Mumbai: A lively discussion on surviving heartbreak conveyed to young teens that there is light at the end of the tunnel, after all. The students of Vivek College of Commerce in Siddharth Nagar, Goregaon, were treated to an informal counselling session on Saturday. Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty addressed students on ‘Love, Life and Learning’.
This was part of The Times of India’s ongoing ‘Leaders on Campus‘ lecture series where noted professionals visit college campuses to share their expertise.
Shetty used every trick in the book to appeal to the teenagers. He spoke a blend of English, Hindi, Marathi and Tamil, peppered his speech with slang, and drew references liberally from Hindi movies. He gamely even did a little dance on stage.
Cloaked in these colours, his message was pithy and direct. Shetty advised youngsters to not take failed relationships too seriously (never die for a guy), and find a shoulder to cry on, be it their parents, teachers or friends. He urged them to care for their personal well being—eat on time, sleep well, pray or meditate, and avoid isolation. He reminded them to respect their parents and elders, and be mindful to support friends who were undergoing breakups.
Such was the impact that during the Q&A session, two students came up on the dais, and related how unhappy they felt to be excluded by their friends. One shy lad whispered a long complaint in Shetty’s ears, leading the audience to burst into laughs. The doctor urged both youngsters to approach their peer groups to understand the roadblock, or find another group to socialise with.
S Sriram, president of Vivek Education Society which runs the college, said, “I am pleased to meet my former classmate, Dr Harish Shetty, after 50 years. We studied together at Parle College and then went on to choose our respective vocations. I thank The Times of India for organising this interactive session which will be an educative experience for our students.”
Dr Vijetha Shetty, principal of Vivek College, lauded the enriching tie-up that TOI has forged with the college.
She said, “Initially, students had not cultivated the reading habit given their excessive reliance on cellphones. However, the scenario has changed remarkably since TOI came in. We now receive 500 copies of the newspaper. In every class, the students read the paper for ten minutes before lessons begin. TOI also organised a visit to its printing press where the children—and I—both learnt how a newspaper is produced, and mainly, the importance of sharp deadlines.”
The college will upload this session on YouTube.
This was part of The Times of India’s ongoing ‘Leaders on Campus‘ lecture series where noted professionals visit college campuses to share their expertise.
Shetty used every trick in the book to appeal to the teenagers. He spoke a blend of English, Hindi, Marathi and Tamil, peppered his speech with slang, and drew references liberally from Hindi movies. He gamely even did a little dance on stage.
Cloaked in these colours, his message was pithy and direct. Shetty advised youngsters to not take failed relationships too seriously (never die for a guy), and find a shoulder to cry on, be it their parents, teachers or friends. He urged them to care for their personal well being—eat on time, sleep well, pray or meditate, and avoid isolation. He reminded them to respect their parents and elders, and be mindful to support friends who were undergoing breakups.
Such was the impact that during the Q&A session, two students came up on the dais, and related how unhappy they felt to be excluded by their friends. One shy lad whispered a long complaint in Shetty’s ears, leading the audience to burst into laughs. The doctor urged both youngsters to approach their peer groups to understand the roadblock, or find another group to socialise with.
S Sriram, president of Vivek Education Society which runs the college, said, “I am pleased to meet my former classmate, Dr Harish Shetty, after 50 years. We studied together at Parle College and then went on to choose our respective vocations. I thank The Times of India for organising this interactive session which will be an educative experience for our students.”
Dr Vijetha Shetty, principal of Vivek College, lauded the enriching tie-up that TOI has forged with the college.
She said, “Initially, students had not cultivated the reading habit given their excessive reliance on cellphones. However, the scenario has changed remarkably since TOI came in. We now receive 500 copies of the newspaper. In every class, the students read the paper for ten minutes before lessons begin. TOI also organised a visit to its printing press where the children—and I—both learnt how a newspaper is produced, and mainly, the importance of sharp deadlines.”
The college will upload this session on YouTube.
