Union Minister Dr. Mandaviya Presides Over 10th Convocation Ceremony of LNIPE in Gwalior

Gwalior: Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Labour & Employment, and Chancellor of the Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, presided over the 10th Convocation Ceremony of LNIPE today, emphasizing the pivotal role of health in realizing India’s vision of becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Drawing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s iconic Independence Day speech, Dr. Mandaviya stated, “A healthy India is a powerful India.” He stressed that the nation’s full potential can only be achieved when the ‘Fit India’ movement becomes a way of life for every citizen. “When every citizen embraces fitness, we pave the way for a truly developed India,” he asserted.

During the ceremony, Dr. Mandaviya inaugurated a new 400-bed hostel for the Centre of Excellence in Sports and a state-of-the-art digital studio at LNIPE. These initiatives align with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of establishing India as a global leader in sports. The newly launched digital studio aims to enhance the creation of e-content for the institute’s Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Retired Sportsperson Empowerment Training (RESET) programmes, thereby improving students’ access to online educational resources.

Later, Dr. Mandaviya launched the Deeksha Arambh (Student Induction Programme) for participants of the RESET Programme, which aims to empower retired athletes by providing them with skills and opportunities to transition into new careers after their sports tenure.

The Union Minister toured LNIPE’s football and hockey fields and witnessed a demonstration of Malkhamb, a traditional Indian sport, performed by the students. Engaging with the students, he encouraged them and expressed his intention to return for a ‘Chintan Shivir’ at the institute.

In his interactions, Dr. Mandaviya met with senior faculty members, urging them to prepare a vision plan that incorporates best international practices in sports education.

A total of 121 students were conferred with degrees during the ceremony, with an overall count of 577 students having successfully completed their courses by the end of the 2022-23 academic session. Notably, gold medals were awarded to academic achievers, with Shruti Mukhopadhyay receiving the gold medal for B.P.Ed. and Ritesh Nagar for M.P.Ed.