Learn art of questioning, students told

The Hindu: Vijayawada: Monday, February 02, 2015.

Students should learn the art of questioning, which forms the basis for success in any sphere of life, according to Central Information Commissioner Madabhushi Sridhar.

United Forum for RTI Campaign in association P B Siddhartha College of Arts and Science conducted an awareness meeting on RTI Act here on Sunday.

In a lively talk, Prof. Sridhar cited various examples, to underscore the need to question and understand things and developments taking shape around us.

It was prudence and knowledge of Birbal that questioned the authority of Akbar in many instances, including a decision to hang a fruit vendor for a trivial reason. The knowledge comes from questioning.

It was the question that shaped the life of a child who went on to became scientist and former president of India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Again, it was a question by a child to Manmohan Singh that triggered discussion and initiative to dig up history on how Gandhiji got the title ‘Father of Nation’.

It was the inquisitiveness of Tilly Smith, a girl aged 10, to know about tsunamis which saved nearly a hundred foreign tourists at Maikhao Beach in Thailand in 2004. Smith learned about tsunamis in a geography lesson two weeks before the tsunami from her teacher, he explained.

The question is the mother of knowledge. Ignorance vanishes with questioning. One remains ignorant of developments and things around him until he or she keeps questioning. So, keep asking. Do not hesitate to question people who were at the helm of affairs and who do not do their job. But, the questions should be for the betterment of society and people around us.

Trivial questions should not be asked,. he said adding “The Information Commission was flooded with trivial queries like how many saplings were planted since 1947. In what way do these questions help society?”

‘Make use of RTI Act’

Former Central Information Commissioner Annapoorna Dikshit asked the students to make use of RTI Act for good governance and betterment of society.

College Principal M.V.N. Prasada Rao, Director V. Babu Rao, Forum convener J. Satyanarayana, and film director C. Umamaheswara Rao spoke. Earlier, Prof. Sridhar rode a cycle along with children as part of awareness campaign on RTI Act.