VIT-A.P. University students urged to face challenges head-on

State athlete and Arjuna Award winner Jyothi Yarraji said that in order to achieve success in life, one must move forward by facing challenges and problems head-on. Ms. Jyothi won the Arjuna Award in January 2025 for her exceptional performance in 100m hurdles.

Addressing a large gathering of students at the valedictory session of ‘VITopia-2026’, the annual sports and cultural fest, at VIT-A.P. University on Sunday, Ms. Jyothi said that despite coming from an ordinary family and facing numerous hurdles, she won gold at the Asian Games through sheer mental strength.

Meanwhile, university in-charge Vice-Chancellor P. Arulmozhivarman said that academic excellence and physical fitness should go hand-in-hand. He said that events like “VITopia” were essential for cultivating an environment of excellence and innovation, ensuring that students develop the resilience needed to make a real-world impact.

Registrar Jagadish Chandra Mudiganti said the goal was to mould the leaders of tomorrow by fostering a culture of teamwork and discipline. “Seeing our students compete with such sportsmanship reinforces our commitment to their holistic growth and future success,” he said.

Later in the evening, musical performances by Mohana Bhogaraju, the Abdul Wahab Band, and DJ Notorious enthralled the audience.

VITopia-2026 convener S. Gopi Krishnan, deputy director of student affairs Khadeer Pasha, faculty and students were present.