Kanpur: Former President Ram Nath Kovind attended the celebrations marking 140 years of the JK Organization and JK Cotton's centenary held at Sir Padampat Singhania Education Centre, Kamla Nagar, Kanpur on Wednesday.
The ceremony commenced with the former President, also the chief guest of the event, lighting the ceremonial lamp. In his address, he spoke about JK Organization's contributions to national progress. Praising the educational institution, he applauded the school's environmental initiatives.
Chairman of the organisation Abhishek Singhania welcomed the attendees and reflected on the organisation's 140-year journey. The school chairperson Manorama Govind Hari Singhania extended greetings and the school captain Abhi Singh welcomed the dignitaries, followed by a documentary presentation chronicling the organisation's achievements.
On the occasion, Kovind distributed scholarships worth Rs 50,000 each to top performers Prarthana Singh, Asees Singh Sehgal, Manika Jain, and Arnav Gupta. Additional scholarships of Rs 5,50,000 were awarded under the Shri Govind Hari Singhania Scholarship Award. Meritorious students were honoured for achievements in various competitive examinations. Staff members were also given recognition for their decade-long service.
Manorama Govind Hari Singhani Fellowship for Aspiring Author Award 2023-24 as given to young writers Abhiram Tiwari, Anushka Sharma, and Avika Singh. Kirti Sharma received the Best Teacher Award.
Kovind also visited the school's annual science exhibition, where students displayed working models emphasising sustainability. Notable exhibits included a functioning replica of the JK Temple made of cardboard and recycled materials, featuring solar-powered elements. A model depicting future Kanpur incorporating physics principles and environmental considerations also garnered attention.
The event concluded with the national anthem and plantation by the former President. Vice-chairperson Varsha Singhania, and vice-chairman Partho P Kar along with others were also present on the occasion.