President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday stressed on the need for a large number of good doctors and medical colleges for delivery of effective health services in the country.

Addressing the first convocation of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda in Kangra, the President said that recently the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 has been promulgated to promote good medical institutes and to tackle the challenges of medical education.

“This will encourage the establishment, expansion and modernisation of medical colleges and institutions,” he said.

Awarding 11 Gold Medals to eight meritorious students of the Medical College, the President said that Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College started from humble beginnings and has grown into a prestigious medical institution of the region.

Governor Acharya Devvrat said the first and foremost quality of any educated human is to remain a learner throughout their life so that they can enjoy the benefits of modern technology. He said that young doctors graduating from this institution should serve the humanity with dedication and commitment.

He said that the younger generation should lead harmonious and simple life and doctors should also motivate the people, especially the younger generations to adopt simple and tension free life. He said that it was heartening to know that that out of eight recipients of gold medal, seven were girls.

In his message, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that the Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College was established in 1997 and its first batch started in 1998. During the short period of twenty years, this college has created a special place for itself, he added.

Thakur said that presently the state has six medical colleges in government sector alone and in addition this Union Government has sanctioned AIIMS for the state which would be opened at Kothipura in Bilaspur district.

He said that with all these prestigious institutions, the state would be producing 600 doctors every year and all the health institutions would have best doctors to serve the people of the state.

The Chief Minister said that due to difficult geographical and topographical constituents of the state, creating quality infrastructure is the biggest challenge. However despite this, the state has made tremendous progress in all spheres of life.

He said that the state government is committed to strengthen all the health institutions of the states so that the people could be provided quality health services nearer to their homes.

Principal of Dr Rajendra Prasad government Medical College Kangra Dr Bhanu Awasthi said that the Medical College during short period of about twenty years has emerged as one of the best educational institutions of the region.

Himachal Pradesh University Registrar JS Negi conducted the convocation ceremony.

Earlier today, Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur accorded warm welcome to the President on his arrival at Gaggal Airport. The President was accompanied by First Lady Savita Kovind.

The President is scheduled to attend the convocation of Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla on Tuesday.