According to one Arabian proverb, “He, who has health, has hope; and he, who has hope, has everything.” Our college has a vision of making socially responsible citizens; we want our students to play their role as expected in the changing global scenario. In order to fulfill this responsibility, the well being club was formed with the following objectives in mind:

OBJECTIVES

• To create awareness on mental, physical and emotional health of student teachers.
• To help student teachers attain mental and physical well- being.
• To instill and imbibe healthy mental and physical practices among student teachers.

ACTIVITIES

• The club organizes a talk on cancer awareness, Understanding the Self and Mindfulness, adolescent health challenges, AIDS awareness, Naturopathy and its benefits, awareness about prevention of varicose veins and screening the students for the preventive measures that can be taken.
• Workshop on Time management and SUPW programmes were also conducted.
• Sessions on Yoga and meditation are a consistent effort by the club.

2023-24

Composition
Principal	Dr. Sally Enos
Teacher in-charge	Mrs. Bhanu Yadav
Student Council Member	Ms. Priya Menon
	Mrs. Jisha Parekkadan
Student Representatives	Ms. Zainab Sayyed
	Ms. Shilpa Ulwekar
	Mr. Akshat Singh
	Ms. Rupali Sabale

Activities 2023-24

Yoga Sessions
Yoga sessions were conducted by Om Yoga Pranayama Centre in PCER Panvel which was led by Bharti Iyer who is an Alumni of PCER Panvel, she is well known for her yoga sessions that had various benefits, she recently published a book named food and fitness fundas. She is also active in social media where she shares lot of health topic

Sessions were conducted in the following manner:

Day 1: Meditation and Stretches
Various therapy exercise was taught for neck pain, backpack and thyroid problems that were all included in sitting yoga

Day 2: Face yoga and brain yoga
The aim of face yoga was to resolve issues of migraine and vision and brain activity exercises under neuroyoga. Students were enlightened with various benefits of yoga and mam shared success stories of their clients

Day 3: Music yoga/ Bhangra yoga and shavasana
It was focused on full body workout which was filled with fun dance moves and strenuous exercises. Then students were taught about shavasana and importance of body rest. All the three sessions were refreshing and beneficial for the students and looking forward for such sessions in future.

International Yoga Day Celebration

The Well Being Club organized International Yoga Day celebration at PCER. The event aimed to promote the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga and encourage a healthy lifestyle among our community.

The celebration commenced with introducing about the origin and importance of yoga by the guest of the event Ms. Priya Pillai who is an alumni and experienced yoga instructor from Ishwa Yoga Advance Training Centre. Participants were guided through various asanas and pranayama, promoting flexibility, strength, and relaxation. Additionally, specialized workshops on mindfulness and meditation were organized to encourage mental well-being.

Sessions on Learning Be to Stress-free and Happy
On 20th March, 2024 a session on learning to stress-free was organized by the Well-Being Club. There was a short speech about how much it is important to be happy in every situation. During the fast-pacing world and events in our life, what we forget it how to handle our emotions. So, the students were made to think about the fact that happiness is what matters the most. There was a quick session on importance of happiness. The session was about 15-20 minutes and, on an end, note it was said that all of the students are supposed to do small tasks throughout the day to make others happy. Hence, in conclusion its understood that all such sessions are necessary to be conducted in educational setting where competitions among students can lead to emotional distress. Small sessions like this can be a good time out from the stressful times of life.

2022-23

Composition
Principal	Dr. Sally Enos
Teacher in-charge	Mrs. Isha Dhody
Student Council Member	Ms. Supreet Duggal
	Ms. Priya Menon
Student Representatives	Ms. Shilpa Ulvekar
	Ms. Zainab Sayyed
	Ms. Annu Vijayan
	Ms. Nikita Panda

Activities 2022-23

International Yoga Day Celebration
The Well Being Club organized International Yoga Day celebration at PCER. The event aimed to promote the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga and encourage a healthy lifestyle among our community.

Key Highlights:

• Yoga Sessions and Workshops:
  The celebration commenced with introducing about the origin and importance of yoga by the guest of the event Ms. Priya Pillai who is an alumni and experienced yoga instructor from Ishwa Yoga Advance Training Centre. Participants were guided through various asanas and pranayama, promoting flexibility, strength, and relaxation. Additionally, specialized workshops on mindfulness and meditation were organized to encourage mental well-being.
• Community Participation:
  The event ensured the participation of both teaching and non-teaching staff with the students. It was heartening to see individuals of all ages come together to embrace the essence of yoga.
• Health and Well-being Awareness:
  The event focused on promoting holistic health, emphasizing the significance of physical fitness, mental clarity, and emotional balance. Participants were encouraged to adopt a mindful approach to life and prioritize their well-being.The celebration of International Yoga Day was a resounding success. The event inspired the students to incorporate yoga into their daily lives. We are proud to have contributed to the global movement promoting health, harmony, and unity through the practice of yoga.

