Mahatma Gandhi University students celebrate Onam with Kottayam jail inmates

Kochi: It was a different Onam celebration for the staff and students of Certificate Course in Counseling of Department of Life Long Learning and Extension at Mahatma Gandhi University this time as they moved to visit the inmates of the District Jail, Kottayam, to celebrate Onam with them. Forty five students and two teachers went to the District Jail and the Athapookalam was laid by inmates and students. Cultural programmes inclding Onapattu, Mimicry, Monoact, group song were organised and the inmates also participated in it.

The students donated 40 books to the jail library while sharing payasam with the jail inmates. The students spent four hours inside the jail. Jail superintendent Mr B.Sunikumar complimented the students for their gesture. One of the inmates came to the dais and said that Onam is the celebration which reminds one of an era when there was no deceit and dishonesty and thanked the students for giving them the feel of Onam

Mr Sunikumar joined course co- ordinator Prof. Mathew  Kanamala , faculty Mr Anish Mohan,  student co-ordinator  Mr Manoj George, Ms Mereena Jacob, Mr T.K Manilal and Ms Asha A.V in sharing thoughts on Onam on the occasion. Though the students, as part of their course, make institutional visits to hospitals, mental health centers and centers of differently-abled, this is first time they are making a jail visit. The present batch of students is named ‘SMART -17’ which is the 17th batch of the course. The students of the batch are aged between 20yrs to 70yrs and are having educational qualification from SSLC to PG and PhD. They come from different walks of life. Dr. K Sabukuttan is the Head of Department of Life Long Learning and Extension.