President and Governor confers degrees on first graduating batch of AIIMS Bilaspur

President Droupadi Murmu today conferred degrees on the first graduating batch of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bilaspur, at the institute’s first Convocation, marking a landmark milestone in the journey of the premier medical institution and its contribution to medical education and healthcare in Himachal Pradesh.

Governor Kavinder Gupta, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare  Jagat Prakash Nadda, Rajya Sabha Member Harsh Mahajan, Chairman of AIIMS Bilaspur Prof. Narendra Kumar Arora and Executive Director Lt. Gen. Daljit Singh were also present on the occasion.

Congratulating the first graduating batch and the gold medallists, President Droupadi Murmu conveyed her best wishes to the students, their parents, guardians and teachers. She said that the Convocation marked an important milestone in the growth of AIIMS Bilaspur and its expanding role in medical education, healthcare and research.

A total of 92 students received degrees, comprising 43 MBBS, 26 BSc Honours Nursing, 9 B.Sc., Allied Healthcare and 14 MD/MS students. The President also presented Gold Medals to meritorious students across disciplines in recognition of their academic performance. The awardees included Sagarika and Rakshit Vashishth in MBBS, Bhawna Thakral in BSc Allied Healthcare Science, Bhavya Malhotra in BSc Honours Nursing and Prateek Goel in MD, Community & Family Medicine.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Kavinder Gupta congratulated AIIMS Bilaspur on its first Convocation and extended best wishes to the graduating students and their parents. He said the presence of the President had added special significance and dignity to the historic occasion. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership and commitment to strengthening healthcare and medical education in Himachal Pradesh. He said the establishment of AIIMS Bilaspur had provided the state with a premier institution offering advanced healthcare services while also promoting medical education and research.

He said the institution was benefiting not only the people of Himachal Pradesh but also those from neighbouring States, including people living in remote and tribal areas. The availability of advanced healthcare facilities at Bilaspur was helping address a long-standing challenge faced by people in the hill State.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to AIIMS Bilaspur on 5^th October, 2022, when the institute was dedicated to the nation the Governor said the Prime Minister had highlighted Himachal Pradesh’s significant contribution to national defence and with the establishment of AIIMS Bilaspur, the state would also make an important contribution towards ‘saving lives’.

The Governor said the first Convocation was a significant milestone in translating this vision into reality, as the institution’s first batch of graduates was now ready to carry its values of knowledge, skill and service into their professional lives. He also appreciated the faculty members, doctors, officers and staff of AIIMS Bilaspur for their contribution towards developing the institution into a strong centre of medical education, healthcare and research within a short period.

Conveying his best wishes to the graduates, the Governor reminded them that their degrees carried a responsibility towards society and the nation. He urged them to place compassion, sensitivity and service at the centre of their professional journeys and expressed hope that they would utilize their knowledge and spirit of service to contribute to the nation.  He said the graduates of AIIMS Bilaspur with their talent, knowledge and spirit of service in various fields across the country and will definitely make an important contribution towards the realising the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat.’

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also extended his best wishes to the graduating students and AIIMS Bilaspur on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda expressed happiness and pride at witnessing the inaugural batch of AIIMS Bilaspur complete its academic journey.

Highlighting the expansion of the AIIMS network under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sh. Nadda said that while the country had only one AIIMS for several decades, 16 new AIIMS had been established in the last 12 years. He urged the graduating students to uphold the reputation of AIIMS Bilaspur and carry forward its values of excellence and service throughout their professional journeys.

Faculty members, graduating students and their parents were also present on the occasion.