr. Rakesh Oberoi, briefly addressed the audience and spoke about how Himjyoti School came into existence and how it was a dream for his close friend and the former Governor of Uttarakhand, Mr. Sudarshan Agarwal. “It is very difficult to describe him but he had a lot of love, a lot of passion and compassion for everybody. He could not see anyone in trouble”, he said while talking about the former governor.

Shri. Shiv Kumar Aggarwal also congratulated Himjyoti School and the Vow team for organising such a special event for the young minds.

With each passing year, the VoW Children Vertical has seen a growing number of schools and students coming forward to participate in the event which is curated keeping young students in mind with the aim to nurture fun and excitement of learning through storytelling.

In its third year running, VoW|Shabdavali thanks its institutional partner Himjyoti School and its staff, the participating schools and its teachers, young tweens for joining VoW|Shabdavali in its vision of aspiring and inspiring young minds to the enchantment of written words and the boundless creativity that springs from the pages of literature.

And the winners under the performances based on the shortlisted books are:

The Girl who Climbed Mountains
– Doon International School

where is Molly ? I must smell everything
– Mondrian High School

Hum Jungle ke jagar magar
– Mount Fort Academy

The Monster who could not climb the Tree
– Tons Bridge School

Jhupli’s Honey Box
– Mount Fort Academy

CIIE-Gold Award for Swami Rama Himalayan University

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SRHU Campus

Swami Rama Himalayan University (SRHU) Jollygrant was awarded the CIIE-Gold Award 2023 by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in the “Green Practices Award” service category. The university, achieved the honor of being the first and only institution in North India in this category. Chancellor Dr. Vijay Dhasmana, emphasized the significance of receiving the “Gold Award” and how it recognizes the institution’s commitment to creating a sustainable future.

SRHU has established itself as a model university in the fields of education, health, and social development, focusing on eco-friendly activities, energy conservation, water preservation, and environmental protection. The campus spans approximately 200 acres, implementing various initiatives like waste management and large-scale tree plantation drives.

The university has also set up a plastic bank to promote recycling of single-use plastic, contributing to the reduction of plastic waste. Additionally, SRHU conducts awareness campaigns and tree planting drives to educate future generations about environmental conservation.

Furthermore, SRHU has initiated the use of electric vehicles for official purposes within the campus, reducing fuel consumption and promoting environmental sustainability. They have also established a paper recycling unit to reuse used paper for various purposes like envelopes, cards, and file covers.

Recognizing the growing problem of electronic waste (e-waste) worldwide, SRHU has established an e-waste storage facility on its campus to address this issue. This facility plays a crucial role in proper e-waste disposal and recycling.

The university has achieved a significant milestone in energy conservation, with 16% of its electricity demand being met through solar energy. This accomplishment has led to a reduction of approximately 1455 tons of carbon emissions, setting a record for any institution in Uttarakhand.

In addition to these efforts, SRHU has been actively involved in water conservation and purification projects, supplying clean drinking water to remote villages in 26 Indian states. The institution has been named a sector partner and a main resource center (KRC) by the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Water Power Ministry) for the “Har Ghar Jal Yojana” (Every Home Water Plan), reflecting its dedication to water conservation.

The university also operates a sewage treatment plant (STP) with a capacity to treat 7 lakh liters of water daily, which is then used for irrigation and gardening on the campus. Plans are underway to use this treated water for sanitation purposes as well.

Receiving the CII-Gold Award is a significant achievement as it recognizes SRHU’s dedication to meeting high-quality standards in various areas, including water conservation, energy conservation, and environmental protection, which are considered challenging criteria for this prestigious award , averred the Chancellor SRHU Dr Vijay Dhasmana.

Swami Rama Himalayan University represented at Annual Meeting of European Thyroid Association

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Dr Nikku Yadav, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, represented SRHU at the 45th Annual Meeting of European Thyroid Association (ETA), at Milan, Italy. The University of Milan hosted the 45th Annual Meeting of European Thyroid Association (ETA) from September 9th to 12th September, 2023.

