**Educational Tour: B.Sc. Nursing Students Visit Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development**
*Indore (Madhya Pradesh)* – A group of 41 final-year B.Sc. nursing students from a private college, accompanied by their faculty members, recently visited the Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development in Sanawadiya as part of an educational tour. The visit provided the students with hands-on experience in sustainable living and clean lifestyle practices.
The group was warmly received by the centre director, Padma Shri Janak Palta McGilligan, who personally conducted a detailed tour of the campus. Surrounded by diverse plant life, the students observed various sustainable models in action, including organic farming, solar cooking, solar food processing using dryers, and renewable energy generation through solar and wind power.
Tuhina Jha, an intern at the centre with a background in economics, demonstrated a collection of 65 everyday products made through chemical-free and zero-waste processes, showcasing innovative approaches to sustainability.
Following the campus tour, the students participated in an interactive session with Padma Shri Janak Palta McGilligan. She shared her personal journey, recounting how a year-long hospitalisation in the mid-1960s, following India’s first successful open-heart surgery, deeply influenced her perspective on healthcare. She credited the compassionate care she received from nurses as a pivotal influence in her life and subsequent work, which included empowering tribal girls, volunteering during a guinea worm eradication campaign in Jhabua, and continuing public service despite undergoing multiple cancer surgeries.
“A good nurse is more important than a doctor because they spend more time with patients, and their care significantly supports recovery,” she emphasized while addressing the students.
Faculty member Tanvi Jha also spoke on the importance of internal health, highlighting that a nursing career demands strong mental resilience to manage stress and serve others with dedication.
The students expressed their reflections following the session. Aditya Baghel remarked that the visit shifted his understanding of sustainability and underscored the need to conserve natural resources. Alisha Shaikh was inspired by the centre’s zero-waste approach to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. Payal Gautam noted the positive impact of a chemical-free environment on physical and mental health.
Rakhee found herself moved by McGilligan’s lifelong commitment to social work and community service. Meanwhile, Jamuna Digal appreciated the solar-powered cooking and preservation techniques, saying they motivate her to practice eco-friendly habits.
This visit provided the nursing students with valuable insights into sustainable living and reinforced the vital role of comprehensive care in healthcare.
*— Story by Staff Reporter*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/indore-news-nursing-students-gain-new-perspective-on-sustainability
