No dearth of role models in city, says Chief Minister
| Date :01-Jul-2019 |
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presenting Nag Bhushan Award for year 2017 to Air Marshal (Retd.) Shirish Deo, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, ADC. Mayor Nanda Jichkar, former MP Ajay Sancheti, Prof Vijay Barse and office-bearers of the foundation look on. (Right) Prof (Retd.) Vijay Barse is all smiles on receiving Nag Bhushan Award for year 2018.
Staff Reporter:
Lauds Nag Bhushan Foundation for acknowledging notable contributions of Air Marshal (Retd.) Shirish Deo and Prof (Retd.) Vijay Barse
Addressing criticism about dearth of people in society who can be source of inspiration, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Many gems are around us but we need vision to find those hidden personalities. Therefore, the selection made by Nag Bhushan Foundation in bringing before society the notable contributions of Air Marshal (Retd.) Shirish Deo and Prof (Retd.) Vijay Barse is indeed commendable. These are the personalities to whom we can look for inspiration as their ingenuity provided a new direction.
So, the society need not have to look beyond in their search for Heroes.” Fadnavis was speaking at a ceremony organised to confer upon Nag Bhushan Award for year 2017 to Air Marshal (Retd.) Shirish Deo and for year 2018 to Prof (Retd.) Vijay Barse in recognition to their exemplary work in the filed of Defence and Sports respectively. The function was held at Chitnavis Centre. Mayor Nanda Jichkar, Ajay Sancheti, ex-MP and President, Nag Bhushan Foundation; Vilas Kale, Zamin Amin, Ashok Gandhi, Satish Goyal, Adv Nishant Gandhi, all office-bearers of the Foundation, also were seated on the dais. Showering praises on Air Marshal (Retd.) Deo, Fadnavis underlined the resolve of former to reduce dependence on foreign countries for defence requirements of the country. “The retired Air Force officer began his second innings by undertaking research in various critical weapon components showing his patriotism and zeal for the nation’s self-secureness,” he said.
“Simplicity of the Defence officer is an example of humbleness of a personality shaped by rigid discipline of Air Force. Unlike others, Deo used the opportunity to serve the motherland,” Fadnavis stated. As to Prof (Retd.) Vijay Barse, the Chief Minister said, “Nagpur is indeed fortunate to have personalities like him. The city is now on international map due to slum soccer that Barse conceptualised and gave a new direction to lives of children living in slums.” Invoking Swami Vivekanand’s thoughts, Fadnavis said, “Prof (Retd.) Barse, by chanelising energy of youths in slums in right direction, showed to world that Yuva Shakti, if not utilised in a right way may turn into Vayu (wind) that can either prosper or destroy as the case may be.”
Calling upon people to promote sports that provide foundation to face challenges in life, Fadnavis said, “GenNext must hon their skills on playground as it builds team spirit and prepares it to face oddities like defeat where a sportsperson does not get dejected.” Also applauding the efforts of Prof (Retd.) Barse who did not wait for Government support to start slum soccer, Fadnavis said, this is how success is scripted. Earlier, Ajay Sancheti gave introductory speech while Vilas Kale shared how idea of award came into being. The programme was beautifully anchored by Shraddha Bharadwaj while Adv. Nishant Gandhi proposed a vote of thanks. Nationalism runs in
veins of Nagpurians: Air Marshal Deo Modest that he is, Air Marshal (Retd.) Shirish Deo, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, ADC, applauded Nagpurians and said, “We are always at the forefront in cause of nationalism. Whenever the nation faced any adversary, Nagpur and its people were at forefront in bravery. Nationalism runs in our veins.” The retired Air Force officer also said, “Nation needs to learn from Nagpurians what nationalism is all about as it is found in ample quantity among its citizens.” To stamp his comment, he narrated the example of industrialist Satyanaryan Nuval who was among the gathering at the ceremony. “Nuval has made the country self-reliant in HMX explosives. Earlier India had to scout for this explosive, critical to manufacture of nuclear weapons in small quantities. Now, due to Nuval’s stress on indigenous manufacturing of defence material, India has become its net exporter. It was Nuval who has established biggest manufacturing plant of HMX in Nagpur to give boost to our Armed Forces and country’s defence,” he said. Admiring Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s administrative capabilities, Deo said, “Today, the success achieved in various spheres by Maharashtra showcases Fadnavis’ leadership. And further success of Fadnavis’ capability is his apt handing of severe drought faced by State this year.”
Belief in own capabilities brought Amitabh to city: Prof Barse “When you have complete trust in your own capabilities then Amitabh Bachchan comes and resides in city for one-and-a-half months,” said Prof (Retd.) Vijay Barse while replying to his felicitation. Bachchan is cast as Barse in an under production film ‘Jhund’. Part of the film was shot in city to showcase first hand work place of the founder of Slum Soccer that has taken the world by storm. Narrating who Slum Soccer began, Barse said, “A chance sighting of small children from Vasantrao Naik slums off Amravati Road engrossed while dribbling football gave me the idea of chanelising their energies in sports. Till that happened the talen of children in slums was getting waste as most of them were indulged in bag-lifting and pick-pocketing.” Also he acknowledge the full support form his better half as she happily parted with money that both of them earned through salaries to ensure coaching continue uninterrupted for these slum children. “For us, the satisfaction is that we gave our due to society as they too benefited since these children who otherwise would have ended up as criminals were drifted away into fulfilling life after taking to soccer,” Barse said.
‘The Hitavada is best newspaper’ Well-versed with Nagpur city and its culture, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis underlined the fact that ‘The Hitavada’ was the best newspaper in city. “The fact is, there is no dispute about ‘The Hitavada’ being the choice of the people,” he said. Further recognition for the newspaper came in the form of wide applause from the elite audience that included a few of High Court judges, who’s who from the city’s industry and business community, commoners, sports personalities and a few visitors from foreign countries to the Chief Minister’s remark. Describing other liking of Nagpurians, Fadnavis said, “For us, the best ice-cream in the world is Dinshaw. Similarly, if one thinks about most delicious sweets, the name that comes to our mind is that of Haldiram.”