The meeting initiated by local organizing committee Milan, was chaired by Laura Fugazzola and Luca Persani. They informed that the ETA Annual Meeting in Milan was being held for the second time after 1999.

‘Oral Session 1 Highlights in Thyroidology: in Memory of Jacques Dumont’ was conducted at the onset.

The poster presentation on Cancer, Graves’ Disease, Miscellaneous Nodules-surgery, Thyroid hormone diagnostics, Thyroid Cancer Clinical 1, Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis 1, Translational 1, Thyroid Cancer, Basic Thyroid Gland, Iodine & Autoimmunity Basic was conducted and evaluated. Satellite sessions were also conducted by industry experts, including on Robotic surgery of thyroid disease.

Dr Nikku Yadav’s poster entitled “Reference Range of Maternal Thyroid Hormones from Rural Himalayan Foot Hills (Tehri Cluster): A Cross Sectional Study”, was submitted under Thyroid Gland, Iodine & Autoimmunity Basic category. The poster presentation was followed by a QA round within time limits.

The poster appraised by Dr Marina A Michalaki, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Greece, was appreciated by members as representing significant work being conducted in the mountains.

On the second day Oral Session 2: Thyroid hormone action in the brain, Oral Session 3: Signalling in Thyroid cancer, Oral Session 4: Young Investigators / Clinical and Translational, Oral Session 5: Young Investigators / Basic were conducted.

The poster session 2 on Miscellaneous Nodules, Surgery Case Reports 1, Hyperthyroidism, Thyroid Cancer clinical 2, Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis 2 Treatment 1, Thyroid Hormone Transport & Metabolism Basic, Thyroid hormone receptors basic were conducted.

A Special session “How to design a clinical trial for advanced thyroid cancer” by Lori Wirth (USA) was also conducted.

On the third day of meeting oral sessions on the following themes were conducted: Oral Session 6: Pregnancy, Oral Session 7: Thyroid hormone receptors, Oral Session 8: Hypothyrodism / Nodules, Oral Session 9: Thyroid Eye Disease, Oral Session 10: Novel diagnostics in Thyroid cancer. Furthermore, Hypothyroidism, Nodules 2, Pregnancy, Thyroid Eye Disease, Case Reports 2, Thyroid hormone diagnostics 2, Thyroid Cancer clinical 3, Translational 2, Treatment 2, Thyroid Physiology in Periphery & Development Basic.

Meet the expert session included Transcriptomics analysis in thyroid hormone action by Soledad Barez-Lopez (Spain).

On the last day, Oral Session 11: Autoimmunity / Hyperthyroidism, Oral Session 12: Emerging Insights into Thyroid Cancer Genetics, Oral Session 13: Pathophysiological actions of thyroid hormones were conducted. Meet the expert session on Human brain organoids: new models of thyroid hormone action during neuronal development by Robert Opitz (Germany) was amongst the highlights.

Last of all the closing ceremony by Laura Fugazzola (Italy) and Kris Poppe (Belgium) was conducted. “A great discussion with all the renowned scientists was intellectually really stimulating, throwing up ideas for further research in the field of Endocrinology,” states Dr Yadav.

Clean India is a shared responsibility; every effort is important – Dr. Vijay Dhasmana

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Doiwala: Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) and Himalayan College of Nursing, organized a cleanliness and awareness program under the Clean India campaign. Faculty and students from HIMS and HCN cleaned various areas near the university campus, including hostels. During this, bleaching powder was also spread on the streets, and people were made aware of cleanliness through posters, banners, and pamphlets.

In his message, Dr. Vijay Dhasmana, Chancellor of Swami Ram Himalayan University (SRHU), stated that cleanliness is essential for the safe future of the younger generation. Campaigns like these make students aware of their social responsibilities. To succeed in their careers, it is crucial for them to become better citizens.

