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STAFF WRITERThe Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) Cell of SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), in coordination with the Regional Coordinating Institution (RCI), UBA Indian Institute of Technology Madras, organised a one-day programme on %u201cPeer Institutes Orientation Programme on %u201cBest Practices, Learnings and Demonstrations%u201d at the SRMIST, Kattankulathur on February 17, 2026. Dr. V. Thirumurugan, Associate Director (Campus Life) and Nodal Officer, UBASRMIST, delivered the welcome address and briefed the gathering on the significance of the programme. Prof. C. Muthamizhchelvan, Vice-Chancellor, SRMIST in his presidential address emphasised that higher educational institutions should act as catalysts for rural transformation through knowledge transfer and sustained community engagement. He stated that faculty members and students have to regularly visit adopted villages, interact with residents, and implement need-based development initiatives. Prof. Sudarsan Padmanabhan, Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras, and Coordinator, RCI%u2013UBA, delivered the inaugural address. He envisioned that the Gandhian principles on Nation development were closely knitted with rural development and that made Government of India to introduce the UBA vision aligning to it. He added that national development is linked to human development indices and inclusive rural growth. Tmt. Hima Bindu, Project Coordinator, UBA, IIT Madras, elaborated on the objectives and implementation strategies of UBA and encouraged participating institutions to adopt structured and measurable development practices in their adopted villages. She elaborated about the UBA stakeholders and their role in implementation of development initiatives through SDGs. She emphasized the importance of the Grama Sabha participation as the nodal point in interlinking the village and the PIs.Dr. Samuel Jacob, Adopted Village Coordinator, UBA-SRMIST, presented the SRMIST%u2019s initiatives, field-level experiences, successful implementation models and sustainable rural development activities in sanitation, health awareness, skill development, sustainable agriculture and waste management across its adopted villages. Mrs. Vasudha Binjani, Miracle Enzymes, Chennai, spoke on business opportunities through bioenzyme production from waste, while Dr. L. Ramazeame of SRM College of Agricultural Sciences delivered a talk on beekeeping as a viable rural enterprise.SRMIST Hosts Peer Institutes Orientation Programme on Best Practices under Unnat Bharat AbhiyanMr. Balamurugan of I BBA, SRM IST for winning the Youth Category consecutive Silver Medal at the 4th National Ranking Table Tennis Tournament held at Punchkula.SRMIST Basketball Men%u2019s Team won Gold Medal in the Karan Memorial State Level Basketball Men%u2019s Tournament, organized by the Agni Siragugal Basketball Club. The prestigious tournament was held at Thanjavur from 02nd - 04th Jan 2026.28 2026 | Spectrum | Volume 19 Number 2