Friday, 02 December 2022 | PNS | PAURI
The Hemwati Nandan Garhwal University, Srinagar held its 10th convocation in blended mode on Thursday. Former vice chairman of NITI Aayog and founder chairman of Pahle India Foundation Rajiv Kumar was the chief guest while chancellor Yogendra Narain chaired the function in which noted Dhol artist Sohan Lal received honoris causa.
Speaking on the occasion, Kumar said that learning should continue throughout one’s life. He said that India is on the cusp of major historical change that will take it inexorably forwards towards raising its share in the global economy to once again become commensurate with the share of its population in the world population. He claimed that India is facing the challenges of growing exponentially and also becoming greener exponentially, grow exponentially but also generate jobs exponentially. “Entrepreneurship and frugal consumption habits that have respected nature are India’s strength and we have to build on them and reinforce them. The responsibility for making the 21 st century as India’s century lies squarely on the students and indeed on the faculty gathered here. You are surely liberated from the colonial mindset and have the ambitions and capabilities to build glorious structures on these strong foundations,” he said. He also emphasised the need to recognise that India has a unique past and indeed a unique set of current challenges but also a unique set of strengths.
Chancellor Narain in his address said that India has come a long way since its independence in 1947. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for relinquishing the colonial mindset, he said that it should start from the university level. He also emphasised the role of teachers in promoting this mission and also called upon the teachers to teach history from the Indian perspective. The Indian economy needs to grow at 8-10 per cent rate to achieve a $5 trillion economy and it is also important to generate employment opportunities in the process, he said. Narain also hailed the national education policy for giving a scope to excel to each student in his/ her field of interest and also said that it provides autonomy for the institutions.
Vice chancellor professor Annpurna Nautiyal expressed her pleasure in awarding the ‘Honoris Causa’ to Sohan Lal for his major contribution in promoting the regional music played through the Dhol. She also appreciated the achievement of professor DR Purohit, adjunct faculty in the department of Folk and Performing Arts Centre, who has recently been selected for the prestigious National Sangeet Natak Academy Award in the domain of folk music and theatre for 2021. She also listed the achievements and activities of the university. This year degrees to 159 PhD and 4,306 post graduate students were awarded and 45 students in various subjects received gold medals. Pro-vice chancellor RC Bhatt, registrar Ajay Kumar Khanduri, media cell convenor MM Semwal and others were also present on the occasion.
