Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan and Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha presented the awards for the 2550th Bhagwan Mahavir Swami Nirvana Mahotsav Essay Competition at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan on Sunday.

The competition for students was organised by the state government in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahavir Swami 2550th Nirvana Kalyanak Mahotsav Committee. Aradhya Lodha from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was awarded the first prize along with a cash reward of Rs 4,44,000. Akshay Dhere from Nanded secured the second prize with Rs 2,22,000, while Sharvari Bhojankar from Yavatmal received the third prize of Rs 1,11,000. Additionally, winners in the junior category (grades 5 to 7) also won cash prizes worth lakhs.

The competition received an unprecedented response, with over 16 lakh students from more than 10,000 schools taking part in it. This successful initiative in Maharashtra later inspired Gujarat and Rajasthan to implement similar competitions. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also appreciated the competition through an official letter.

Radhakrishnan praised the initiative for promoting the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir. He said, "The teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir have inspired us to serve society. Through this competition, millions of students are embracing his values. The more students learn about Bhagwan Mahavir’s message, the stronger the path of peace and non-violence will become in society. Heartfelt congratulations to all participants and winners," he told those gathered for the award ceremony.

Lodha expressed pride in hosting the ceremony at the prestigious Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan and reiterated the government's support for such initiatives. He said, "A special aspect of this event is that we are holding this award ceremony in the esteemed Darbar Hall. For this, I extend my gratitude to our governor. Our governor is a leader who respects all religions and their sentiments. Under the leadership of Narendra Modi at the center and Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra, we stand united with you all. This is a great opportunity to connect with the government. If we all come together, we can make a remarkable contribution to our nation."

MLA from Malkapur constituency Chainsukh Sancheti, other dignitaries, parents, and teachers were present on the occasion. District Collectors, Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Parishads, and Municipal Commissioners from Nashik, Nagpur, and Kolhapur were also honored for successfully implementing this initiative.