PM Modi at 34th PGIMER Convocation: You have responsibility towards society that has contributed to making you doctors

Asserting that education was a continuous process and students should not presume that convocation marked the culmination of their education, Modi said, “You might think that the difficult phase is over, but it is not so. The only difference is that now when you check the pulse of a patient, you will not have any book in front of you, but a human life which you have to take care of. You did not become doctors only because of good coaching and hard work, but also because of that ward boy who helped you, or a tea-vendor who served you tea during examinations.”

Talking about brain drain, the Prime Minister said that he knew many doctors would have their passports and visas ready to work outside the country.

“You have a responsibility towards society, towards the most neglected sections, because the society has contributed to making you doctors,” he said.

Referring to the 9/11 attack in the US, Modi said, “On this day in 2001, an attempt was made to destroy humanity, as thousands of people died. But today all these young medical students who received their degrees will help save thousands of lives. It is easy to kill a life, but it is saving a life that requires maximum efforts.”

Recalling the significance of the day, the Prime Minister said that September 11 also held immense significance, as on this day in 1983, Swami Vivekananda had delivered a lecture on peace and humanity in the US.

The PM interacted with students from economically weaker sections of society who were specially invited from various government schools to attend the convocation address.

“He asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, and encouraged us to become doctors. He said that we should be inspired watching the medical students receive their degrees and then talk to the doctors who are present here, and learn from them,” said Nitish, a student of class IX from Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda said that the PGI was working towards full implementation of e-hospital and the first phase was over. He said that medical facilities were being upgraded by setting up 10 new AIIMS-like institutions in various parts of the country. Super-specialty blocks in 70 medical colleges and expansion of medical colleges was on the cards by upgrading 58 district hospitals to medical colleges.

PGIMER director Yogesh Chawla presented the annual report, saying that over 10,000 patients were treated on a daily basis at PGI and the institute looked forward to more land adjacent to the existing building and funds to expand the facilities so that the present rush might be streamlined.

“We are working towards a digital-green-clean PGI. We have been mentoring AIIMS-Rishikesh and developing a satellite centre at Sangrur. We plan to develop a neurosciences centre, mother and newborn centre, geriatric and chronic rehabilitation centre,” he said.

Prominent among those present on the occasion were local MP Kirron Kher and Union Health Secretary Bhanu P Sharma.

As many as 825 medical students from various specialties were awarded degrees. Gold medals were awarded to nine students for their outstanding research and academic excellence, and 46 students were awarded silver medals and 41 given bronze medals.

Gold Medallists

* Kataria Memorial Gold Medal was awarded to Dr Agarwal Aniruddha Kishan Dutt (2013) and Khaire Niranjan Shiwaji (2014)
* Major General Amir Chand Gold Medal: Dr Suresh Kumar in MD/MS/DM/MCh category
* Dr Ashok Kumar Yadav in PhD category (2012)
* Dr Ramesh Kumar R in MD/MS/DM/MCh category
* Dr Kiran Kumar Thumburu in PhD category (2013)
* V K Saini Gold Medal in the field of Cardiovascular Diseases to Dr Indranil Biswas (2013)
* Prof Subhash Kumari Gupta Memorial Gold Medal to Dr Balan Louis G (2013)
* Aikat Memorial Gold Medal to Pratibha Chauhan (2013)

Sidelights of PM visit

* As many prominent leaders of Chandigarh Congress were detained by the police on Thursday night, Harmohinder Singh Lucky, one of the leaders, posted a photograph of himself sitting along with four Congress leaders at the Sector 39 police station. The photo caption read, “Detained by Chandigarh police at sector 39 police station as preventive measure to counter protest by congressmen on PM Narendra Modi’s visit”.
* As a large number of police officials were deployed from 4 am to 2 pm at the rally ground, Sector 25, where Modi spoke at a public meeting, some residents of the neighbouring colony arranged for tea and soft drinks for all of them. Two tea stalls were also put up near the ground, where the police had parked their vehicles.
* When the police requested the leaders of the Chandigarh Congress gathered at the Congress Bhawan to not take to protesting on the roads, keeping in view the rules and regulations, one of their senior leaders, Subhash Chawla, instead requested the police to join the protest by saying, “You are also among those residents who have stopped getting the benefit of Public Distribution system(PDS). You should join our movement against BJP.”
* Although it was an official function, where Prime Minister Modi had to inaugurate the Chandigarh International Airport, address the 34th PGI Convocation and had to speak at a public meeting at the Rally Ground, his visit was given a political colour by decorating some of the roundabouts and the streetlight poles by saffron-coloured ribbons, posters and BJP flags.