Vellore: 'Riviera ‘18', the annual sports and cultural extravaganza event that attracts some of the finest young minds from all over India and abroad began at VIT campus here on Thursday.Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir inaugurated the gala event, which has become one of the most popular students’ International Sports and Cultural festival in India.
Gambhir also gave away prizes to winners of the marathon held earlier in the day to mark the kick-off of Riviera’18.Over 38,000 students from 400 universities and colleges, including those from Russia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangaldesh, Germany, Singapore, Bhutan, Uganda, Malaysia, Phillpipines, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, France, Afghanistan and Mauritius were taking part in the annual event.A total of 24 countries was participating in it.
In his address, VIT University Founder and Chancellor Dr G Viswanathan said the institution was in the forefront of innovations and creating new things every year. This year’s Riviera has surpassed the festival of the previous year. Speaking after inaugurating the festival, Gambhir said he had heard about the quality education imparted to the students and also about VIT hospitality and its humanitarian outlook. “Today, I got an opportunity to witness that,” Gambhir said. (UNI)