'Empower North East to empower India'

Empowering the empowered should not be the agenda for development. Instead, empowering the less developed states in the North-Eastern India should be made the main agenda. There is a need to lay thrust upon providing education to the students of North Eastern states, said Nagaland Governor
P B Acharya.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 24th Alva's Virasat 2018, at Srimathi Vanajakshi
K Shripathi Bhat Vedike at Vivekananda Nagar in Puttige, Moodbidri on Friday.

Giving kudos to Alva's Education Institution for providing free education to 600 students belonging to backward communities from North East, he said that by doing so, the institution has laid an example.

Entrepreneurs should come forward to establish their outlets in North Eastern states, so that these states can develop, he said.

He termed the North-Eastern states as 'NAMASTE' for Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, Sikkim and Tripura and the first and the last letters N and E for NorthEast.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concept of Skill India, he said that imparting skills, art and cultural ethos should be made part of school and college curriculum. Universities and educational institutions have a key role in the development of a nation. Universities should not only become the centres of knowledge but also the centres of development, Acharya said.

He called upon the students to act as nodal agencies of development by spreading awareness on the welfare programmes by the state and the central government.

The youths have a major responsibility of preserving the legacy of Indian culture consisting of classical dance and music, along with the indigenous art forms which have enriched the nation, he said.

Lamenting on the lack of emotional integration in India, Acharya stressed upon the need to rediscover the secular values and diversity of India.

Alva's Virasat Award

Hindustani classical vocalist duo Pandit Rajan Mishra and Pandit Sajan Mishra were felicitated with Alva's Virasat 2018 award on the occasion.

The award included a purse of Rs 1 lakh, a memento and
a citation.

Presiding over the programme, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari
Dr D Veerendra Heggade said Dr Mohan Alva, the founder of Alva's Education Foundation has placed Moodbidri on the cultural map of the world.

The Dharmadhikari called upon the people to shun hatred and embrace equality so as to instil hope towards building
a strong nation.

Surya Gayatri and a team from Kerala sang devotional songs 'Sri Rama Chandra Krupalu', 'Brahmamokkate' and 'Dayamado Ranga' on the occasion which moved the audience.

Alva's Education Foundation Chairman Dr M Mohan Alva, in his welcome speech, said that the motto of Alva's Virasat is to encourage fine arts among the student fraternity and to propagate Indian culture.

Acharya's spouse Kavitha Acharya, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Moodbidri MLA K Abhayachandra Jain, MLC and Opposition Whip in the Legislative Council Capt Ganesh Karnik, Karnataka State Marketing Federation Chairman M N Rajendra Kumar, Yenepoya Group of Institutions Chairman Abdulla Kunhi, Rajiv Gandhi Health University, Bengaluru Vice Chancellor
Dr M K Ramesh, former minister K Amarnath Shetty, Sahyadri Education Institutions Chairman Manjunath Bhandary and Puttige Gram Panchayat president Mohini Shetty were present.

Playback singer KK and his team from Mumbai, mesmerised the audience by presenting the famous numbers Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai, Dil Ibadat, Oh Humdum, Sach Keh Raha Hai Deewana and among
others.

Later, Sanathana Natyalaya team performed a classical dance ballet 'Sanathana Rashtramritha', directed by Sharadamani Shekhar and Srilatha Nagaraj. Muttirikkas Kotapuram and troupe from Kerala performed Kerala Duffmuttu. Alva's students presented Bharatanatyam, Yakshagana ballet in Badagu style, Dandiya dance of Gujarat and Dom chalom and Pung Chalom of Manipur.