Webinar on Practicing Well Being @ School
The Well Being Club organized an online webinar for the B.Ed. students due to the inability to attend the original session conducted by the MIT School of Education and Research, MIT ADT University, Pune, on 12th January, 2023. The webinar aimed to address the importance of well-being in schools, particularly focusing on the needs of learners in a classroom setting.

Debarati Basak, a distinguished speaker holding a Master’s degree in psychology and counselling from the USA, was the guest speaker. She shared valuable insights on practices contributing to students’ overall well-being. Basak’s introduction set the stage for the webinar, outlining key topics. Stressing the importance of recognizing learners’ needs, she addressed the impact of online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic and proposed strategies to mitigate negative effects.

The discussion extended to the teacher’s role, emphasizing essential skills like counselling, awareness, and acceptance for creating a supportive learning environment. Significantly, a substantial part of the webinar was dedicated to addressing mental health issues in students. Basak offered practical insights and methods for analysis, contributing to a comprehensive understanding for educators.

The webinar concluded successfully, providing participants with valuable information and tools to enhance student well-being. Despite being a recorded session, it fostered interactive discussions, where classmates took beneficial notes, and most doubts were effectively addressed, resulting in a positive and enriching experience. The Well Being Club’s initiative to share the recorded webinar proved invaluable, resonating well with participants. Debarati Basak’s content highlighted the importance of addressing mental health and well-being in educational settings. The session’s success encourages further exploration and discussions on similar topics to foster a holistic approach to education.

Chit Appreciation Activity
The Well-Being Club at MES Panvel organized “The Chit Appreciation Activity” in February, aiming to cultivate a positive and friendly class environment. Coordinated by S. Zainab on 2nd and 8th February, 2023, the initiative had multiple objectives: creating positivity, fostering interaction, eliminating groupism, promoting joy, building memorable experiences, boosting confidence, and enhancing observation skills.

During the activity, participants received empty chits and were instructed to write appreciative messages about fellow students. The chits were later collected and distributed, allowing students to read and appreciate the positive feedback. While sharing with the class was optional, the primary goal was for individuals to experience a boost in self-esteem. The execution of the activity witnessed enthusiastic participation, with classmates expressing appreciation for each other through written chits. The inclusive approach ensured all students were involved, contributing to an atmosphere of anticipation and positivity.

The outcomes were positive, as “The Chit Appreciation Activity” successfully spread smiles and happiness among participants, fostering increased confidence and improved interaction among classmates. Positive feedback from participants indicated a desire for more such activities in the future. In conclusion, the Well-Being Club achieved its objectives, creating a harmonious and friendly class environment through “The Chit Appreciation Activity.” The success of this event has set the stage for future initiatives, emphasizing the club’s commitment to enhancing the overall well-being and camaraderie among students.

2021-22

Composition
Principal	Dr. Sally Enos
Teacher in-Charge	Mrs. Isha Dhody
Student Council member	Ms. Supreet Duggal
Student Representatives	Ms. Annu Vijayan
	Ms. Nikita Panda

Activities 2021-22

Self- development modules are conducted for students to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Teachers engage the students in hands-on activity to create awareness about their own self so that they can handle themselves better. These modules teach our students to develop self-esteem, self-confidence, resilience self-compassion, etc. through various activities which helps students develop a positive self-image. Having a positive self-image works wonders for them as they are equipped to deal with any stressful situation in the right manner. The activities conducted in the modules help the students have practical experience of taking care of their well-being in different situations.

Another activity of the Well-being Club is the regular counselling sessions for our students. Students are constantly motivated by the principal and teachers at the college but apart from this counselling, we also have our in-house counsellor Ms. Yvette Lee who conducts where sessions with the students as a group and also on an individual basis. She conducts sessions on topics like handling stress in professional and personal life, stress due to the course at hand. She is available to the students to discuss matters on a personal level, either face to face or through telephonic conversations and emails.

Adhering to what the WHO says, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, our college tries to provide many opportunities to our students and staff to understand the need for healthy mind and body and conduct activities which will help them achieve their well-being.

2020-21

Composition
Principal	Dr. Sally Enos
Teacher in-charge	Mrs. Isha Dhody
Student Council Member	Ms. Priyanka Tomar
Student Representatives	Ms. Shanmugraj Pillai
	Ms. Archana Jha

Activities 2020-21

Dalai Lama said, “A calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health”.

As a teacher-training institute one of the objectives at Mahatma Education Society’s Pillai College of Education and Research, New Panvel is to create future teachers who have the inner strength as well as self-confidence to deal with the society and its needs. Both physical and mental health go hand in hand for a well-balanced, well-developed body and mind. As is our practice every year, this year too we have many activities organized for both students and staff to focus on our health and well-being. Due to the ongoing pandemic situation, all our activities were conducted through the offline mode.

In order to remove any stress in our lives, Yoga is a very good medium and we give our students an opportunity to participate in Yoga and meditation in our college. We invite experts from the field and as well as in-house teachers conduct Yoga and meditation for our students. 2021 was the 7th year of our celebration of International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2021. As is our practice, in-charge teacher started online sessions for students for half an hour every day. She started off with the breathing exercises, pranayama and simple yogasanas as prescribed by the Government of India. A special slot was provided in the timetable for the activity. Students were eager to be part of this morning ritual.

