The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) officially opened its annual camp at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj on Saturday. The inauguration was marked by traditional Vedic chanting and rituals, setting a cultural tone for the event. The ceremony was attended by Ashish Chauhan, the national organising secretary of the student organisation.
New Initiatives and Internship Programs Unveiled
During the inaugural event, the organisation launched official merchandise and posters for its two flagship internship programmes. These are the Students for Development (SFD) and the Students for Seva (SFS) initiatives. A significant announcement was also made regarding a specialised medical service project, named Medivision, which will be driven by medical students participating in the mela.
Kashi Devesh Pandey, the state media convener, elaborated on the annual activities. He stated that ABVP Prayag Mahanagar consistently organises various internship programmes in the Sangam area. These programmes draw students from all corners of India to work on critical issues like environmental conservation and other social subjects. This year, the SFD programme will concentrate on environmental protection and promoting sustainable practices to ensure a "Clean Magh Mela." Concurrently, the SFS programme is dedicated to offering selfless service and volunteer support to the millions of devotees who visit the fair.
Healthcare and Cultural Vision
Beyond the internship launches, the event highlighted expanded service dimensions. The Medivision initiative will provide essential medical and first-aid services through the efforts of medical students. Alongside, a programme called Jignasa will focus on all aspects related to the AYUSH systems of medicine, offering a holistic health approach to visitors.
Ashish Chauhan, the national organising secretary, shared a broader philosophical perspective. He argued that in India's 75-year democratic journey, a student body like ABVP cannot be confined by Western-defined concepts of 'neutrality' or 'secularism.' He emphasized that Indian culture and philosophy are too vast to be understood through the narrow European lens of 'religion.' Chauhan pointed to historical invasions and the Macaulay system as forces that attacked native language and culture, fostering a sense of inferiority about indigenous values. He concluded by stating that Indian philosophy perceives the divine in all living beings, and this consciousness forms the very foundation of the nation's enduring tradition of service (seva).
