Chennai, Nov 19 (FN Agency) Veteran Olympians hockey player Mohd.Riaz and pugilist V.Devarajan were today honoured on the occasion of International Men’s Day (IMD), today. The event was organised by the city-based Dr.Kamaraj Hospital for Men’s Health International Ortho and Trauma Care Center in association with the World Association of Sexual Health (WAS), the Indian Association for Sexology (IAS) and Aakash Fertility Centre and Hospital. Speaking on the occasion, Hospital Director Dr.T.Kamaraj recalled the significant contributions made by the Olympians and felicitated them.
He said Arjuna awardee Devarajan is the first boxer from Tamil Nadu to win the bronze medal in the World Cup Boxing Championship at Thailand in 1994. He said hockey star Mohd Riaz, also an Olympian, has been conferred the Arjuna Award in 1998 and was part of the Indian team that won the Gold in the Asian Games at Bangkok in 1998 and Silver Medal at the Hiroshima Asian Games in 1994. Dr Kamaraj said globally the life span of Men than Women was less by five years and 92 per cent of deaths that occur due to accidents in industries are men, who were also addicted to alcoholism.
Stating that creating awareness was the only way to save the well being of these men, he said “Educate to Eradicate” is the best way forward in this regard. “So far we have been celebrating reel heroes. Today on this International Men’s Day we are felicitating the real heroes”, he added. In his address, Devarajan said he was happy to note that IMD was being celebrated–perhaps for the first time–like how International Women’s Day was being celebrated every year.
He said it was the men who worked for the sake of the country and their family. “Only if they are hale and hearty, thefamily will be happy”, he added. Mohd Riaz said it was men who were the most affected during the COVID pandemic due to loss of jobs and loss of income. Stressing that importance should be given to sports which would enhance the positive energy and enhance the health condition, he referred men as the engine of a train and said they were important for one’s family.