Moodubidire: Expressing his discontent over the attitude of officials at the national headquarters of the Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG), Karnataka State Bharat Scouts and Guides Commissioner P.G.R. Scindia said that the selfless service rendered by the Karnataka unit over the years has not received due recognition.
“I am a little skeptical about how I should render my service or motivate my people to work when such contributions go unacknowledged,” he remarked.
He was speaking at the Messenger of Peace, Star Award 2023, and Rashtrapati Puraskar award 2016 ceremony, jointly organized by the BSG National Headquarters, the Karnataka State BSG, Dakshina Kannada Unit and Alva’s Education Foundation at Kannada Bhavan, Moodubidire, on Sunday.
After presenting the awards, Scindia urged the national leadership to acknowledge and appreciate the consistent efforts and achievements of the Karnataka State unit in strengthening the scouting movement across the country.
Highlighting the state unit’s major contributions, he recalled that the International Cultural Jamboree held at Moodubidire saw the participation of over 60,000 delegates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Karnataka BSG distributed one crore face masks across the state. Scouts and Guides volunteers from Karnataka also rendered selfless service during major events such as the Male Mahadeshwara Temple fair, Hasanamba and Siddeshwara Swamy fair, and Udupi Paryaya.
“Despite these large-scale contributions, there has been little acknowledgment from the national headquarters. Such neglect dampens the enthusiasm and interest of our members towards the movement,” he added.
Scindia also highlighted that the Rashtrapati Puraskar, the highest honor for Scouts and Guides in India, has not been conducted for the past few years. The award, presented by the President of India, provides several benefits to students pursuing professional courses such as engineering and medicine. “As a result, Karnataka is the biggest loser,” he said.
He further pointed out that India’s population exceeds 140 crore, of which over 30 crore are youths. “Yet, in Scouts and Guides, we have not reached even one crore. This is not a good sign. We need to reach out to more young people,” he remarked.
Speaking on the relevance of scouting, Scindia said, “There is no better ideology than this. Youth should carry forward the message to future generations. The essence of Vedas, Puranas, and Sanatana Dharma itself reflects the service-oriented philosophy of Scouts and Guides.”
The ideology of the Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG) is rooted in selfless service, discipline, and character building. It aims to nurture responsible citizens who contribute positively to society through duty, loyalty, and compassion.
Speaking on the occasion, Additional International Commissioner (Scouts), Bharat Scouts and Guides, Madhusudhan Avala Subramanyam, said, A Scout leader can become anything but not everyone can become a Scout leader. Scouting and Guiding is like the ocean’s shore it touches everything along the way, good or bad. Similarly, the movement embraces all experiences whether pleasant or challenging, he observed. He added that Scouts and Guides embody the qualities of humility, courtesy, loyalty, and trustworthiness, which make them stand apart from others.
Former Director of Bharat Scouts and Guides, New Delhi, Krishna Swamy, said that those who are more committed to social causes can truly contribute to building a better world. “If the benefits of development reach the last person in society, peace will automatically prevail,” he observed.
Commenting on the imbalance between resources and priorities, he remarked, “Our quota may be just 200 grams of atta, but we are busy constructing palatial buildings — such efforts are of no real use. Peace is not built through wealth, but through values and service.
Out of the 48 recipients of the Rashtrapati Puraskar Award from across the country, 30 awardees were present to receive the honor. Similarly, among the 48 recipients of the Messenger of Peace Star Award, 30 members attended the ceremony to receive their awards.
Scouts and Guides officials Prabhakar Bhat, Analendra Sarma, Srinivas Kini, Prathim Kumar, Vimala Rangaiah, Felcy Fernandes, Mohini Ramachandran, Suphala were present among others.