Garhwal Post Bureau
Rishikesh, 21 Apr: Executive Director of AIIMS Rishikesh, Prof Dr Meenu Singh today addressed a press conference at the institute and stated that the Sixth Convocation Ceremony is scheduled to be held on 23 April. She described the upcoming event as an important milestone in the institute’s academic journey and asserted commitment to nurturing competent, ethical and dedicated healthcare professionals. She also shared that the ceremony is set to be attended by Vice President CP Radhakrishnan as the Chief Guest. Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami are also scheduled to attend the convocation as special guests, and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel will attend as the Guest of Honour.
During the press interaction, Prof Dr Meenu Singh, along with Dean (Academics) Prof Dr Saurabh Varshney, informed media that degrees will be conferred upon 386 students across various disciplines at the convocation. They noted that the ceremony is not only a celebration of academic excellence but also a reaffirmation of the institute’s role in strengthening the nation’s healthcare system through quality education and research.
The graduating students include MBBS candidates from the 2019 batch along with two from earlier batches, BSc Nursing students of the 2021 batch, MD, MS and MDS students from the July 2022 and January 2023 batches, and MSc scholars. Degrees will also be awarded to Nursing Batch 2023, MSc Medical Batch 2022, Master of Public Health Batch January 2024, DM and MCh (doctoral degrees) batches of July 2022 and January 2023, as well as PhD candidates.
Dr Singh added that a total of 23 medals will be awarded, including 13 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze medals to meritorious students. In addition, 21 Certificates of Excellence, 5 Certificates of Appreciation and 13 Certificates of Honour will be presented. MBBS student Dr Devang Agarwal has secured the highest number of distinctions with seven medals, along with seven Certificates of Honour and one Certificate of Excellence. Dr Rashmeet Kaur has secured the second position with two medals, besides two Certificates of Appreciation and three Certificates of Honour. Notably, one girl student will receive six medals at the ceremony, reflecting the strong academic performance of women students at the institute.
Ahead of the event, extensive arrangements have been made on the campus, including a large-scale security drill was conducted today by the Indian Air Force in coordination with other government agencies. The drill involved the landing and take-off of MI-18 helicopters, whose presence resonated across the campus as part of preparedness measures. Teams from the fire department, police, State Disaster Response Force and other agencies participated in the exercise, while officials from the Rishikesh Municipal Corporation, led by the Municipal Commissioner, also inspected the arrangements.
Prof Dr Meenu Singh further shared details of the rapid expansion of clinical services, academic programmes and research at AIIMS Rishikesh, stating that the institute currently provides specialised healthcare services through 49 departments. She noted that initiatives such as telemedicine, digital health, artificial intelligence, aeromedical services and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services have significantly enhanced healthcare access, particularly in remote and mountainous regions.
The institute has, to date, carried out more than 1.5 lakh surgeries, over 7,000 neonatal treatments and thousands of telemedicine consultations, underlining the growing trust of the public and its commitment to delivering high-quality healthcare.
