The Covid pandemic has forced the Canacona block of Gomantak Gaud Maratha Samaj (GGMS) to deviate from tradition and felicitate meritorious students from the community by visiting their homes in the taluka.
The GGMS annually organises a felicitation ceremony to recognise the achievements of students from the Scheduled Tribes who have excelled in academics in SSC and HSSC.
Students from SSC who scored 75 per cent and above and students from HSSC who scored 70 per cent and above are annually awarded with a memento and certificates of excellence at the taluka level.
Cash prizes are also awarded to the three toppers from SSC and HSSC at the taluka level.
A total of 27 students from SSC and 7 students from HSSC belonging to the ST community in Canacona taluka were awarded this year, at individual functions in the residences of meritorious students.
Incidentally, the programme was scheduled at the Gaondongrim panchayat hall on August 30 at 9 am, but due to the increasing number of Covid cases in Canacona taluka, the committee decided not to hold a common function.
Instead, the GGMS committee visited the house of each meritorious student and awarded them with a memento and certificate on August 29 and August 30.
The GGMS committee visiting the houses of all 34 meritorious students were Anand Gaonkar (president), Devendra Tawadkar (vice president), Jivanand Velip (secretary), Umesh Gaonkar (treasurer) and Arjun Velip, Narayan Velip, Tukaram Velip, Nitesh Velip, Laxman Gaonkar, Subhash Padkar and Dudu Gaonkar (members).
