Braving scorching heat and limited space, thousands of excited students at Degree College Pulwama participated in a day long cultural programme that ended with star performance from renowned Sufi singer Dhananjay Koul.Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar, who spent the entire day with the students, termed the event as beginning of a new change that will propel the students towards excellence.With cultural programmes preaching principles, hazards of drug addiction and importance of culture, the grand event was complete in every sense.“This is what we have been striving for. Students not only have to excel in academics but be productive in extracurricular activities too,” said Akhtar adding; “Educational Institutes have to produce a complete personality.”
The programme started with the performance from actor and stand-up comedian Raiees Mohiudin followed by musicals and skits from college students. The event was held in an open air stadium watched by thousands of excited boys and girls besides director education Kashmir Dr Shah Faesal and principals from colleges of South Kashmir.A cultural show of participants in traditional clothes of Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs, Muslims, Dal Dwellers and locals prompted the minister to walk to the stage and applaud the students. “In simple terms you students have shown the rich heritage and brotherhood of Kashmir,” said Akhtar to the students.
The Minister said that the aim should be to turn Pulwama into epicenter of cultural revival. “Pulwama has produced people like Soch Kral, Wahab Khar, Lalla Ded, Mehjoor and others. Had Pulwama been with some other country, the country would have been known by the contributions of this place only,” said Akhtar. “The students should be proud of their heritage and at the same time take responsibility to continue the legacy of excellence.”The Minister inaugurated a smart class at the college aimed to provide world class education to the students with the help of modern aid. Mr Akhtar also introduced the famed Sufi Singer Dhananjay Koul to the audience whose wife Anjali hails from Pinglina area of Pulwama. He said that Kouls have decided to stay put in Kashmir much to the applause of students. Anjlai promised the students that she will be holding theatre workshop at the college and help in other programmes too.
Koul also performed at the stage by rendering vyakhs of Lalla Ded, Soch Kral and other sufi poets. After the insistence of students, Koul also sang the famed item Dama Dam Mast Kalander sending the audience into frenzy.The Minister also presented awards in various categories to students. He also announced that special coaching programme from various competitive exams will be held in the college and a career counselor will be sent to the college in this month. “We are inhabitants of unique place who can get jobs in any place of India. After conquering IAS examinations, we need to come victorious in all other examinations and conquer all secular spaces of India with our competence,” said the Minister.