The Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), Dwarka, celebrated National Dengue Day with a high-spirited and dynamic awareness rally in which students and faculty members from all across the campus came together in a single call for public awareness and cleanliness to prevent the outbreak of dengue.

The rally, organized within the university grounds, was one of a series of awareness programs carried out by the university to check the spread of dengue fever—a viral mosquito-borne disease that causes serious health risks, particularly in the monsoon season. The initiative was spearheaded by the IP University’s National Service Scheme (NSS) Cell, which has been proactively ensuring public health education and community outreach all along.

Students from all the schools and faculties of the university participated with great enthusiasm in the rally, reflecting their high sense of social responsibility and community awareness. Wearing vibrant uniforms and carrying informative placards and banners, the students marched around the campus raising slogans and carrying pictorial messages to create awareness about maintaining cleanliness and stopping the breeding of dengue mosquitoes.

The main emphasis of the rally was creating awareness among the public, especially among fellow students and residents of the area, about easy yet efficient ways to prevent the transmission of dengue. Key messages were stressed by the participants including getting rid of stagnant water, applying mosquito repellent, wearing protective gear, and maintaining cleanliness in and around homes and public places. Students’ slogans during the protest reflected the urgency of the issue with slogans calling for timely waste disposal, routine cleaning of water containers, and community efforts. 

The Program Coordinator for the NSS Cell at IP University, Professor Varun Joshi, spoke to the crowd before the rally began. He emphasized the increasing danger of dengue, especially during monsoon season when mosquito breeding is at its peak. Professor Joshi emphasized active prevention over passive treatment and stated that the most potent weapon to decrease dengue incidence is awareness generation among citizens. He asked the participants to be health and hygiene ambassadors at home and mentioned the role educational institutions could play in assisting public health.

Public awareness, according to Professor Joshi, at every level—families, schools, and workplaces—is very important in preventing the disease from spreading. He said that though the government keeps conducting campaigns and medical aid, the yeomen services of the youth and schools provide a ground-level push to such activities.

The rally saw the enthusiastic participation of not just students but also NSS volunteers, administrative staff, and faculty members. NSS Cell officials and officers participated with the students in covering the length of the campus and interacting with passersby. Their collective presence acted as a strong reminder of the collective responsibility of people in upholding public health standards.

Several students also innovatively conveyed their messages through posters that showed the life cycle of the Aedes mosquito, the major carrier of the dengue virus, and methods to interrupt that cycle. Short skits and rhymes in Hindi and English were shown by others, making the rally informative as well as interesting. Their innovative inputs infused life and inclusiveness into the event, converting an ordinary weekday into a day of learning and togetherness.

The rally at IP University was not a walk around the campus. It was a reflection of the potential of educational institutions to be drivers of social change. Through the energy and passion of its students and teachers, the university was able to convey a strong message to the people about the necessity for vigilance and sanitation.

Over the past few years, the upsurge in dengue cases in cities like Delhi has made such campaigns more crucial than before. Mosquito-borne diseases not just burden public health infrastructure but also disturb livelihoods and lives. Preventive education through such campaigns thus has a central role in creating healthier communities.

The NSS Cell at IP University has consistently demonstrated its dedication to social and health causes, and this rally only reaffirmed that vision. Just as the monsoon season draws near, the message of IPU is crystal clear: prevention begins at home, and awareness is the first step on the path towards action.

The rally is a success because it awakens the students and even citizens to make sincere efforts towards a cleaner and healthier environment. The attempt made by the university on National Dengue Day will surely make an impact for long and make other institutions think of similar projects.