In this cleanliness series, on Sunday, under the leadership of Dr. Ruchi Juyal from the Community Medicine Department of HIMS, a special campaign called “One Date, One Hour, Together” was conducted as part of the “Cleanliness is Service” program. At 10 A.M., students from the Clinical Research and Epidemiology departments of HIMS gathered at the medical college campus. Students, along with staff, carried out cleanliness drives in the university campus, nearby areas, and roads. After cleaning, bleaching powder was also applied on the streets, and people were educated about cleanliness through posters, banners, and pamphlets.

Establishment of Plastic Bank in SRHU:

Dr. Vijay Dhsmna informed that to promote the elimination of single-use plastics, SRHU has established a Plastic Bank on its campus. Efforts to restrict the use of single-use plastic were already underway at the university. Staff and students are regularly educated on this issue at fixed intervals.

E-Waste Store Established at SRHU:

Dr. Vijay Dhsmna emphasized that electronic waste is becoming a significant problem worldwide. To address this issue, governments worldwide are enacting regulations. In this regard, an E-Waste Store has been established within the SRHU campus.

HCN organises Awareness Program on Cleanliness at Pen-India School

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Himalayan College of Nursing, Jollygrant, organized an awareness program on cleanliness.
As part of the program, students from the Nursing College provided information on Dental Hygiene, Physical Cleanliness, and Healthy Nutrition to the young students of the Pen-India School, Bhaniyawala, in commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday under the “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” initiative.

On Friday, a team of students from Himalayan College of Nursing, under the direction of Principal Dr. Sanchita Pugazhendi, visited Pen-India School, Bhaniyawala, which operates under the supervision of Swami Ram Himalayan University (SRHU).

The Nursing students provided detailed information to the children through posters, models, and skits, covering topics such as proper brushing, hand hygiene, mouthwash, and also advised them not to consume excessive sweets.

They emphasized using trash bins for disposing off wrappers and waste from store-bought snacks. The nursing students also conducted demos with the school children on cleanliness. The children showed great enthusiasm.

Faculty members from the Nursing College, including Chandan Kumar, Krishna Mohan, John Davidson, and teachers from the school including Ritu Sharma, Deepalika Negi, Nirmala Gusai, Rajyashri Kathait, Seema Chauhan, were present during this socially relevant event.

And the winners of VoW Book Awards 2023 are…

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Winners of VoW 2023

Dehradun: Valley of Words|Shabdavali announced the winners of all eight categories of its Book Awards—celebrating the best of English Literature and Hindi Sahitya. The VoW Book Awards 2023 is currently in its seventh edition as the most comprehensive independent literary award programme in India.

Over 600 nominations were received in 2023 from  70 publishing houses across the country. The selection of the books involved a three-stage process, and is indeed a tough call as the quality of submissions have become more competitive each year. The critically-acclaimed longlist of ten books per category was brought down to a final five in the shortlist. The final winners were selected through an ongoing process which began in August this year, with the VoW secretariate and the esteemed Jury working in tandem, for each of the eight categories.

Commenting on the Book Awards, Festival Director Dr Sanjeev Chopra stated,  ‘The VoW book Awards are an iconic offering in the sense that each of the selected books tells a story .. of identity,  of imagination , of aspiration , of times that have gone by, of issues that are contemporary,  and of the future as well , including the world of Chat GPT.’

 

 

The VoW Book Award Winners for 2023 are…

ENGLISH FICTION No Way In by Udayan Mukherjee (Bloomsbury )

ENGLISH NON-FICTION:  The  Journey of Hindi Language Journalism in India by Mrinal Pande (OrientBlack Swan)

HINDI FICTION: Shahar Se Das Kilometer by Neelesh Raghuwanshi                (Rajkamal Publications)

HINDI NON- FICTION: Dinank kay Bina by Ushakiran Khan (Vani Publications)

WRITINGS FOR YOUNG ADULTS: Children of the Hidden Land by Mandira Shah (Speaking Tiger)

WRITINGS/PICTURE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN: Jhupli’s Honey Box by Achintyarup Ray (Tulika Publishers)

TRANSLATION INTO HINDI: Bhaaga Hua Ladka Translated by Amrita Bera  (Westland)

TRANSLATION INTO ENGLISH:  The Bride : The Maithili Classic Kanyadan Translated by Lalit Kumar (HarperCollins)

The Valley of Words community extended warm congratulations to all the winners and look forward to a grand finale of its 7th Edition of Valley of Words|Shabdavali, on the 16th and 17th of December 2023, Dehradun.

