Bhubaneswar: Do not run away from problem and face it-that was the piece of advice to the students and youths by Director, Sports and Chief Executive Officer, Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited, R Vineel Krishna.

Addressing the function organised by the Sambad Group at Jayadev Bhawan here to felicitate top 100 Plus Two students, Krishna reminisced his student days. He said he was disturbed by the chaotic situation of the country and wanted to go abroad for higher studies. He first planned to go to Europe, then to the US, then to Australia and finally he had decided to go to New Zealand. But he changed his mind after he was moved by an IAS officer, who had delivered a speech at the placement function at the end of his engineering degree. Krishna then appeared at the Indian Civil Service examination and came out successful. During the course of his service he learned how to face the problem and sort them out without being escapist, said the former Malkangiri collector, who was abducted by the Maoists.

Stating that ‘good’ is enemy of the ‘great’, the IAS officer said feeling complacent of being good reduces motivation. “That’s why don’t want to be good”, he said giving the example of Cricket player Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli. “ Sachin did not stop, because he did not think himself to be good”, said the Sports Director.

Krishna said that there was no harm in going abroad for higher studies or doing jobs. “But think back about the people in India”, said he stating that they should not forget that every 4th Indian in the world is poor.

Advising the gathering, Additional Director General (Crime) of Odisha Police, Santosh Kumar Upadhyay said that there is joy in giving than in taking. He advised the students to contribute some thing for others and mentioned about the voluntary blood donation programme of “Ama Odisha” of Sambad Group.

Presiding over the felicitation function, Sambad Editor and Chairman of Eastern Media Limited Soumya Ranjan Patnaik advised the congregation of meritorious students to make voluntary blood donation a habit and never neglect their mother tongue.

Managing Director of Eastern Media Limited Monica Nayyar Patnaik threw light on the various activities of Sambad Group. Chief General Manager (News), Sambad Arabinda Das welcomed the guests, students and their parents. On this occasion Odisha topper in this year’ National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination Ashutosh Panda was felicitated at the function.