CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: The convocation ceremony took place at Dr TMA Pai International Convention Centre, M G Road, Mangalore at 3.30 PM. Dr M K Ramesh, Vice Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka was the chief guest at the event. Dr H S Ballal, Pro Chancellor, MAHE, Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE, Dr Narayana Sabhahit, Pro Vice Chancellor (Technology & Science), MAHE, Dr Sharath K Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences), MAHE, Dr Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MAHE Bengaluru, Dr Dilip G Naik, Pro Vice Chancellor, MAHE Mangalore, Dr N N Sharma, Pro Vice Chancellor, (Strategy & Planning) MAHE, Dr P Giridhar Kini, Registrar, MAHE and Dr Vinod V Thomas, Registrar, Evaluation, MAHE graced the event with their presence.

Chief guest, Dr M K Ramesh, said, “It’s an honor to be here on this significant day as you transition from students to professionals. Congratulations on your hard work and dedication. Today, we celebrate your achievements. You are fortunate to have studied at MAHE, an institution known for its quality education. As you embark on your professional journey, remember the responsibility you carry to meet the expectations of your loved ones, teachers, and society. Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Uphold the values of trust, character, competence, and passion in your work. Never stop learning and believe in your dreams. You join a community of alumni who have made significant contributions to society. As we celebrate your success, we also acknowledge the support from your parents and the dedication of the faculty.”

Speaking at the event, Dr H.S. Ballal, said, “Remember that education is about developing the curiosity to question, the daring to innovate, and the compassion to serve, not just about memorizing facts. As you set out on your new journey, equipped with the information and wisdom you have gained within these walls, allow your accomplishments from today to serve as the cornerstone for a meaningful and impactful tomorrow”.

During the event Lt Gen (Dr) M.D. Venkatesh, said, “Our university’s legacy is based on the innovative work of forward-thinking academics, instructors, thinkers, and—possibly most importantly—those who have the audacity to call for change. To accomplish its stated aims and objectives, MAHE always measures itself against international standards and creates time-bound action plans. We are regarded as one of the top academic institutions, and we have spent years fostering relationships with some of the top colleges in the globe to share ideas, cultures, and best practices, which has led to our strong internalization focus. For the benefit of all of our stakeholders, we are considering redefining our areas of specialization in order to better link people and ideas across a global network”.

Welcoming the audience, Dr. Dilip G Naik said, “Standing in front of you today to celebrate the fruits of years of labor, devotion, and endurance, I am filled with immense pride and a deep sense of accomplishment. I urge you to consider how education can change lives as you get ready to start the next phase of your lives. The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and the Paralympics will take place from August 28 to September 8, 2024. In the Paris Olympics, Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar from the Madhya Pradesh State Sports Academy will represent India in the 50m Rifle Three Positions event, and Vivek Sagar Prasad will represent India in hockey. Similarly, in the Paris Paralympics, three athletes from Madhya Pradesh—Prachi Yadav and Pooja Ojha in Kayaking-Canoeing, and Kapil Parmar in Blind Judo—will represent the country. A total of five athletes from Madhya Pradesh will participate in the Olympics and Paralympics.

Honoring Ceremony at Chief Minister’s Residence

At the Chief Minister’s residence, the athletes from Madhya Pradesh heading to the Paris Olympics and Paralympics and the Indian Shooting Team were honored. The Honorable Chief Minister first met with the athletes from Madhya Pradesh, including Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar (50m Rifle Three Positions Shooting), Prachi Yadav (Para Canoe VL-2), and Pooja Ojha (Para Canoe VL-1), in the presence of the Sports Minister. ACS Smita Bhardwaj and Sports Director Dr. Ravi Kumar Gupta informed the Chief Minister about the achievements of the athletes from Madhya Pradesh.

