OdishaLIVE Bureau
“India has a great heritage and you should feel proud as inheritors of the great Indian culture. Unity in diversity and being rooted to our culture are important for integrity of our country”, said M. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice-President of India, while addressing at the 13th Convocation Ceremony of KIIT University on November 11, 2017.
He advised the students and scholars to remember four key things in life like mother, mother tongue, mother land and the guru. “Every family should encourage the children to speak in their mother tongue at home. Similarly, the mother and the motherland are to be worshiped as they give us life and substance to live in this world”, said the Vice President of India.
“In today generation, we are referring to Google every now and then. However, Google can never replace the role and importance of a Guru”, Mr. Naidu advised the gathering.
“India is a land of opportunities. One can achieve anything with hard work and passion irrespective of one’s background. Former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are examples of this”, Naidu said.
“I have come to Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) before also to address tribal students living and studying there. I thank Prof. Achyuta Samanta for creating two beautiful institutions like KIIT and KISS. He is educating 25,000 poor children. It is a great service to humanity; and service to humanity is service to God”, the Vice President of India said.
Total 4,820 students of 2016 – 17 graduating batch of KIIT University received their degrees this Convocation.
Dr. S. C. Jamir, Governor of Odisha graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. “Standard of a University is judged from the quality of its alumni”, Dr. Jamir said, while noting that KIIT has an illustrious alumni body. KIIT is weaving an effective global network for knowledge, skill and cultural exchange. “Dream and remain focused to your dream”, he told the graduates.
“Founder of KIIT & KISS Prof. Achyuta Samanta is a best example and motivation for this”, the Governor added. He advised students to work hard, be persistent as well as accommodating, be innovative and entrepreneurial, and to use technology to solve societal problems.
The University honoured three eminent personalities from different walks of life with D.Litt. degrees – Padma Vibhushan Dr. Raghunath Mohapatra, eminent sculptor; Dr. Bithal Das Mundhra, Chairman Emeritus, Simplex Infrastructures Ltd. and Kishanlal Agarwal, Chairman, Bhartia Charitable Trust.
Total 62 research scholars were awarded Ph.D. degrees.
Expressing best wishes to the graduate students, Dr. Subrat Kumar Acharya, interim Chancellor of KIIT University, in his presidential address, said, “This University is the result of the exemplary vision and passion of a single individual – Prof. Achyuta Samanta – who believed in the mission of ‘Poverty eradication through education & the principle of art–of–giving’. Within last 13 years, the university has grown in leaps & bound, so far so, that this year, with the missionary zeal of the founder, the addition of KISS University, the first tribal university of the world has been another feather in the cap”.
Earlier in his report, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Hrushikesha Mohanty said that KIIT University’s research output has been on an upward rise. Number of publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science has reached close to 3200 and the number of patents filed this year has risen to 32, he informed. Currently University is executing 88 research and consultancy projects funded by different organizations including SERB, DBT, UGC, DST, Karolinska Institute of Sweden, Promedica of Zurich, Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India and NALCO, Dr. Mohanty added.
Tathagata Bandyopadhyay (B.Tech. CSE), Priyanka Bera (M.Tech. in Geotech) and Kuldeep Pandey (B. Tech. Civil) won Founder’s Gold Medals for their outstanding all round and academic performance. Similarly, 18 students were awarded Chancellor’s Gold Medal, while 26 students got Vice Chancellor’s Silver Medal. P.K. Bal Memorial Gold Medal, PPL Gold Medal and Nanibala Memorial Gold Medal were also given away on the occasion.
Dr. Sasmita Samanta, Registrar proposed the vote of thanks.