Our expert this year for Yoga Day was Ms. Bharti Iyer, a certified Yoga expert who has been practicing yoga for many years and she also teaches Yoga in both online and offline mode. She explained the various benefits of the pranayams, asanas and breathing exercises to the students and staff as it was being shown to students. She also informed about how various diseases can be kept at bay by following the various aspects of Yoga. It was a wonderful session, well -received by all. A lot of participants showed interest in continuing with this activity on a regular basis.

The benefits of Yoga for the mind and the body are not limited to few weeks or any special day but has long term effects. We have tried to continue with the pranayams, breathing exercises and stretching exercises for the students.

Another activity of the Well-being Club is the regular counselling sessions for our students. Students are constantly motivated by the principal and teachers at the college but apart from this counselling, we also have our in-house counsellor Ms. Yvette Lee who conducts where sessions with the students as a group and also on an individual basis. She conducts sessions on topics like handling stress in professional and personal life, stress due to the course at hand. She is available to the students to discuss matters on a personal level, either face to face or through telephonic conversations and emails.

Self- development modules are conducted for students to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Teachers engage the students in hands-on activity to create awareness about their own self so that they can handle themselves better. These modules teach our students to develop self-esteem, self-confidence, resilience self-compassion, etc. through various activities which helps students develop a positive self-image. Having a positive self-image works wonders for them as they are equipped to deal with any stressful situation in the right manner. The activities conducted in the modules help the students have practical experience of taking care of their well-being in different situations.

Adhering to what the WHO says, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, our college tries to provide many opportunities to our students and staff to understand the need for healthy mind and body and conduct activities which will help them achieve their well-being.

2019-20

Composition
Principal	Dr. Sally Enos
Teacher in-charge	Mrs. Bindu Tambe
	Ms. Namrata Saxena
Student Council Member	Ms. Mukta Prashant
Student Representatives	Ms. Meenakshi
	Ms. Jyotirmayee Lenka

Activities 2019-20

“To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind strong and clear.” – Buddha

Pillai College of Education and Research, New Panvel being a teacher-training college needs to keep its students and staff healthy and fit as we continue to imbibe training with well-being, both physical as well as mental. Hence, as part of our continuing efforts, this year too we have tried to incorporate few activities. Due to the pandemic, we had to cut down some of our programmes which we hope to take up in the next year through the online mode.

To celebrate the 5th International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2019, we started taking sessions on breathing exercises, pranayama and simple yogasanas as prescribed by the Government of India. A special slot was provided in the time table for the activity. Students were eager to be part of this morning ritual. The Yoga expert for the International Day of Yoga was Mrs. Rajalakshmi, a yoga practitioner for many years. She also conducts yoga classes. On 21st June, we began our session with a prayer and breathing exercises. Rajalakshmi ma’am introduced us to various yoga asanas along with their importance and the correct way of doing. She continued with various breathing exercises to bring peace and calm to the mind and body and achieve the balance that is required in our lives.
The benefits of Yoga for the mind and the body are not limited to few weeks or any special day but have long term effects. We have tried to continue with the pranayams, breathing exercises and stretching exercises for the students.

On 30th November, 2019 a Maha Walkathon was organized by University of Mumbai, Same day – Same time, Government of Maharashtra CASI initiative, Maharashtra Walkathon 2019, a group of 30 students and teachers of MES’ Pillai College of Education and Research, Panvel participated in this walkathon which began and ended at Khandeshwar Police Station. Special permission was sought from the Khanda Colony Police station as well as Kalamboli Traffic Station. We began the walk at 8am and ended it by 9:30 a.m. This walkathon is to create awareness about road safety and traffic rules as well as to create awareness of the health benefits of walking.

On 15th February, 2020, an alumnus of Pillai College of Education and Research, Panvel, Ms. Bharti Iyer who is a yoga exponent conducted a session of Dance and Yoga for our students. Ms. Iyer explained how these dance steps and Yoga helps in keeping us healthy and fit. Not only are these beneficial for our physical health but also for our mental well-being.

As part of our continuing efforts to maintain physical and mental well-being of our students, they also have regular interactions with our counsellor, Ms. Yvette Lee. She conducts group sessions as well as individual session where students meet with Ms. Lee to share any issues they may have as far as their personal life is concerned.

Competitions: Poster Making Competition were held on the topic “Our duties as a good citizen” and “Women Empowerment”

2018-19

Composition
Principal	Dr. Sally Enos
Teacher in-charge	Mrs. Bindu Tambe
Student Council Member	Ms. Kalyani Kiri
Student Representatives	Ms. Amreen Shaikh
	Ms. Pooja Joshi

Activities 2018-19

Sadhguru says, “Health is not just being disease-free. Health is when every cell in your body is bouncing with joy”.

