Bhubaneswar: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday urged the students of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to take up their profession as a mission.
“I urge upon you to take up your profession as a noble mission, not as a commission, for the poor and downtrodden who are deprived of adequate healthcare in the remote areas,” Naidu said while delivering his keynote address at the first convocation of AIIMS.
He said that the setting up of another AIIMS branch in Bhubaneswar was the brainchild of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee whose dream has been fulfilled as the the first batch of students pass the institute with flying colours.
“I am told that AIIMS-Bhubaneswar has emerged as the best public hospital in Eastern India and the best speciality hospital in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. This is indeed a wonderful recognition of excellence achieved by a newly set up institute which has successfully competed against many other established institutions. My compliment goes to the students, the director, the faculty and the staff of AIIMS for achieving this important milestone,” the Vice President pointed out.
He also said that AIIMS Bhubaneswar is adjudged the second best hospital among category-B hospitals in the country for cleanliness. The institute will get a cash award of Rs 1 crore under the Kayakalp Award scheme launched by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Naidu conferred degrees to 50 MBBS and 56 nursing students and gold medals to 24 students.
MP Prasanna Patsani, Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena, Director, AIIMS, B Gitanjali, Chairman, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, Dr Bikash Bhatia, were among the dignitaries present at the convocation.
After attending the convocation, he proceeded to the airport and left for New Delhi at 12 pm.
Earlier in the day, Naidu arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport at 8.08 am in a special Indian Air Force flight. He was welcomed by the Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda and Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Naidu proceeded to the Raj Bhawan for a breakfast with the Governor.
The Commissionerate Police had made elaborate security arrangements with the deployment of 30 platoons of armed police at the airport, Raj Bhawan and AIIMS for the Vice President’s visit.
