Dr. Damanjit Sandhu Appointed to National Expert Committees of National Institute of Social Defence
Patiala, May 22
Prestigious Nomination for Dr. Damanjit Sandhu
Dr. Damanjit Sandhu, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology at Punjabi University, Patiala, has been nominated to two national expert committees under the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. Her role will focus on developing and reviewing training programs addressing critical social issues, including the prevention of drug abuse, old-age care, beggary prevention, and the welfare of transgender persons.
Role of the National Institute of Social Defence
The NISD, a premier institution for training and research in social defence, is dedicated to human resource development in areas such as drug abuse prevention, senior citizen welfare, transgender rights, and beggary prevention. Dr. Sandhu’s appointment underscores her expertise in psychology and her commitment to addressing societal challenges through education and training.
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Focus of the Training Programs
Dr. Sandhu shared that the training initiatives will target a diverse group of stakeholders, including:
- Mid-level Police Functionaries: DSPs, Assistant Commissioners, Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, and Assistant Sub-Inspectors.
- Panchayati Raj Functionaries: Village Panchayat Presidents, Vice Presidents, Chairmen of Panchayat Unions, Vice Chairmen, Zila Parishad members, Councilors, DDOs, BDOs, Extension Officials, and Gram Sevaks.
- Social Work Educators and Professionals: Lecturers, Field Supervisors, Research Scholars, and Students.
The programs aim to equip these groups with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle issues like drug abuse, elderly care, and transgender welfare effectively.
Development of Counselling Modules
A key component of Dr. Sandhu’s contribution will be the creation of comprehensive, context-specific, and inclusive counselling modules for two specialized training programs:
- Five-day Training Program on Counselling Skills for Transgender Persons: Targeting NGO/CBO functionaries, Garima Greh staff, and social work educators to enhance their ability to support transgender individuals.
- Two-day Training Program on Counselling of Persons Engaged in Begging: Designed for State Nodal Officers and NGO representatives under the SMILE-Beggary scheme to address the rehabilitation and welfare of individuals involved in begging.
A Step Toward Social Empowerment
Dr. Sandhu’s nomination reflects her dedication to social empowerment and her expertise in psychology, which will play a pivotal role in shaping these training initiatives. Her work with the NISD is expected to contribute significantly to the development of skilled professionals capable of addressing some of India’s most pressing social challenges.