Pillai College of Education and Research, New Panvel still believes in the old saying, ‘Healthy mind in a healthy body’. We not only believe in it but also consciously try to create opportunities for our students and staff to inculcate mental and physical well-being.

To celebrate the 4th International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2018, preparations began well in advance at Pillai College of Education and Research, New Panvel. Students were given training on breathing and stretching exercises every day for a week starting from 16th June, 2018.

On 21st June, we began our session with a prayer and breathing exercises. We followed the official literature released for International Yoga Day and tried to adhere to many of the asanas. Students were also given a session on the benefits of various pranayams and asanas, the do’s and don’ts of yoga was explained too. As required by the Higher Education authorities, a video of the International Yoga Day was uploaded on YouTube. The benefits of Yoga for the mind and the body are not limited to few weeks or any special day but has long term effects. We have tried to continue with the pranayams, breathing exercises and stretching exercises for the students.

On 4th December, 2018, we conducted a session on “Brain Games” by Ms. Bharti Iyer. She is a yoga exponent and conducts these games for children as well as adults. Ms. Iyer explained how these brain games help us remain smart and alert. It is important to practice these games as they help us keep diseases like Alzheimer at a distance. She conducted exercises for the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Students were also given some games to play to check how fast their brain works. The session concluded with playing the music to remove negative energy. After the session, the students felt energetic and had a calm feeling. It was a wonderful session!

1st December is celebrated as World AIDS Awareness Day and various programmes are conducted all over the world in an effort to create awareness about this dreaded disease. We also encouraged our students to present a skit on the topic with the objective of making more and more students aware about the situation in the society. Students took up the role of writing the script and presenting the various characters. It was a wonderful team effort and helped us in understanding how the society still views AIDS and patients suffering from AIDS and suggested ways to change the attitude towards them.

As part of our continuing efforts to maintain physical and mental well-being of our students, they also have regular interactions with our counsellor, Ms. Yvette Lee. She conducts group sessions as well as individual session where students meet with Ms. Lee to share any issues they may have as far as their personal life is concerned.

2017-18

Composition
Principal	Dr. Sally Enos
Teacher in-charge	Mrs. Geeta S. Thakur
Student Council Member	Ms. Asmita Galande
Student Representatives	Ms. Rashmi Solanki
	Ms. Renu Sharma

Activities 2017-18

“Wellness is not a ‘medical fix’ but a way of living – a lifestyle sensitive and responsive to all the dimensions of body, mind, and spirit, an approach to life we each design to achieve our highest potential for well-being now and forever”. ~ Greg Anderson

In order to inculcate a sense of mental and physical well-being among our students, Pillai College of Education and Research, Panvel conducts various activities.

To celebrate the 3rd International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2017, preparations began well in advance at Pillai College of Education and Research, New Panvel. Students were given training on breathing and stretching exercises every day for a week starting from 15th June, 2017. Yoga expert, Mrs. Rajalakshmi Rao was our invited guest and expert. Mrs. Rao is a certified Yoga expert. She has completed various courses in Yoga and Naturotherapy. In her mission to spread awareness about Yoga and its benefits, she conducts classes at various locations in Panvel. Mrs. Rao began the session by explaining the various benefits of yoga and the some of its counter effects. She conducted various simple asanas and pranayams for the students and teachers of B.Ed. and M.Ed. It was a refreshing and exhilarating experience for all.

On 29th June, 2017, our students were introduced to Mr. Jaykar Ellis, Founder, Heart Foundation, a registered NGO. This NGO is involved in many social activities like health, environment, education, etc. Mr. Ellis spoke to our students on the theme, “Say No to Tobacco”. During this session, Mr. Ellis reiterated the harmful effects of tobacco use and also encouraged our students and teachers to be agents of change. He suggested that we should be able to convince at least one person in our neighbourhood, in our family, in our building, etc. The students were really motivated to work in this project.

On 11th November, 2017, a session on managing neck & back pain was conducted by Dr. Ram Chaddha, Spine Surgeon, Apollo Hospital, Navi Mumbai. During this session, Dr. Chaddha gave us a list dos and don’ts of taking care of our spine, back and bones. He threw light on various aspects of our food and dietary habits also to keep our bones healthy. The session was very informative and interactive where our students also had lot of queries which were answered very satisfactorily by our expert.

As part of our continuing efforts to maintain physical and mental well-being of our students, they also have regular interactions with our counsellor, Ms. Yvette Lee. She conducts group sessions as well as individual session where students meet with Ms. Lee to share any issues they may have as far as their personal life is concerned.

3rd International Day of Yoga

To celebrate the 3rd International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2017, preparations began well in advance at Pillai College of Education and Research, New Panvel. Students were given training on breathing and stretching exercises every day for a week starting from 15th June, 2017.
Yoga expert, Mrs. Rajalakshmi Rao was our invited guest and expert. Mrs. Rao is a certified Yoga expert. She has completed various courses in Yoga and Naturotherapy. In her mission to spread awareness about Yoga and its benefits, she conducts classes at various locations in Panvel.
Mrs. Rao began the session by explaining the various benefits of yoga and the some of its counter effects. She conducted various simple asanas and pranayams for the students and teachers of B.Ed. and M.Ed. It was a refreshing
and exhilarating experience for all.

