Independence is not only about remembering the freedom we fought for. It is also about recognising the responsibility we carry towards the society we are a part of. In the early hours of our 80th Independence Day, 200+ students and young individuals took to the streets to drive the student-led initiative to clean the path from the university campus to Waghodia Chowk. Turning their collective voice into visible action, these students came together to clean the road and the surroundings and collected 8 tractors worth of waste and garbage.

Standing with its students, the Vadodara-based Parul University extended its full support to the initiative. At its heart, the drive was about more than just picking garbage or cleaning the road, it was about starting a conversation on what it means to take ownership of the spaces we live, study and grow in. The drive was not being organised as a one-time event, but it aimed to serve as a statement on the role that the educational institutions and young citizens have to play in maintaining public hygiene and civic spaces.