On July 6, some 68 Student council members of St. Xavier’s Colleges, Patna celebrated RakshaBandhan in a unique style when they tied Rakhis to trees and made friendship with them to send the message about the trees:  how important or beneficial they are in our daily lives.

The word ‘raksha bandhan’ in Sanskrit roughly means ‘bond of protection. The festival celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. According to the North Indian custom, sisters tie a sacred thread, called a ‘rakhi’, on their brother’s wrist. The ‘rakhi’ represents a sister’s love and prayer for her brother, and the brother’s promise to protect her.
Rakhi simply means protection. Trees are like our elder brothers which protect the earth in many ways. So it is a responsibility of all men and women to protect the trees.
The programme was organized by St. Xavier’s College of management and technology and St. Xavier College Patna in Tarumitra beside the college campus. 68 student Council members of the college participated in the programme.
This activity was directed towards the overall development of the future leaders by making them not only eco-friendly but eco-sensitive so that the mother earth is cared for.
Beginning with leadership training programme.The students belonged to various departments including B.com (professional), BCA, BBA, BMC were present during this occasion. Both, the Principal and Vice Principal of St. Xavier’s Colleges, Fr. T. Nishant, SJ and Fr. Martin Poras, SJ respectively were present.
The main resources person for training was Fr. Christie SJ, the Vice Principal of St. Xavier’s School, Patna. He conducted different leadership and evocative activities, important in building leadership skills.
This leadership program witnessed a lot of interactive sessions among the students which triggered a lot of green action plans for this coming session involving the entire student body as well as the staff and non-teaching staff of the college.
Fr. Christie SJ, the vice principal of St. Xavier’s Schoolsaid that “there is no definition of a leader, you can choose your own future and create a vision for it.”
Fr. Martin SJ, the Vice Principal of St. Xavier’s Colleges said that “To bring about a change one has to be the change by him/herself.”
Anurag Prakash of B.com (professional), a student council member said that, “believe in yourself and you will automatically become a leader.”
After all the interactive sections and discussions the students came up with the action plan for taking St. Xavier’s college to greater heights in the coming years.

[Prepared by intern John Marandi from Press Release]

  environment, festival, Jesuit education, Tarumitra Friends of trees