Date:30/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/30/stories/2006083006250200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Sixty-eight toppers get Raj Mudhalvan Awards

Staff Reporter

More than 70 per cent of the prizewinners are girls

Dr. Ramadoss asks students to choose careers including politics

Winners and students from other schools performed cultural programmes

WITH FLYING COLOURS: Anbumani Ramadoss presenting the Raj Mudhalvan Award 2006 to a student at the Naradha Gana Sabha in Chennai. D. Viswanathan, Vice Chancellor, Anna University, second from left, Jeyam Ravi, extreme right and Raj TV directors are also seen. - Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

CHENNAI: Sixty-eight students received the Raj Mudhalvan awards for topping their districts in the tenth and twelfth standard State board exams this year from Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss here recently.

Dr. Ramadoss recalled that he had topped the Villupuram district around 20 years ago and attributed his success to his father's support.

The highlight of the programme was that more than 70 per cent of prize winners were girls, he said.

He expressed concern that India's economic development was not keeping pace with its social development and urged the young people present to dedicate themselves to the task.

He asked them to choose from a wide range of careers including politics to fulfil the country's needs and asked them to spread awareness of HIV/AIDS, which he termed India's biggest health challenge.

Anna University Vice Chancellor D. Viswanathan blamed students' extra-curricular activities for making them `unemployable.'.