Raipur. In the regional conference of Ullas held in Bhopal, the officials and participants of Chhattisgarh attracted the attention of the people by performing better in every task. On one hand, a better presentation of innovative activities was given, in which an exhibition of Chhattisgarh was organized by preserving puppets etc. Students and volunteer teachers suggested better ways to face the challenges, while Chhattisgarh also dominated the cultural program.
The two-day Ullas Regional Conference was organized at NITTTR Bhopal under the able leadership of Archana Sharma Awasthi, Joint Secretary, School Education and Literacy Department, Ministry of Education, Government of India, Professor Usha Sharma, NCL Incharge of NCERT New Delhi, State Literacy Mission Authority and Rajendra Kumar Katara, Director of State Council of Educational Research and Training, Chhattisgarh. Mr. Katara informed Joint Secretary Mrs. Awasthi about the progress of the Ullas program in Chhattisgarh. The State Nodal Officer of the Ullas program in the State Literacy Mission Authority told about the works done in Ullas in Chhattisgarh and the best practices through the projector in the program. In the presentation, along with the new ways of reading from local resources, Saksharta Chowk, Saksharta Rath, Saksharta Tali, it was also told that in the first phase in Chhattisgarh state, the target has been given to make 10 lakh illiterates literate, out of which 75 percent names have been registered in the Ullas portal.
SCERT SCL Cell Incharge Dekeshwar Prasad Verma said that Ullas Praveshika has been made keeping in mind the local context, folk culture, folk art in the perspective of Chhattisgarh. Ullas song book and audio have been created in 16 local languages of Chhattisgarh state.
Self teaching learning material stalls were set up from Chhattisgarh and other states. Chhattisgarh’s stall was attractive and all the guests appreciated the work done. This regional conference has been special for Chhattisgarh state. In coordination with Raipur’s District Project Officer Dr. Kamini Bawankar, the Chhattisgarh team prepared the self teacher learning material and performed very well on the stage. Which was praised by all the states. In the hospitality of the director Mr. Katara, the participants of the cultural evening were presented with clothes and plants.
Nirjala Dhivar, volunteer teacher and Chhattisgarh’s Sarguja dance on the song ‘Haye Re Sarguja Nache…’, a wonderful dance on the song ‘On the land of Bhopal’, Hem Dhar Sahu and group forced all the participants to dance. In the cultural evening, the students and teachers of B.Ed. College impressed everyone with the Baiga culture and costumes of Chhattisgarh. People were impressed by the work done for literacy in the costumes of Chhattisgarh folk culture and left an indelible mark in the regional conference.
The volunteer teachers, neo-literates and students of Chhattisgarh told the success story of the work done with joy while telling the challenges faced in making people literate. The innovative activities of the volunteer teachers through puppetry with songs like “Didi O Dai O Padhna Likhna Hai Jaruri…” kept the volunteer teachers, neo-literates and students confident. Teacher Taskeen Khan told that despite being a Muslim, he motivated the students to read by reciting Ramcharitmanas and arousing the desire to read Ramayana. Taking the pledge of ‘Jan Jan Sakshar… Jai Akshar’, the Chhattisgarh team increased the prestige of Chhattisgarh in the two-day regional conference with its achievements. People said that Chhattisgarhiya is the best.
On this occasion, the Director of State Education Center, Mr. Harjinder Singh, Advisor of Education Ministry, Sunita Chauhan, Mrs. Bani Bora, Controller of State Education Center, Bhopal, Rakesh Dubey, Siddhant Jyoti, Kiran Khalko, Nirjala Dhivar, Shruti Tiwari, Shalini, Pratima students and newly literate Sumanti Tigga, Dhanraji Tigga, Shyamapati had a special contribution.
