Those benefiting from education should become intellectuals who can clearly differentiate between--`Dharma’ and ‘Adharma’-- Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade said on Friday.

He addressed the gathering after inaugurating the Besant Centenary celebrations organised by Women’s National Education Society (WNES) at T M A Pai International convention centre.

After releasing the souvenir --`Shata Smruthi’ and Prof M R Prabhu’s, `Hale Beru, Hosa Chiguru’, Heggade urged students to develop curiosity.

“In my day, I had no source of information other than the radio. Today, we gather news from all sources and form opinions,” he pointed out.

Heggade stressed the need to differentiate between belief, disbelief and superstition.

“Blind belief is not necessarily superstition. Even scientists admit that science is walking the tight rope between blind faith and curiosity,” he remarked.

“Science should be our slave and we should not be slaves to science,” Heggade pointed
out.

Heggade expressed concern over increasing drug abuse among students and termed drug addiction the biggest menace.

He urged students to develop ideals and not to ignore Indian culture (Samskara). 

Other speakers paid rich tributes to Dr Annie Besant who laid the foundation stone for the institution in 1918.

Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ishwara P, WNES President Kudpi Jagadish Shenoy and Centenary Celebration Committee Chairman K Devananda Pai were also present.

The formal programme was followed with cultural programmes presented by students of Besant institutions.