Lamp Lighting and Oath-Taking Ceremony held at Athena Institute of Health Science, Mangalore
Mangaluru “Lamp Lighting and Oath Taking Ceremony” for the 21st batch of GNM and the 20th batch of B.Sc. (N) students of Athena Institute of Health Science was held on December 21, 2023, in the College Auditorium.
The Lamp Lighting ceremony is an auspicious occasion in every nurse’s life, held in reverence to Ms. Florence Nightingale, “THE LADY WITH LAMP”. The lamp lighting ceremony began with the students marching forward to take their positions and be ready to accept the light. The program started with an invocation of God’s presence through a prayer song sung by 2ndSemester B.Sc. (N) students.
The programme was presided over by Mr. R. S. Shettian, Chairman, Athena Institute of Health Sciences, and Prof. Sr. Dhanya Devasia, CNO, Father Muller Medical College Hospital, was the chief Guest. Mrs. Asha Shettian Sceretary, Dr Ashith Shettian Trustee, Prof. Sr. Deepa Peter Principal, Athena College of Nursing, Prof. Sr. Aileen Mathais Vice Principal, and Mrs. Genevive Serrao and Ms. Fiona Picardo Class Co-Coordinators Share the dais.
Mrs. Nancy D’ Silva, Lecturer Fundamentals of Nursing Department, welcomed the gathering, and dignitaries lit the traditional lamp and inaugurated the programme. As a sign of honour and respect to the pioneer of modern nursing, the dignitaries paid a floral tribute to Florence Nightingale and Chief Guest Prof. Sr Dhanya Devasia lit the lamp and garlanded the portrait.
Prof. Sr. Aileen Mathias, Vice Principal, highlighted the significance of the ceremony to the nursing students. The dignitaries, along with the senior faculty, lit the lamps of 140 novice nursing students, which symbolizes wisdom, knowledge, and compassion towards mankind, followed by the recitation of the oath, where students pledged themselves to uphold the duties of a professional nurse administered by Prof Sr. Deepa Peter Principal. The student’s melodious and soothing song ‘choose to be a light’ added solemnity to the ceremony.
Chief Guest in her message stressed upon two main aspects. Firstly, ‘Let my care remove pain’ which focused on good knowledge, acquiring adequate skill and having proper attitude in order to alleviate pain. In the second aspect she emphasized on ‘nursing as a noble profession’ where as nurses we should have a single minded goal and always to grab the opportunity and to be true health care warriors.
Mr. R S Shettian, chairman, Athena Institute of Health Sciences in his presidential address said that as nurses we need to respond appropriately to the demands as per the changing society by developing clinical competence, and to provide comprehensive health care.
The II semester nursing students presented a brief cultural programme. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Mrs Susan Subin Lecturer Dept of Nursing Foundation. The program was compered by Ms. Honey G, Lecturer Dept of OBG Nursing.
