Joining the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan!

All religions insist on cleanliness before worship. This clearly conveys the significance of cleanliness, both internal and external, in our daily lives. These aspects of cleanliness have their own ways of being achieved and both need to be strived for proactively.

With great courage and foresight, the external cleanliness matter has been taken up at a national level in the form of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) by the Government of India. This campaign was officially launched on 2nd October 2014 at Rajghat, New Delhi with the mission to clean up the streets, societies and villages of the country. Immediately after the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself wielded a broom and swept a parking area at Mandir Marg Police Station followed by pavement in Valmiki Basti, a colony of sanitation workers, at Mandir Marg, near Connaught Place, New Delhi.

Being a future nurturing institution of India, Atmiya Vidya Mandir too played an active role by taking part in this cleanliness drive. Students of various classes participated in this event to clean up the entire school campus. It was an enriching experience for the students wherein they felt the joy of serving selflessly and also some sort of discomfort to work in the afternoon time. This not only helped them appreciate the efforts of school hospitality team who work for them day in and day out but also made them realize the value of dignity and respect that all types of work carry. The campaign went beyond the school classrooms till the school security cabins. Even the teachers took initiative to clean the areas surrounding their residences i.e. the staff quarters with the same spirit!

The event was also used to create an awareness that as a citizen, we need to contribute to our society in all possible aspects. Clean India is a responsibility of all the Indians. Inspired by the statement of our Honourable Prime Minister 'ना में गन्दगी करूँगा, ना में गन्दगी करने दूंगा' (I would not litter and won't allow anyone to do so), every student decided to take the initiative to clean up if they found any litter in their surroundings.

Together, let us all sincerely and enthusiastically work towards achieving this very fundamental goal of a Swachh Bharat.

Written by: Rashmi Ma’am