Sona College of Technology has won the state-level Bhumi Awards 2022 in two categories – Most Eco-Friendly Campus and People Choice Winner.
Bhumi is one of India’s largest youth volunteer non-profit organizations enabling youth across India to volunteer for the education of underprivileged children and for civic problems.
Bhumi Campus Award 2022 TN-Edition is Asia’s first unique award to recognize socially responsible colleges. It is a one-of-its-kind attempt to learn from and strengthen Tamil Nadu College’s focus on building the future change-makers of this country.
Awards are evaluated based on nominations: Colleges can self-nominate themselves. The public or students also nominate/vote for a specific college based on their familiarity and positive experiences with the institution.
An expert jury evaluates the nominations based on fixed criteria and details submitted by the college. Final awardees for each category are selected based on the college’s score in the criteria and/or the number of public votes.
A total of 109 colleges participated in the contest out of which 20 colleges have won the award in seven categories. The awards testify to Sona management’s vision and the institution’s continual commitment to contributing to society and the environment.
Given on June 11, 2022, at a prestigious ceremony in Rani Seethai Hall, Chennai, the Bhumi award is Asia’s unique initiative to recognize socially responsible colleges and is a unique attempt to learn from and strengthen Tamil Nadu colleges’ focus on nurturing youth into future change-makers.
Sona College of Technology received the Most Eco-friendly Campus Award for developing and making Eco-friendly paver Blocks using Waste Plastics. The Civil Engineering Department has innovated paver block technology from recycled solid and plastic wastes. Besides training women in manufacturing and marketing the eco-friendly paver blocks, the product is used extensively in Sona Campus. Also, our campus was recognized for the initiatives taken by retaining a lush tree canopy, maintaining green spaces, and going for green-certified buildings. Moving towards a zero paper use policy, the campus also recycles solid and liquid wastes, said Dr. R.Malathy, Professor and Head Department of Civil Engineering.
The Bhumi Campus Award 2022 under the “Most Eco-Friendly Campus” category is a fitting recognition of the institution’s commitment towards providing students with healthy and pleasing environs”, said Chairman, Thiru.C.Valliappa.
Vice Chairmen, Mr. Chocko Valliappa and Mr. Thyagu Valliappa, have been guiding Sona College of Technology in adapting several eco-friendly measures and are encouraging deep engagement with the local community by establishing an exclusive Centres for R&D and Centre for Social Responsibility Initiatives (CSRI) arm, said the Principal Dr. S.R.R.Senthil Kumar.
Over two decades, Sona CSRI has been carrying out several community development programmes in areas like women’s development, skill training, livelihood development, community health, etc. The Sona Group of Institutions carried out nearly Rs. 2 Crore worth of outreach activities helping the needy with food, medicines, and emergency support during the pandemic along with SONA CSRI.
These and much more socially responsible community connect initiatives helped Sona get overwhelmingly favorable nominations/votes from the public and win the award under the” People Choice Winner” category.
During the award ceremony, Dr.Malathy, and Mr.P.Raghupathy, Head-Centre for Social Responsibility Initiatives, Ms, R, Priyadharshini, Coordinator of Tremours club, Mr. Karuppasamy, Madhan and Aravindakumar of Civil Engineering received the award on behalf of Sona College of Technology.
Subsequently, the Management and the Principal appreciated the awardees and shared their views for further actions to sustain the progress and educate the other institutions as well.
