Nashik: Students' Spirit of Service Will Bring Hope To Needy Patients, Says Governor Jishnu Dev Varma At MUHS Convocation

Nashik: The knowledge acquired by students is not only a means of personal growth but also a responsibility towards society. Their spirit of service will bring a ray of hope into the lives of needy patients, Maharashtra Governor and Chancellor of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Jishnu Dev Varma, said on Monday.

He was addressing the 25th Convocation Ceremony of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences. The event was attended by Maharashtra Minister for Food and Drug Administration Narhari Zirwal, AIIMS Nagpur Chairman Dr Anant Pandhare as the chief guest, Governor's Secretary Dr Prashant Nanaware, Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sanjeev Sonawane, Registrar Dr Rajendra Bangal, Controller of Examinations Dr Sandeep Kadu, along with deans of various faculties.

Governor Dev Varma said that the healthcare sector has a crucial role in achieving the vision of Developed India 2047. He stressed that future healthcare professionals must combine medical expertise with technology, research, ethical values, and social responsibility. He also praised the university's achievements in digital governance, research, quality education, and student-centric initiatives.

Referring to the upcoming 'Ikshana' Museum, he said the initiative would help make developments in the healthcare sector accessible to the general public. He also appreciated the university's initiatives such as paperless administration, digital certificates, the Academic Bank of Credits, and technology-driven services.

Chief guest Dr Anant Pandhare acknowledged the vital role of parents and teachers in students' success, emphasising that healthcare is not merely a profession but a noble mission to serve the underprivileged.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sanjeev Sonawane highlighted the university's progress in research, digitisation, quality education, and community-oriented healthcare services. He noted that financial assistance had been provided to more than 200 research projects, and several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) had been signed with national and international institutions.

During the ceremony, Dr Sadanand Sardeshmukh, who was conferred the honorary D.Litt. degree, reviewed his four decades of work in Ayurveda, cancer research, and social service. He said that over 16,000 patients had benefited from his integrated cancer research project.

A total of 12,263 students from various healthcare disciplines were awarded degrees for the 2025–26 academic year. Additionally, 99 meritorious students received 146 gold medals, one student received a cash award, and 20 scholars were conferred PhD degrees.

The ceremony was attended by Divisional Commissioner Dr Praveen Gedam, District Collector Ayush Prasad, authority members, faculty, students, parents, and several dignitaries from different fields.