Media Release
Mangaluru, Aug 10: On August 9, St Aloysius (deemed to be university) Mangaluru, held the Annual General Meeting of its anti-ragging and drug prevention cell.
The meeting was attended by several key figures, including Dr Praveen Martis SJ, vice chancellor of the university, Dr Roshan Monteiro, the coordinator, along with external members such as Dr Deviprasad, joint director of collegiate education, Dr Thomas Scaria, advocate, Santhosh Peter D’Souza, Dr Srinivas Bhat and Faizunnisa K M. Additionally, registrars, directors of various blocks and hostels, counsellors, special officers, staff members, and student representatives were present.
During the meeting, Fr Praveen Martis SJ addressed the gathering, emphasizing the university's strong commitment in organizing preventive programmes designed to curb ragging and drug abuse. He highlighted that the university has an effective anti-ragging and drug abuse cell, supported by counselors, value education classes, and various association activities, all working together to implement these initiatives successfully.
Dr Deviprasad, joint director of collegiate education in Dakshina Kannada, commended the college for its proactive efforts in organizing preventive initiatives. He emphasized the importance of such programmes and suggested that the university could serve as a role model for other colleges. He also requested the university's support in organizing Training of Trainers (TOT) programmes for other institutions in Mangaluru, to further expand the impact of these preventive measures.
Dr Thomas Scaria, internationally certified addiction professional and trainer, highlighted the importance of conducting an impact analysis to measure the effectiveness of awareness programmes among students.
Dr Srinivas Bhat, head of the department of psychiatry, stressed that university policies should be designed to actively prevent students from engaging in such harmful activities. Advocate Santhosh Peter D’Souza suggested fostering interactions between senior and junior students to help them become better acquainted, which could potentially reduce instances of ragging.
Faizunnisa K M, sub inspector, north police station Bandar, Mangaluru, expressed her support for the college's initiatives. She assured the gathering that the police would fully back the university in introducing and implementing such preventive measures.
Dr Roshan Monteiro, the coordinator of the anti-ragging and drug prevention cell, welcomed the gathering and provided an overview of the activities organized during the 2023-24 academic year. He emphasized that the cell would operate in accordance with UGC guidelines. The activities were focused on raising awareness about anti-ragging and anti-drug abuse, not only among students within the university but also in the broader Mangaluru community.
Sweedal Daphne D'Souza, the university's counsellor, proposed the vote of thanks, expressing her gratitude to all the participants for their active involvement in the meeting and for their continued support in the university's initiatives against ragging and drug abuse. She acknowledged the valuable contributions of the speakers and attendees, ensuring that the efforts towards creating a safe and healthy environment for students would continue with collective enthusiasm and dedication.