Bengaluru: President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday commended the mid-day meals scheme at schools, pointing out that it plays an important role in promoting education among underprivileged children of the country.
“It (the mid-day meal programme) promotes education because the less well-off among our fellow citizens make an effort to send their children to school. They are encouraged by the idea of a meal. The mid-day meal itself is often the most nutritious and wholesome food a child from a poorer family gets in a day.
Nutrition is linked to not just physical but also cognitive development. It helps the child learn,” said the President after inaugurating the Adamya Chetana Sevana Utsav 2018 and the centenary celebrations of National Education Society of Karnataka (NES) and National High School (NHS), Basavanagudi.
Lauding the Annapurna project run by the Adamya Chetana Foundation , he said, “The Foundation’s initiative is in keeping with its philosophy of Seva – and its focus is Anna-Akshara-Arogya or food, education and health. The mid-day meal programme in our schools serves all these purposes.”
Acknowledging the contributions made to the country by notable alumni of NHS, including former CJI M.N.
Venkatachalaiah, former Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy, ISRO chairman Dr
A.S. Kiran Kumar, actor late Vishnuvardhan and former Indian cricket captain Anil Kumble, Mr Kovind urged the students to take inspiration from the roll call of achievers of their alma mater.
‘Fight mental health stigma’
Addressing the 22nd Convocation of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans), Mr Kovind ascertained that it was essential for society to fight the stigma and not to ignore mental and neurological problems.
“We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments
such as depression and stress as diseases that can be cured – not as guilty secrets to be brushed under the carpet,” he said. Pointing out to the dearth of mental health professionals in the country, he said that the present numbers of 5,000 psychiatrists and 2,000 clinical psychologists in the country should be improved. As many as 148 medical degrees and 11 medals were handed over during the function
