The bag that contains the certificates she won for her manyachievements in NSS (National Service Scheme), social service, and creativewriting was literally bursting at the seams. The certificates number to morethan a 100, but the crowning jewel of this muster is the honour that JayasreeSasikumaar received on November 19 at the hands of President Pranab Mukherjeein New Delhi. She was one of the 30 outstanding NSS volunteers to be selectedto receive the Indira Gandhi NSS Award from among 32 lakh volunteers in thecountry.
This MCom student of VVMS Shree Damodar College of Commerce& Economics is only the third girl in Goa and the only one this year tohave the award bestowed upon her. “This is the highest honour that an NSSvolunteer can achieve,” says Jayasree. Her dream was to march at the RepublicDay (RD) parade at Rajpath. She however, was heartbroken and in tears afterbeing kept on the waiting list even after giving her very best at the twopre-RD camps she attended in Rajasthan and Gujarat. “I gave up believing thatfair results exist. But my friend Lewin who was the IG NSS awardee last yearencouraged me to apply. When I was informed that I was selected, I wasspeechless. I, who once nurtured the dream of marching at Rajpath am nowinvited formally into the Rashtrapati Bhavan,” she gushes with a lot ofemotion.
The selection process is gruelling. To qualify, one has tohave attended at least one national level camp “RD parade, pre-RD camp,National Youth Festival etc, organised by the Ministry of Sports and YouthAffairs under NSS, and a good academic record besides contributing to thecommunity doing social service by reaching out to the different segments ofsociety. The nomination is forwarded to the Ministry by the Directorate ofSports & Youth Affairs, Panjim, to the regional centre in Pune. Afterfurther short listing in Pune, the nominations are sent to Delhi where thefinal selection happens.
Besides being involved in various social service activitiessuch as AIDS awareness campaigns, plastic collection drives, beach cleaningdrives, visit to old age homes, blood donation camps, tree plantation drivesetc, Jayasree is also actively participates in adventure activities. Jayasreehas successfully completed the National Himalayan Trekking Expedition in 2011(acquiring proficiency in the elementary skills of rock climbing, rappling,river crossing, trekking and leadership). She was also selected for theNational Adventure Programme at the Institute of Adventure for Bharat Scoutsand Guides at Panchmarhi, Madhya Pradesh.
The award that consisted of a cheque, silver medal andcertificate is one that Jayasree will uphold all her life.
