Mangalore : President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Indira Gandhi National Service Scheme (NSS) Best University Award for 2012-13 to Mangalore University (MU) at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The award, given on the 96th birth anniversary of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, comprises a memento and a citation along with a cash prize of Rs two lakh.

Gananatha Shetty Yekkar, the university’s NSS coordinator for 2012-13, received the award along with the Vice-Chancellor, T C Shivashankar Murthy. Mangalore University was chosen from among 13 varsities which were shortlisted for the final round.

Mukherjee also gave the ‘NSS Best Plus 2 Council Award for 2012-13’ to the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, whereas the ‘Upcoming University Award’ was presented to Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand.

The awards are given to educational institutions, faculty members and students for their contribution in various beneficial activities such as planting of saplings, holding blood donation and pulse polio camps and creating durable assets, including helping in building of houses for the marginalised sections, for community benefit.

The President also presented seven Letters of Appreciation to NSS coordinators in various universities, ten awards to NSS programme officers and volunteer awards to 30 students from across the country.