2016-17

Composition
Principal	Dr. Sally Enos
Teacher in-charge	Mrs. Bindu Tambe
Student Council Member	Mr. Aldrian Augustine
Student Representatives	Ms. Preethi Pillai
	Ms. Puja Pushp

Activities 2016-17

Talk on Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse
On 3rd October, 2016, Dr. Dharav Sunil Shah took a session on creating awareness on alcohol and tobacco abuse. The main aim of this session was to create awareness amongst the future teachers about the harmful effects of the two social evils; alcohol and tobacco use. As per Dr. Shah, both the professionals, teachers and medical practitioners are such professionals who can create mass awareness mainly in the youth of today and the future of tomorrow. The speaker spoke about the how both the substance abuses are not only harming the individual but also the society and nation at large. The use of demographic and comparative records to generate awareness was the plus point of the session and was well received by the student teachers.

Certificate Course
This year PCER, Panvel, signed an MOU with MGM’ College of Nursing, Kamothe, and as a part of the activities agreed upon, conducted a week-long certificate course on “Basic First Aid”. The course was conducted in the second week of December 2016 and the sessions included lectures on various emergency situations people face like snake bite, sun stroke, heart attacks, burns, seizures etc. which can be brought under control by following simple first aid processes. Practical sessions on handling and moving patients gave the students hands-on experience and a confidence to help people when the need arises. At the end of the sessions, the student teachers of F.Y. B.Ed. and S.Y. B.Ed. who enrolled for the course had written and practical assessment. On satisfactory completion of the course, certificates were awarded to the student teachers.

Quiz competition
On 14th March, 2017, members of the well-being club organized a quiz completion for the student teachers of first- and second-year B.Ed. and M.Ed. The quiz covered various dimensions an individual’s overall health-hygiene. The quiz contained topics from food to diseases, various art forms, abbreviations of disorders and syndromes and a visual round. One of the dimensions of the quiz was on the initiatives taken by the government of India in creating awareness towards various issues that is an important part of the human well-being.

2015-16

Composition
Teacher in-charge	Ms. Geeta S. Thakur
Student Representatives	Mamta Kumari
	Trupti Dave

Activities 2015-16

Meditation
In today’s world of stress and strife, everyone is looking for ways to gain a perspective into one’s life. Even though we run after materialistic world and the happiness it provides, we also need to slow down, connect with our inner self, and also the supreme power. To achieve this, there are many ways and means. One of the most effective ways is to introspect and for this Meditation is really useful. At Pillai College of Education and Research, Panvel, as part of the Wellness Club activity, we have introduced our students to Meditation using the Sahajmarg Yoga. Every Friday there is a one-hour session for our students conducted by the “Prefect”, an expert from the Ramchandra Mission, New Panvel. Here the students are asked to sit quietly and feel the inner light. At the end of each session students are asked about their experiences and the same is shared with the entire class. These sessions have helped them concentrate and reflect on the things in their life.

Yoga: “Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured”
–B K Iyengar.

Man has become a slave of time! The lives of people have become so busy that physical well being is completely ignored. The stability and calmness of mind and body is often overlooked which invariably causes stress leading to challenges and problems in life. Yoga is a 5000 year old Indian body of knowledge which helps our soul to be one with the universal spirit. Keeping in mind the multi beneficial facets of Yoga, yoga sessions were organized for the student teachers for a week (14th -19th March 2016) from 3.00 -3:30 pm. The sessions were conducted by Mrs. Bharati Iyer, an alumnus of PCER and also a member of professional yoga community. The sessions included yogic exercises, power yoga, acupuncture and laughter therapy. The best part of yoga session was her soothing voice which took the students down the lanes of a beautiful garden. The Ms Iyer taught simple steps of yoga that can be practiced without much hassle. These sessions helped rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.

Wellness activity: Laughter is said to be the best medicine, it not only decreases stress hormones but also increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving our resistance to diseases. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals which in turn promotes an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve us from pain. Laughing is a celebration of the good, and it’s also how we deal with the bad. It is a big deal and has been shown to have many beneficial effects on human body in different ways. Due to its advantages, the club started showing funny videos to induce laughter in the class. These sessions helped in releasing the stress and fatigue among students.

Knowing each other well helps in better understanding of one another and also facilitates in securing a bond between people. With this intent, an activity was started on Whatsapp group wherein each day student teacher would share one positive attribute or thought on one chosen student for a day. The student who reigns the day on Whatsapp then gets an opportunity to choose another student for the next day and so on. This activity helped in bringing about bonding and cohesion among the students and enhanced their social skills. They have also developed a positive attitude for each other and the class has become a place filled with positivity, empathy and compassion. The students are also encouraged to do one good deed each day and display it on the chart meant for it.

