Udupi: Students should not restrict themselves to academics alone but must also actively take part in extracurricular activities, said Women and Child Development Minister and Udupi District In-charge Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar. She urged children to work hard to fulfil the dreams of their parents.
She was speaking after inaugurating the newly constructed ‘Sugnana Sabha’ at Shettybettu Government Combined High School, Anche Parkala, where she also distributed free tracksuits to primary students, courtesy of the alumni association.
Highlighting the importance of strong educational infrastructure, Hebbalkar said,
“For children to succeed, they should look up to their elders as role models. I entered politics at the age of 22, and over the past 25 years, I have worked my way up to serve as a minister today.”
Explaining the significance of the new hall’s name, she added,
“The word Sugnana itself means intelligence. Knowledge is light, and if children here move toward this brightness, Karnataka’s proud house of education will truly become Sugnana Bhavan. I pray to Lord Krishna for this.”
The Minister also cautioned against overuse of mobile phones, remarking that today’s children are “sucking nectar from the flower called mobile,” unaware of how quickly time slips away.
“Once lost, time will never return. Students, parents, and teachers must reflect deeply on how to use it wisely,” she said.
The event was attended by MLA Yashpal Suvarna, District Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee Chairman Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, Ramesh Kanchan, District Collector Swaroop T.K, Zilla Panchayat CEO Prateek Bayal, DDPI Lokesh, BEO Shabana Anjum, Ashwini Poojary, Sukesh Kunder, and other dignitaries.
The inauguration of Sugnana Sabha marks another step toward enhancing learning spaces and opportunities for students in Udupi.