Young minds can be changed: COSFAD 2019

I recently visited Ratnagiri­- a mango city of Maharashtra in India for attending the International Conference on Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (COSFAS 2019) during 17-20, January 2019. The organizers headed by Dr Hukam Singh and Dr Ashish Mohite have done commendable job in organizing the conference so meticulously. There were more than 9 sessions. The speakers were handpicked from across the country. The deliberations were truly competitive and pave way for new thinking. For the first time no interference of political protocol. On the dot, sessions were started. Hospitality and etiquettes gesture cannot be explained. We were three from the college. Dr H Shivananda Murthy, Dean, College of Fisheries, Mangalore chaired one of the sessions and also delivered a talk. Dr S M Shivaprakash mesmerised the delegates by his talk on responsible fisheries and other anecdotes. I delivered lead talk on “Extension and Capacity Building”. Two of my recommendations were included in the final report. Former Directors of CIFE Dr Dilipkumar, Dr S D Tripati, Former ADG Dr Sugunan, Dr Gopalakrishna, Director of CIFE, Dr Martin, Vice Chancellor of TNFU Dr Felix, Dr Tapas Battacharya, Dr Praveen Putran, ADG, ICAR, Dr C N Ravishankar, Director, CIFT, Dr Jena, DDG, ICAR, Dr Vishwanath, Vice Chancellor, Konkan University and many foreign delegates were present

Team NATARANG

Second day in the evening there was cultural programs for the delegates. The entire programs were performed by the students only; but they were no less than any professionals. One of the events like skit touched my heart. It was directed by young teacher Dr Adsul Anirudh. They enacted a skit on terrorism. Twenty minutes there was a pin drop silence. They left the audience a deep sense of belongingness to the country. In fact I was crying for a moment. After a play, I went and complimented the entire team and gave few tips on theatre. When I asked the name of the group, they said they do not call by any name. Quickly I asked to suggest few names. Finally we named the cultural team Ratnagiri as “Team NATARANG”. While speaking I told them to use the unused canteen as amphitheatre. They wanted my association with the team. I agreed with a condition that they have to clean the canteen area and update me next day. The same night I left Ratnagiri. When I reached home at 10 am next day, I received the photographs of students cleaning the canteen. It is not just a simple incidence. There is a great meaning and message. young minds listens. They just need the moderators. You be one...

Other boy and a girl came and asked me for my reference for the jobs in fisheries industry. Immediately, I called one of my friends in Andhra Pradesh and requested him, He agreed. I put a condition to the students that they will get an appointment letter if they clean 500 m of road by picking up plastic along side. This Sunday is the last date. I hope they will do it...