These activities have helped in stimulating the goodness within each one of the student and spreading it among the others. The well being of each one of us lies in being positive and spreading that goodness and goodwill.

2014-15

Composition
Teacher in-charge	Ms. Bindu Tambe
	Ms. Prerana Panjari
Student Representatives	Isha Arora
	Kshitija Dixit

Activities 2014-15

A Talk on Cancer Awareness
16th February, 2015
On 16th February, 2015, Pillai College of Research and Education, New Panvel invited Mr. Vijay Gokhale to conduct a talk on Cancer Awareness. Mr. Gokhale, who worked at Tata Memorial Hospital for nearly 32 years is an expert in the field. He has been spearheading the issue of creating awareness about the disease in the society by means of talks and seminars to educate the people about the disease. Mr. Gokhale enlightened the student teachers with the facts that are helpful and a must know. He started the talk by posing questions and then explaining about what is cancer, how it is diagnosed and whether it can be treated. He gave insightful details on all three aspects. This was followed by talk on different types of cancer, like lung cancer, oral cancer, cervical cancer and their symptoms. He repeatedly emphasized and highlighted that ‘all cancers are not fatal but early detection is the best prevention.’ After this Mr. Gokhale invited questions from the students. There were few questions raised about the different aspects of cancer and its treatment. He then showed a video about detecting the cancers prevalent in women, like cervical and breast cancer, using simple diagnosis. The talk was highly informative and helpful and the videos shown cleared lot of misconceptions.

Workshop on “Understanding the Self and Mindfulness”
31st March, 2015
A workshop on “Understanding the Self and Mindfulness” was conducted on 31st March, 2015. The session was conducted by resource persons from the field of psychology and hypnotherapy, Ms. Japneet Anand, Ms. Meenu Joshi. Mr. Mukul Gijre, their creative team member was also present on the occasion. After a formal introduction and welcome, the session started. Ms. Meenu Joshi gave the audience information about herself and the organization, they are associated with called AWAKEN: The Titan Within. The session was centered around the theme of leading a meaningful life. Ms. Japneet then walked the audience through the factors of mindfulness and positive psychology. She cleared several doubts that the audience had and the session moved on to the ways and means of leading a fulfilling life. They had stressed on the aspects of positive thinking and meaningful life. Ms. Meenu and Ms. Japneet conducted two exercises that gave valuable information about how important an individual’s thought is, in making a meaningful and fruitful life a reality. They guided the students to put in efforts in the form of actions, to achieve the ‘Super You’ image that they have always wanted to be. A lot of meaningful quotes were shared by the speakers throughout the session which were very enlightening. “I am the master of my thoughts; I am the master of my actions!” The session ended with a vote of thanks and the speakers were presented with a thank you card made by the students along with goodie bag filled with chocolates.

2013-14

Composition
Teacher in-charge	Ms. Bhavna Dave
	Ms. Devanshi Praveen
	Ms. Chitra More
Student Representatives	Simrit Sandhu
	Varsha Shahji

Activities 2013-14

Cancer Awareness
22nd February 2014
A talk on ‘Cancer awareness’ was organized by the PCER-Panvel “Well-being club” on 22nd February 2014 from 3.30 to 5.00 pm. The session was conducted by Dr. Vijay Gokhale, a retired person who works selflessly for this good cause. With cancer affecting 1 in 3 of us in our lifetime, we believe everyone needs to be given the knowledge to recognize the early signs and symptoms of cancer. Mr. Gokhale emphasized on the fact that at least 80% of common cancers can be successfully treated if they are diagnosed in the early stages. He explained how everyone can make adjustments in their lifestyle, which will give them a chance of a healthier future. He clarified the risk factors, preventive measures, myths and misconceptions of the cancer and also about the screenings and treatments available. He also showed the class a short film on detection of cancer in women. Overall, the session was enlightening, and set us all thinking with a view of modifications required in their lifestyle.

Varicose Veins
25th February, 2014
‘A sound mind resides in a sound body’ keeping this view in mind, Pillai College of Education and Research, New Panvel organized a workshop on varicose veins on 25th February, 2014. It was conducted by Dr. Kavita Puri from Preventive Healthcare initiative as a part of Guru Dakshina programme specially designed for teachers. Being in the profession which demands lot of standing, teachers are more prone to varicose veins. She threw light on how varicose veins are caused due to faulty veins. Varicose veins mostly appear in leg due to pressure exerted by our weight. She recommended some exercises that could easily be done by everyone, and would help in the prevention of varicose veins to a large extent. This was followed by a free check up by use of Plethysmograph which is a device for measuring the venous influx and outflow in the leg veins.

Yoga and Meditation
10th – 15th March, 2014
Stress has become a part of life. Every day we have to face challenges and problems which create stress in our lives. In our busy lives we rarely notice that we are ignoring our physical well being. A big wide web of thoughts is not allowing your mind to be stable and calm.Your body and mind also need time to get refreshed. Yoga and meditation are proven ways to find calmness.
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured”

–B K Iyengar.

