Join the Movement

Dear Students,

It was great being with you all. I had five minutes in which to say what I had come there to say. But, there was so much to say and, since my speech was the last item on the agenda I got much more to say, having seen you all and witnessed some pleasant and heart-warming scenes. I tried to convert the challenge into an opportunity and decided to withhold what I came there to announce. A good way to create and build up some suspense, isn't it?

I was raised in Bangalore but I migrated to Mysore, having taken a liking for this city. You all said in unison that you all love Mysore, too. You also expressed your resentment at the suggestion of being called 'dirty Mysorean.' Please spend some time before the net and see how visitors, especially those visiting us from the developed countries, speak about us Indians, Mysoreans included. You will automatically feel the need to do something to set right the situation.

Four of us journalists are gearing up to launch a few initiatives with which to make things better for Mysore. Mysore City is the lab for our experiment and we will play the role of lab assistants. As media people our objective is to demonstrate that media can influence major behavioural changes in society.

This blog, which will in a short while from now become an integral part of a new website, is not only about keeping the city clean. There are other issues. One of them for instance, which needs urgent attention is security. You know how the country has been terrorised after the Mumbai attack. Recently, there were some disturbing incidents in our own backyard. As citizens our primary duty is to be alert. It is our responsibility as much as it the responsibility of the law enforcers to ensure societal harmony. In what innovative ways can harmony be achieved, is the question we need to address ourselves.

Can you, a students of the great Mahajana College toss up a few ideas as to how harmony can be achieved? You don't need to spend a week thinking about it or sacrifice your time earmarked for studies, games, or friends. As I mentioned yesterday, please devote haf an hour - only 30 minutes - for your city. Can you post your entries before Tuesday? Top three entries will be published in a bulletin being brought out in association with Mysore City police.

This is just a modest beginning we are making. It is more to feel your pulse. Once you justify our faith in you by participating in good numbers, we will offer you many more opportunities. The Dasara festival is our main target. We want to make the city completely safe - the way it is; the way it is known for. Strictly, we don't want to offer any incentive for playing your role as citizens. However, we assure you that you will have lot of fun on this very platform, in myriad ways. As we both have fun and derive benefit, we will see the city emerge as the best ever.

You have made a promise yesterday. I am sure you will keep your word. Thirty minutes a week. The other thing you can do is to spread the word about this blog. Of course, we will be reaching out to students of all other educational institutions before we launch our massive programme in September. We will demonstrate what the media can do for general good. But, needless to say, we can do nothing without your active support.

Friend Suraj G. Krishnam, the biking-alumnus from your college with whom I had a word after the assembly yesterday, is already charged up. He has promised to get dozens of biking enthusiasts for the cause of Mysore. How many can you get? They need not be bikers. Any child or adult Mysorean is wecome to join this movement in the making.


Good luck
Vijendra Rao