Reflect upon your role as a citizen of India, abide by the rules, help those in need, be ethically responsible, and pay attention to physical, mental, and social wellbeing. These were some of the messages imparted to the students who attended the two-day webinar series titled ‘Stay Fit and Stay Safe’. The virtual webinar was organized by BNMIT in association with Indian Society for Technical Association, BNMIT student chapter, on June 18 and 19.

The webinar began with stressing upon the importance of good health for a better life. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jyothi B., Senior Anesthesiology Consultant, Sparsh Hospital, Bangalore, focused on the issues faced by adolescents and highlighted the importance of good mental health in enhancing self-esteem.

‘Nothing is more important than health. Health does not include only the physical aspect, but also the mental and social aspects. In today’s time, adolescents face various mental health issues like identity crisis, mood swings, peer pressure, academic pressure, and stress related to relationships with parents, to mention a few. Knowing about various aspects of mental health and maintaining an overall good health condition reduces stress and increases productivity, apart from enhancing self-esteem,’ said Dr. Jyothi.

Smt. Vineetha S., Senior Intelligence Officer, Ministry of Finance, Government of India and a BNMIT alumnus, spoke about ‘Social responsibility as a citizen of India’ and interacted with the students about the importance of being a responsible citizen.

“The pandemic has given us a chance to reflect upon our role as the citizen of the country. You should reduce disease transmission by staying at home, abiding by the rules and regulations, and by being responsible towards others. You can take the clue from social media platforms and help the needy in various ways. The young generation should also be careful when it comes to spreading news on social media platforms. Verify the information, give it a thought, and only then decide if you want to spread it further. Make your actions meaningful,’ said Smt. Vineetha.

Participants Speak

‘It has been over two years that we are locked up at our homes. The patience is wearing down and frustration is building up. I attended the workshop to understand various ways to deal with the current situation and develop mental strength. Dr Jyoti told us how we can maintain our mental health through exercises and what best can be done with current resources’, said Gowri Revanoor, second year, MTech, BNMIT.

‘The webinar was informative, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 situation. We did not only learn about how to incorporate healthy diet in our lifestyle to stay fit, but also got guidance on how to act responsibly and behave ethically. Smt. Vineetha S was an inspiration for everyone’, said Merlin Andriana Lobo, third-year, ECE, BNMIT.