PCER, New Panvel had arranged a morning yoga session for a week (10th – 15th March, 2014) from 11:00 – 11:30 am. These sessions were conducted by a professional Ms. Bharati Iyer. She is a part of a professional yoga community which conducts yoga in New Panvel, sector -6.They have various sessions of yoga, power yoga and acupuncture.
The yoga sessions comprised of demonstration of Omkar, different pranayams-Bastrika, Kapalbhati, Asana-bandh, agnisaar, Brahamari. Apart from these she also demonstrated various stress buster and laughter therapy. She encouraged us to perform all the asanas along with her. In laughter therapy we learned new styles of laughing, laughing like a devil and like smooth waves.

2012-13

Talk on Art of Survival
3rd October, 2012
A talk on art of survival was conducted by Dr. Sudhakar Upadhyay on 3rd October, 2012. He showed how simple daily usable things can come in handy while defending oneself against anybody who wishes to hurt us. It was a good session as Dr. Sudhakar demonstrated various defense techniques, whereas his female assistant spoke on certain gynecology related issues related to female students that are encountered by school teachers.

AIDS Day Awareness
1st December, 2012
World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. To mark this day in our college, the students prepared a small 10 – minute skit to spread awareness and extend their support to the cause of HIV and AIDS. Their efforts to walk the audience through a range of emotions, that are experienced by people living with HIV paid off, as everyone came out to pledge their solidarity towards this issue.

2011-12

A man’s health can be judged by what he takes two at a time – pills or stairs.”
-Joan Welsh

To make a realization of this, on 23rd February 2012, Dr. G.S. Kamath an expert naturopath enthralled the students with his rich experience on Naturopathy and emphasized that it is a path to a healthy life style.
He gave a formula of good health:

Good health = 80% diet + 20% relaxation/exercise

Further he gave some useful tips for healthy eating. According to him, while eating we must keep in mind: ‘What to eat?, How much to eat?, When to eat?’ and ‘Why to eat?’ He specifically emphasized on consuming raw food. He said that raw food is God’s food and has a medicinal value. He discussed the laws on which Naturopathy is based:

• Unity of disease (all diseases are the same, a result of violation of nature’s law)
• Unity of cure (for all diseases the cure is the same)
• Healing comes from within the body (the body is capable of curing itself)

He gave us the four golden keys to a healthy life – Right eating, right drinking, right exercise and relaxation. Body is a gift of God hence one should take good care of it. In fact Dr. Kamat gave practical mantra of what William Londen said, “To insure good health: Eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.”

Talk on cancer awareness
Mr. Vijay A. Gokhale, Director, Cancer Awareness Foundation gave a talk to the B.Ed. students on cancer awareness on 5th March 2012. He gave a general idea about cancer, further he expanded the students’ knowledge by speaking about its types, causes, symptoms and treatment. He threw light on basic myths surrounding cancer i.e. first there are no medicines available for Cancer, second there is no treatment of Cancer, third a Cancer patient cannot survive. He spoke about three procedures available for the treatment of cancer. i.e. Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and Operation or surgery. Dr. Kamath informed the students about different types of cancer which are generally found in males and females. He further stressed on preventive measures that include limiting alcohol, not smoking or chewing tobacco, not making use of cancer causing substances, taking care of our near and dear ones and how to dissuade them to kick the bad habits. His talk was followed by a discussion session in which students raised their queries regarding this disease.

Stress management programme
According to Kelly Clarkson, God will never give you anything you can’t handle, so don’t stress. Christopher says, “I believe that stress is a factor in any bad health.” This emphasizes the importance of stress management in our life. It is truer in the case of B.Ed. teacher trainees who undergo rigorous training during the course. Keeping this in mind our college organized the stress management programme. Under this programme the following activities were implemented for a period of 15 days:

• Comic videos were used in the class as a laughter therapy in the Morning assembly. The students laughed heartily and felt relaxed for the day long. This made them realize the importance of laughter in life.
• Students were involved in making charts on the different aspects of stress management and displayed.
• Relaxation music was played during recess and other free time as it is said music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
• Yoga is considered as the best way to live stress-free. To experience this, students practiced Pranayam in the daily assembly.
• Being assertive is being able to express oneself with confidence without resorting to passive, aggressive or manipulative behavior. It is necessary to live a stress free life. So in order to inculcate this skill, ‘Assertiveness training model’ was implemented in the classroom. The importance of assertiveness in life was explained to the students. Role-play was then taken up by the students.

According to Hans Seley, “Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.” The stress management programme helped to cultivate a positive attitude towards life.

2010-11

Awareness programme on ‘Adolescent health Challenges for youth
8th September, 2010
On 8th September, 2010, P.C.E.R., New Panvel organized an awareness programme on ‘Adolescent health – challenges for youth today and tomorrow’. The speaker, Dr. Janaki Patil, who is a practicing gynaecologist and a representative from the Federation of Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), Navi Mumbai, explained to the students about adolescence, health implications of sexual development, emotional changes, healthy food habits, anemia, thalassaemia, aids, exercise, spirituality and some safety tips. The stress was on how the to-be teachers would be able to start a dialogue with their futuristic students.