It is noteworthy that Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar, who will be participating in the Olympics, hails from Khargone, and his father is a farmer. Recently, he won four medals, including two golds, one silver, and one bronze, at the Asian Games while representing India. He is currently India’s number one shooter, and this will be his second participation in the Olympics. Para-athlete Prachi Yadav is also participating in the Paralympics for the second time, having competed in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. For Pooja Ojha, this is her first Paralympics, having previously finished fourth in the World Championships. The Chief Minister expressed his happiness over the achievements of the athletes from Madhya Pradesh and honored them with stoles and caps.

Honor for the Indian Rifle Shooting Team

The Indian Rifle Shooting Team was also honored. The Department of Sports and Youth Welfare has developed shooting sports infrastructure in Bhopal’s Bishankhedi according to international standards. The country’s first indoor final range was also built at the shooting complex, and the World Cup Shooting was organized here last year. Due to this world-class shooting infrastructure, the National Rifle Association and the Government of India are organizing training camps for the Indian team at the Bhopal Shooting Academy.

The Rifle Training Camp was held from July 7 to 14, 2024, and the Pistol Training Camp was held from July 14 to 20, 2024, at the Bhopal Shooting Range. The team’s supporting staff and all eight rifle shooting players representing the Indian team assisted in the training camp. The supporting staff included foreign coaches, high-performance directors, and physiotherapists. The Chief Minister invited all eight players and ten sports staff of the Indian Rifle Shooting Team to his residence. ACS Smita Bhardwaj and Sports Director Dr. Ravi Kumar Gupta informed the Chief Minister about the achievements of the Indian Shooting Team. The Chief Minister honored the players and sports staff of the Indian Shooting Team with stoles, caps, and bouquets.

Honored Athletes and Sports Staff

Athletes:

Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar – Rifle (50m Three Positions)

Sandeep Singh – Rifle (10m Air Rifle Men)

Arjun Babuta – Rifle (10m Air Rifle Men)

Swapnil Suresh Kusale – Rifle (50m Three Positions)

Elavenil Valarivan – Rifle (10m Air Rifle Women)

Ramita – Rifle (10m Air Rifle Women)

Sift Kaur Samra – Rifle (50m Three Positions Women)

Anjum Moudgil – Rifle (50m Three Positions Women)

Sports Staff for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024 Indian Rifle Shooting Team:

Pierre Beauchamp – High Performance Director

Thomas Farnik – Foreign Coach

Manoj Kumar – 50m Rifle Coach

Suma Shirur – Air Rifle Coach

Shugan Bhugra – Coach

Sumita Kumari Jain – Physio

Shivam Dwivedi – Support Staff

Akshita Sikone

Madhu Salunke

Kshitij Bhoyte

The Chief Minister also welcomed academy instructors Captain Pijush Kanti Baroi (Kayaking-Canoeing) and Vaibhav Sharma (Shooting).

Sports Minister Honored the Chief Minister

To encourage the athletes, Sports Minister Vishwas Kailash Sarang honored the Chief Minister with a stole at the Chief Minister’s residence.

Present at the occasion were Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Vishwas Kailash Sarang, ACS Smita Bhardwaj, Sports Director Ravi Kumar Gupta, Joint Director Sports B.S. Yadav, and departmental officers.

Other Recognitions

Durvesha Pawar’s Selection:

Durvesha Pawar, a player from the Madhya Pradesh Triathlon Academy, will participate in the Asia Triathlon Youth Development Camp organized by World Triathlon in Kampara, Malaysia, from July 9 to 17, 2024. She will represent the country in the Junior Asia Cup. Durvesha is training under the guidance of Captain Manoj Jha at the Madhya Pradesh Triathlon Academy. The Sports and Youth Welfare Minister expressed happiness over her selection and congratulated and wished her well.

Aryan Sen’s Selection:

Aryan Sen from the Fencing Academy has been selected for the Commonwealth Fencing Championship to be held in New Zealand from July 12 to 19, 2024. Aryan will showcase his talent in the Epee event and has departed for New Zealand. This is Aryan Sen’s fourth tournament. He is training at the State Sports Academy in Bhopal under the guidance of head coach Bhupendra Singh Chauhan.