NSS (National Service Scheme) unit of Deviprasad Goenka Management College of Media Studies organized a 07 days residential camp at Yusuf Meherally Centre, Panvel, from 23rd January 2023 to 29th January 2023.

With the vision to understand the community and develop a sense of social and civic responsibility, NSS volunteers of DGMCMS were introduced to the culture and lifestyle of the tribal communities located in the Tara village of Panvel district. The mission of the camp was to inculcate the values of self-discipline and selflessly utilizing and imparting the knowledge for community development.

Throughout the 07 days of the camp, the volunteers conducted and performed various activities and workshops for the school and college students, staying in the hostel run by Yusuf Meherally Centre. Workshops on dance, mehandi, puppet making, quilling, mandala art were conducted.

During the camp, the volunteers were also introduced to the “Bapu-Kuti”, the residence of Mahatma Gandhi during the fighting of independence days. The Kuti, located at the Yusuf Meherally Centre, was a replica of the original “Bapu-Kuti” situated in Wardha, which signifies great sacrifice made by our ancestors. Volunteers were also shown around a cottage teaching them a valuable lesson of “Simple living and high thinking”.

All the days of the camp began with yoga exercises and shramdaan. ‘Shramdaan’ was a NSS activity conducted as a part of a cleanliness drive, as volunteers cleaned the area near Bapu-Kuti. The Principal of DGMCMS, Dr. Amee Vora, who personally visited the camp, donated the dustbins to Yusuf Meherally Centre and addressed the volunteers about cleanliness and social responsibility.

On day 06 of the camp, volunteers hiked to the village named ‘Banubaichi Wadi’ to donate the clothes, blankets, bed-sheets that were collected under a donation drive run by the unit.

The efforts of the volunteers were seen gaining fruits when the hostel girls visited the camp site and showed their art which was taught to them by the volunteers. They designed mehandi, sketched and colored some pictures. Few of them also confidently introduced themselves in English and recited some poems. This event fulfilled the objective of the camp, to selflessly impart the skills and knowledge, and to develop and boost the confidence of the girls from the hostel.