Dr Dhasmana addresses trainees & students on ‘International Tourism Day’ 

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SHRU’S B.Vocational Culinary Management first semester trainees, and few faculty members, participated in the celebration of ‘International Tourism Day’

SHRU’S B.Vocational Culinary Management first semester trainees, and few faculty members, participated in the celebration of ‘International Tourism Day’ at Pilibit Tourism House, Haridwar.

The gathering learnt how SRHU is proactively working for the implementation of ‘Home Stay Projects’ in far flung areas, to enable rural youth to operate home stays and offer hospitality services to tourist visiting their villages or towns in Uttarakhand.

SHRU’S B.Vocational Culinary Management trainees and faculty participate in the celebration of ‘International Tourism Day’

Chancellor SHRU, Dr Vijay Dhasmana addressed the youngsters online and highlighted the significance not only of ‘Religious Tourism’ but also other forms of tourism, to bolster the state economic scenario. He especially focussed on ‘Wellness Tourism,’ and further explained how the University is already contributing through ‘Home Stay Projects’ and empowering the youth of Uttarakhand as a matter of social commitment.

Lauding the efforts of SRHU, Amit Kumar, GM-Taj, Pilibhit House,Haridwar stated that the chief focus was collaboration amongst academic institutions, universities, colleges ,industry and government agencies for development of skilled manpower and hospitality infrastructure in the state of Uttarakhand.

The participants at the event included Amit Kumar Thakur, GM,Taj; Kiran Bhatt – HR Manager Taj, Pilibhit House; Ramesh Petwal – State Head – Learnet Skills; Home Stay trainees being supported by SRHU University and B.Voc Trainees in exposure visit to the event.

Faculty members from SRHU that participated in the event included Sanjeev Binjola, Akshay Thapliyal and Shardul Thakur.

Swami Rama Himalayan University signs MoU with CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bio-Resource Technology

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Swami Rama Himalayan University and CSIR- Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology, Palampur, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh (Est. by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) 

With view to further their common interests in the fields of ‘education’ and ‘research’, and buttress their energies to open the doors of cooperation for national interest, Swami Rama Himalayan University and CSIR- Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology, Palampur, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh (Est. by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding.

The course of action now will involve academic and R&D collaboration, including transfer of technology between the two organisations,” informed Vice Chancellor SRHU, Dr Rajendra Dobhal. “These areas are of great relevance to both. And we are happy that this joining of hands will help carve strong livelihood support systems in the hilly areas of our state through technology transfer from a national institute.”

Preparations are now underway in full swing to begin the process of exchange of faculty, research scholars, and research project leaders to undertake academic activities and research in areas of mutual interest.

Teamwork in research & development programs, and consultancy activities in mutually decided areas will be planned, including domains related to food and nutraceuticals, models for animal studies, ecology, medicinal aromatic plants, floriculture, tea, sciences and other areas. Importantly this will also include collaboration in the setting-up and upkeep of required infrastructure in both the institutions.

Congratulating the team for notching up an ace, Chancellor SRHU, Dr Vijay Dhasmana stated, “We are delighted that flood gates would open up for our students to participate in joint collaboration with government organizations, private entities, PSUs in significant areas, contributing to national development. We look forward to jointly organizing scientific events like seminars, conferences, workshops etc. Exchange of students for summer and winter internships would be a valuable part of our efforts. Outreach programmes for promoting science education and related technological advances for social benefit is
something that is of utmost value for us as per our vision.”