CUP convocation:864 degrees awarded to students; Doval, Sabharwal, Narula conferred with D.Litt; D.Sc to Bhatkar
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ March 20,2024
The Former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest in the Ninth Convocation of Central University of Punjab on Tuesday. Prof. Jagbir Singh, Chancellor of the University, presided over the ceremony, where a total 864 PG/Ph.D. Degrees were conferred to Indian and International Students.
During this auspicious event, Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari, the Vice-Chancellor, conferred Honorary Degrees to four distinguished personalities, recognizing their remarkable contribution in respective domains. Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor and Kirti Chakra Awardee, was honored with the Degree of Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) (Honoris Causa) in acknowledgement of his selfless service to the nation as an illustrious son of Bharat Mata. Dr. Vijay Bhatkar, the architect of India’s first Supercomputer, bestowed with the Honoris Causa Doctor of Science (D.Sc.). Dr. Harjit Singh Sabharwal, renowned social worker, was honored with the Degree of Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) (Honoris Causa) for his philanthropic work in healthcare and services to humanity. Dr. Jaspinder Narula, the acclaimed singer, was conferred with Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor of Literature for promoting devotional Punjabi Music.
All the distinguished personalities expressed their gratitude towards CU Punjab for receiving the prestigious Honoris Causa Degree. Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor, congratulated degree recipients and encouraged youngsters to contribute to the development and prosperity of nation.
In recognition of academic excellence, the Chief Guest, Former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, awarded Gold Medals to 45 meritorious students securing first position in their respective disciplines. He particularly praised the female students for clinching the majority of these accolades, underscoring the commendable performance of women across various higher educational institutions. This exemplifies the profound impact of women’s empowerment in the nation-building process. He urged youngsters to know about inspirational stories of four distinguished personalities and make our nation proud.
Addressing the gathering, Former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, expressed his deep admiration for Punjab, renowned as the land of ten Sikh Gurus, which has always held a special place in his heart. He emphasized that the students of the Central University of Punjab are privileged to study near to the sacred land of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, where the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji finalized compilation of ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’. He lauded the university’s commitment for providing holistic education aligned with NEP2020 and to fostering Indian diversity in its campus by providing quality higher education to students of 27 states, 7 UTs, and international students of 22 Countries. Kovind applauded the CU Punjab fraternity for their remarkable contributions to education and research. He emphasized that the university’s noteworthy achievements in recent years are a testament to its journey towards excellence under the visionary leadership of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari.
Kovind highlighted that the 21st Century signifies the era of Bharat (India), emphasizing the nation’s recent achievements across aviation, defense technology, global diplomacy etc. In the past year, India has made significant strides in aerospace, defense technology, diplomacy, and other fields. The world has witnessed our successful organization of the G-20 summit and applauded India’s efforts in promoting the Bharatiya philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. He mentioned that our consistent efforts have enabled us to become one of the world’s five largest economies. Recognizing India’s demographic advantage with more than 55% youth population, Kovind emphasized the need to capitalize on this advantage and maximize the utilization of the current era, termed as Amritkaal, to propel the nation towards becoming a developed Bharat (India) by 2047. The Chief Guest extended heartfelt congratulations to the degree recipients and urged them to harness their knowledge for nation-building and the advancement of their alma mater. He inspired them to embrace the spirit of warriors, striving tirelessly to construct a social structure grounded in the values of Ram Rajya, aiming for a harmonious and inclusive society.
In his Presidential Address, Hon’ble Chancellor Prof. Jagbir Singh congratulated the degree recipients and urged them to embark on their post-academic journey with innovative ideas and a pursuit of their passions. He emphasized the importance of adopting a lifelong learner approach and encouraged them to take responsibility for societal welfare.
At the onset of the program, CUPB Vice Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari delivered the welcome address, shedding light on the university’s remarkable achievements. He underscored the university’s pride in achieving an ‘A+’ grade accreditation by the NAAC in its second cycle and maintaining a consistent position among the top 100 universities in the NIRF India Rankings for the past five years. Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari asserted that through this convocation, the University is entrusting society with 864 PG/PhD degree recipients, who, as responsible citizens, will play pivotal roles in the nation’s development and uphold Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision of fostering an inclusive society. He inspired the degree recipients to always remember Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s proclamation of “With your hands carve out your own destiny” and derive inspiration for conducting yourself in Life.
During this programme, Dr. Vijay Sharma, Registrar, led the academic procession holding the university flag. Prof. R.K. Wusirika, Dean Incharge Academic, administered the pledge to the degree recipients and gave them best wishes for a bright future. During this programme, Prof. B.P. Garg, Controller of Examinations, coordinated the stage for conferring the degrees to recipients. He gave a formal vote of thanks towards the end of the programme. Faculty, staff, research scholars and students attended this programme.
