By Matters India Reporter
Kilapanga, November 6, 2026: Demonstrating solidarity with Cyclone Arnab victims, staff and students from Vijaya Higher Secondary School (Raikia) distributed essential dry food supplies at the Kilapanga Relief Centre in Odisha on November 6.
The school, located in Kandhamal and managed by the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, provided the relief to assist those hard-hit by the storm.
A group of 65 students, accompanied by members of the teaching and non-teaching staff, participated in the humanitarian initiative, extending assistance to 55 cyclone-affected people.
The initiative reflected the school’s conviction that education must reach beyond classrooms and textbooks, nurturing compassion, generosity, social responsibility and a commitment to serving humanity.
For the students, the relief distribution was more than an act of charity. It was an opportunity to encounter the human consequences of a natural disaster and translate the values they learn into meaningful action.
By standing alongside affected families, they demonstrated that even young people can make a difference in the lives of those experiencing hardship.
The initiative also underscored the importance of solidarity in times of disaster, when practical assistance and human companionship can bring encouragement to vulnerable communities.
Father Purushottam Nayak, the headmaster, said the initiative was intended to instil humanitarian values in students and help them recognise their responsibility towards society.
“Education is not confined to classrooms, examinations and academic achievements. It must also shape hearts and inspire young people to respond with compassion to the suffering of others.
“When our students reach out to families affected by Cyclone Arnab, they learn that humanity, generosity and solidarity are essential expressions of true education.
“We want them to become not only knowledgeable individuals but also responsible citizens who care for others,” he said.
Through this outreach, Vijaya Higher Secondary School/Junior College reaffirmed its educational vision of forming young people through knowledge, wisdom, moral values and service to humanity.
The initiative offered a simple yet powerful reminder: when education inspires compassion, students become agents of hope, bringing the spirit of humanity beyond school boundaries and into the lives of those who need it most.
Cyclone Arnab, which emerged over the Bay of Bengal on October 25, 2026, made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh–Yanam coast on October 28 as a very severe cyclonic storm, bringing destructive winds and torrential rainfall.
Although Andhra Pradesh bore the immediate impact of the cyclone, its aftermath devastated parts of southern Odisha, where relentless rainfall triggered flash floods and deadly landslides.
Among the worst-affected areas was the Ganjam–Kandhamal border region, where an entire hilltop settlement at Gidipabali was buried beneath mud, rocks and uprooted trees. Families lost their loved ones, homes and livelihoods, while rescue teams continued searching for missing residents.