Altogether 256 students were felicitated today during the 21st meritorious award for students 2024 organised by the Raid Laban Sports and Cultural Organisation.
An initiative led by South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai, the award aims to encourage students from all backgrounds under his constituency.
Chief Secretary Donald Phillips Wahlang graced the occasion as chief guest.
Laptop sets were also distributed to the toppers of 28 categories including students from Below Poverty Line (BPL), dropout students, differently-abled students residing within South Shillong.
The program this year also had a message for students and families, which was to spread awareness on the menace of drugs.
Speaking to reporters, Shullai said, “We need to work together. The government alone cannot fight against the menace of drugs and hence we need support of each and every individual.”
Concerning lack of rehab centers in the state, Shullai said that the central govt has sanctioned thousands of crores to other NE states like in Assam, where about 1500 rehab centres were funded by the central government.
Shullai said the State will also seek financial assistance from the centre. “We have also discussed with the Chief Minister to provide us through the Social Welfare department and an inspection will be scheduled to identify land at Mawdiangdiang,” he added.
Approximately 30 lakh was spent for the awards. Funds were also generated from the SUWP scheme and friends and well wishers have sponsored the award program.
During the ceremony, a laptop was also handed to the family of late Nathaniel Sohtun, a Class XI student of JNV School, Mawphlang, who died due to electrocution in the school hostel this year.
Sohtun was a resident of Laban and had joined JNV after passing this year’s Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination in the first division.
