DJ College of Dental Sciences and Research recently celebrated its 25th Founder’s Day in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh. The institution, which is run by the Jassar Dental Medical Education Health Foundation (JDMEHF), is a charitable society that was founded by Ajit Singh Jassar in 1997. The Founder’s Day is celebrated in his memory, and this year, it also marked his 67th birthday.
Ajit Singh Jassar, born in 1956, studied at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. He is credited with re-inventing Modinagar as an education city and establishing the DJ Group of Institutions. Today, the sprawling 75-acre campus houses a renowned dental, engineering, pharmacy, ayurveda, and paramedical college, as well as two independent hospitals.
During the Founder’s Day celebration, Dr. Pradeep Shukla, Dean and Principal of the college, delivered the inaugural address, highlighting the institution’s journey over the last 25 years. He expressed pride in the dedication of the faculty and staff who have devoted more than two decades of their professional lives to the institution. He also emphasized the goal of making DJ Dental College the top dental institution in the country.
Rhitik Jassar, Secretary of JDMEHF and son of Ajit Singh Jassar, delivered the keynote address. He reflected on the humble beginnings of Modinagar and the vision his father had for the region. Back in 1998, Modinagar was an undeveloped rural town with no infrastructure. However, Ajit Singh Jassar believed in the area’s potential and established multiple institutions, including his family’s home on the campus. Today, the college has 1500 students, with 600 of them residing on campus. They also have plans to build a 200-bed super-specialty hospital and bring 150 seats of MBBS and a medical college to Modinagar by 2025.
The program also featured Dr. Nikhilesh Vaid, a distinguished practitioner and academic of Orthodontics, as the Guest of Honour. He emphasized the importance of building critical infrastructure in the field of education and healthcare to contribute to India’s development.
The celebration included the first A.S. Jassar Oration lecture delivered by Dr. Samar Adel, a renowned dentist from Egypt. Academic achievers of the BDS and MDS programs were felicitated during the event. Dr. Anup Kanase, Professor of Orthodontics at Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, and Dr. Smiti Klaire, CEO of JDMEHF, also attended the program.
The Founder’s Day celebration highlighted the remarkable achievements and vision of Ajit Singh Jassar and the dedication of the DJ College of Dental Sciences and Research to provide high-quality education and healthcare in Modinagar.