Under
the able guidance of Principal Prof. Dr (Mrs.)Ajay Sareen, Hans Raj Mahila Maha
Vidyalaya, Jalandhar, in collaboration with the Punjab State Council for
Science & Technology (PSCST) and supported by the Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, organised the second
edition of the Cluster Level Master Trainers Workshop on Building Skills for Nature
(11th–14th August 2025) under the Environment Education Programme. The workshop
brought together master trainers from Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mansa,
Malerkotla, Muktsar Sahib, Roopnagar, Patiala, Sangrur, and SAS Nagar. The
inaugural day commenced with flag hoisting with NCC cadets, tree plantation, and feeding of birds
at ‘Aashiyaana’, a specially developed corner of the HMV campus dedicated to
bird care. Water bowls, feeders, and nesting spaces are maintained here to
provide a safe haven for local and migratory birds. Faculty members and guests
symbolically placed grains and filled water bowls, reinforcing the message of
co-existing with urban biodiversity. This was followed by a green welcome and
formal addresses. Principal Dr. Ajay Sareen emphasised HMV’s dedication to
environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, stating, “At HMV, we
believe that nurturing a deep connection with nature through hands-on learning
is essential to fostering responsible environmental citizens. This workshop,
supported by PSCST and MoEFCC, is a significant step toward empowering
educators who will lead the way in preserving our biodiversity for future
generations.” Dr. K.S. Bath, Joint Director, PSCST, highlighted the council’s
vital role as the state nodal agency implementing MoEFCC’s environmental
education initiatives in Punjab and appreciated the institution for its
support. Dr. Aashaq Hussain, Associate Professor, Govt. Gandhi Memorial Science
College, Jammu, spoke about experiential learning in nature. The keynote
address was delivered by Dr. B.K. Tyagi, Ex-Senior Scientist, Vigyan Prasar,
Govt. of India, who inspired participants to adopt creative approaches in
nature camp activities. He motivated the participants to coin questions than
merely looking for answers. Dr. Jafar from Jammu also shared his views. Day-I
technical sessions began with an Introductory Lecture on Conducting Nature
Camps by Dr. B.K. Tyagi, followed by a practical segment Fun with Plants
covering plant identification and profile drawing. The afternoon featured
demonstrations and experiment setups in the Botanical Garden for identifying
plant types. The workshop is being coordinated by Dr. Anjana Bhatia (Overall
Coordinator) and Ms. Harpreet Kaur (Co-Coordinator). Speaking on the occasion,
Dr. Anjana Bhatia stated, “Small actions like feeding birds and providing them
shelter reflect a deeper respect for life and inspire the spirit of
environmental stewardship we hope to cultivate in our trainers.” Dr. Seema
Marwaha presented the vote of thanks and
said that “Empowering educators with hands-on skills is key to fostering
a sustainable future, and this workshop exemplifies our commitment to nurturing
environmental leadership at the grassroots.” Faculty members including Dr.
Shaveta Chauhan, Dr. Ramandeep Kaur, Dr. Shuchi Sharma, Dr. Rama Sharma, Dr
Jitender, Mr Sumit, Dr. Rakhi Mehta, Dr. Meenu Talwar, Dr. Minakshi Duggal,
Mrs. Purnima, Ms. Sonia Mahendru, Dr, Urvashi Mishra, Mrs. Lovleen Kaur, Mrs.
Navneeta, Dr Shailendra, Mr Parminder and Mrs. Aman were present and actively
contributed to the smooth conduct of the inaugural day. Over the next three
days, participants will engage in biodiversity mapping, creative
eco-activities, field-based studies, and nature-inspired skill-building to enhance
their capacity as master trainers.
