New Delhi, March 17 : Serving humanity by utilising knowledge would be the biggest contribution of 67 interns who attended NHRC's two-week online short-term internship programme, said Commission Member Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi on Monday.

In his valedictory address, Justice Sarangi highlighted the programme's rigorous selection process, emphasising the painstaking effort to choose the individuals passionate about human rights.

The two-week online short-term internship programme organised by the NHRC commenced on March 3. A total of 67 students from various universities in different regions and far-flung areas of the country completed it, gaining in-depth knowledge of the existing institutional framework for safeguarding the human rights of vulnerable groups, including women, children and the destitute.

The interns were given an understanding of how different government institutions function, the mechanisms to protect human rights, the realities on the ground, and the necessary steps to protect the rights of vulnerable sections of society.

The programme was designed as a foundational course to enable the students to learn, grow, and evolve as human rights defenders.

He commended the interns for their commitment to learning, which is a lifelong endeavour that never ends.

Justice Sarangi underscored the crucial role Human Rights Institutions play globally in promoting and protecting human rights and encouraged the interns to utilise their newly acquired knowledge to serve humanity.

'This could be irrespective of any specific human rights issue they may choose to follow,' he said.

Lt. Col. Virender Singh, Director, NHRC, presented the internship report highlighting how besides the sessions on different aspects of human rights by the senior NHRC officers, experts and civil society representatives, the interns were also taken for virtual tours to the Tihar Jail, a police station and Asha Kiran Shelter Home in Delhi.

He also announced the winners of the book review, group research project presentation, and declamation competition.

/IANS