Talk on ‘Independence – The Art of Survival’
11th January, 2011
On 11th January, 2011, Dr. Sudhakar Upadhyay and his team gave a talk on the crime against women in our society and the causes of stress in the lives of women. He emphasized that women should be aware of their rights. He guided us on how to fight against the crimes with various self-defense techniques. He accentuated on the independence of thoughts and confiscating stress by regular exercises, yoga, aerobics, providing first aid in case of medical emergencies.

Talk on Yoga & Meditation
16th November 2010
On 16th November, 2010 a yoga & meditation talk was delivered by Mr. Kishore Tawadia & group, of Samarpan Dhyan Shivir. They explained how stress deteriorates our health, lives and overall personality of an individual. He laid stress on the balancing of the Chakras in our body. These chakras would work in harmony only if we follow a healthy diet & meditate regularly. Meditation not only helps to lead a peaceful life but also helps us to control our emotions, concentrate on our goals of life and makes the earth a ‘heaven’ to live.

2009-10

Leprosy Awareness Programme
To expose students to the scientific information on leprosy & to spread the word that leprosy is a curable disease, an awareness programme was arranged by P.C.E.R. Alert-India, an association for Leprosy Education, Rehabilitation & Treatment was invited to college. Their representatives Ms. Ipshita De & her assistant presented an audio-visual educational film which aimed at dispelling age-old myths and common fallacies associated with this completely curable disease. The students also cleared their doubts in the session. On a voluntary basis, students also participated in the donation-card drive. This gave the students an opportunity to spread facts about leprosy in their neighbourhood. Our student, Ms. Kumud received an award from the Governor for collecting a big amount for the leprosy patients. It was indeed an earnest service to humanity.

2008-09

Aids Awareness
Father Moni Mathew was the speaker for this day. The session started with the tradition of prayer. Father Mathew introduced the topic AIDS by saying, ‘feel the feeling of the felt, then only you will feel your own feelingly.’ He shared few instances from the real life of the aids patients’ and what they are going through. Booklets were distributed amongst all the students which had all the information related to the topic. He explained each in every aspect related to the topic to us. He explained the difference between HIV and AIDS, how it is caused, the patient’s health conditions and society’s attitude towards them. Father concluded the session by stating that instead of looking at these patients with hatred we should try to give care, love and support to them. Father also discussed how to effectively integrate this topic in our practice teaching and future teaching endeavors.

Thalassaemia Awareness and Checkup Camp
7th October, 2008
Lions club international district thalassaemia awareness and check-up camp organized by Lions club Bombay, Chembur north and Panvel was held on 7th October, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 05:OO p.m. at assembly hall, Dr. K. M. Vasudevan Pillai College. New Panvel for unmarried students and the staff members: The programme started at 10.OOam with the felicitation of the guest of honor. After that the students present in the hall for the camp were acquainted with the information but thallassaemia. This valuable information was very new for the most of the students present there. The causes, consequences and remedies of this disease were discussed. At 11.00 am the camp got started. The volunteers took up the charge of their duties the assembly was set ready to collect the blood samples and we gave our blood samples for testing. Students along with the office and library staff members took part. This camp was available for the students till 5.00 pm. Result: None of the B. Ed students were detected with thallassaemia.

Stress Management Through Yoga and Meditation
“When you meditate, what you actually do is to enter into calm or still, silent mind. We have to be fully aware of the arrival and attack of thoughts. That is to say, we shall not allow any thought, good or bad, to enter into our mind. Our mind should be absolutely silent. Then we have to go deep within; there we have to observe our real existence.” This was the main information which was given to us from the group who had come to our college. They were five people who had come together to give us information on the benefits of yoga & meditation, how to think positive and give negative energy out and how to convert negative energy into positive energy. They explained us about ‘aura’. They told us how we can reach self realization state. They said that when you meditate you have to try to quiet and calm to: mind. There should be no thought within the mind. Right now you feel that if you can cherish twenty ideas at a time, then you are the wisest man on earth. The more thoughts that enter into our minds the cleverer we feel we are. But in the spiritual life it is not like that. lf consciously we can make the mind calm and quiet. We feel that a new creation dawns inside us. We should always remember that “the affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.”

2007-08

Streets management
The Contemporary world demands vigorous, zealous, determined and spirited work. Managing stress and work simultaneously has become a part and parcel of our life. To manage both the constraints effectively and maintain a balance between mental and physical strain, our principal arranged a workshop on stress management which was conducted by Shri. Kumar Ajay, who very efficiently read our minds and hilariously gave some suggestions. The workshop comprised of ‘Gyan Mudra’, ‘Anulom – Vilom’, Meditation and laughter therapy. The workshop was indeed reviving and energizing. We unanimously decided to practice it during our assembly. The simple Aasanas and Meditation at the beginning of the day rejuvenate us and allow us to bring forth and maintain a positive approach towards our capabilities.