A NSS Conversation Louder Than the Music

That evening on campus felt like a celebration packed into a single hour. It was a KREYA flashmob, crackers bursting, colours filling the air, music vibrating through the ground, laughter everywhere. For one full hour, the campus wasn’t about schedules or syllabi; it was about energy, movement, and togetherness.

Somewhere inside that chaos, I was holding on to a quiet intention.

A few days earlier, I had spoken to G. Sridhar sir, our department NSS coordinator. I didn’t ask him for a long explanation. I just told him I wanted to understand NSS, not formally, not through notices or posters, but through a person who had lived it. He paused and gave me one name: Akhila.

I had that name with me for days.

The only thing missing was time.

That evening, during the flashmob hour, everything unexpectedly aligned. Everyone was outside. The campus was loud, alive, unpredictable. And right then, I realised this is probably the only window I have. No perfect setup. No calm environment. Just a moment.

So I made the call.

It was a video call. Around me- music, crackers, colours. On my screen- a calm, composed senior that instantly made the noise feel distant. I told her honestly that it was sudden, that the timing wasn’t planned, and that I completely understood if she couldn’t talk.

She smiled and said yes.

That itself felt like generosity.

She is a CSE alumna (2025 pass-out) and an NSS volunteer. And as the call went on, it didn’t feel like I was “interviewing” her. It felt like a senior choosing to share something meaningful, despite the timing, despite the chaos.

She told me she came to know about NSS only in her third year. Just one year of participation, but she said that one year shifted her perspective entirely. NSS wasn’t about attendance or events anymore; it became about understanding society, responsibility, and self-growth.

She spoke about tree plantations, blood donation drives, cleanliness campaigns, and food donations, all not as achievements, but as experiences that changed her confidence, communication, and ability to work in a team.
“It helped me overcome fear,” she said, simply.

Her journey began unexpectedly. She described herself as a normal student, often noticed by faculty, something most of us can relate to. One day, when Sridhar sir came to handle an academic subject, he asked her to give a seminar for juniors. The topic was NSS.

That seminar was the turning point.

“That’s when I realised NSS exists in our college,” she said.
And that realisation stayed with her.

She wasn’t interested in cultural or dance programs, but NSS felt different, purposeful. Real. When I asked her about her happiest moments, she didn’t talk about certificates or recognition. She said, “Interacting with juniors.”
First, when she herself learned about NSS.
Second, when she became the one explaining NSS to others.

“Awareness is what matters,” she told me.

Her first NSS activity was a plantation drive, which is a simple one, no major challenges, but deeply grounding. Faculty support remained constant throughout her academics. She secured a campus placement in a non-IT, business-oriented company in Bangalore, but chose not to join. That decision came with hesitation and fear. She spoke about how Surya Kumari ma’am, Ratna Kumari ma’am, and Tejaswi ma’am supported her decision without pressure, respecting her choice.

When I asked about faculty, she mentioned Prasanna ma’am, of course, my favourite too and also Gopal Reddy sir, whom students often fear. Then she added something important, from a student’s point of view:
“When students are treated without partiality, everything becomes transparent.”

Her suggestions were clear: students need more involvement, more practical implementation, and continuous skill-building, not just academic focus. She said something that instantly resonated with me:
“Training is there, but skills need more time, like continuous learning in a limited time, without breaks.”
At that moment, I knew, we were thinking the same way.

Her advice to juniors was simple:
“Get a strong grip on at least one programming language. Resources are everywhere. Sincerity matters more.”

Among all NSS activities, blood donation and food donation for local orphans impacted her the most. She strongly believes NSS should not be confined to one campus; collaboration with other colleges builds networking and a broader impact. Awareness, she said, must start with personal goodwill.

Before ending the call, she shared one line that quietly summed up everything:
“Participating itself is enough. Winning or losing doesn’t matter. What I learn is the target.”

The call ended. The music outside continued. Crackers burst. Colours faded.

But the conversation stayed.

When the 2K Walk for girls and women’s safety happened the next day, I admired it deeply, the coordinators, the volunteers, and the intention behind it. Because now, I understand that NSS is not just about events. It’s about people, perspectives, and the willingness to show up, even when the timing isn’t perfect.

Sometimes, all it takes is one hour,
one video call,
and one generous yes
to change how you see everything.