“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 Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice-President of India, while addressing a congregation of graduate, post-graduate and doctorate degree recipients at the 13th Convocation Ceremony of KIIT University on November 11, 2017.
India is a land of opportunities. One can achieve anything with hard work and passion irrespective of one’s background. Former president Dr. Kalam and prime minister Modi are examples of this, Shri Naidu said.
“I have come to Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) before also to address 25,000 tribal students living and studying there. I thank Prof. 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. May God bless him to do many more such work”, the Vice President of India said.
Convocation is an occasion of celebration and glory. It is also an occasion of looking forward to the future. He advised students to remember four things: mother, mother tongue, mother land and guru. Leaning new knowledge and skills are important in the present era and, in view of this, the Modi Government has created a separate department of Skill Development, Shri Naidu said, while advising students to develop the ability to adapt to the rapidly changing work environment and strive to be the best in their chosen fields.
Dr. S. C. Jamir, Hon’ble Governor of Odisha graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. Total 4820 students of 2016 – 17 graduating batch of KIIT University received their degrees at its 13th Annual Convocation.
The 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 on your dream, he told the graduates. Founder of KIIT & KISS Prof. Samanta is the 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 also honoured three eminent personalities from different walks of life with D.Litt. Honoris Causa degrees – Padma Vibhushan Shilpi Guru Dr. Raghunath Mohapatra, Eminent Sculptor, Dr. Bithal Das Mundhra, Chairman Emeritus, Simplex Infrastructures Ltd. and Shri Kishanlal Agarwal, Chairman, Bhartia Charitable Trust.
KIIT University will achieve many more glories in the years to come, said Dr. Raghunath Mohapatra in his acceptance speech, while expressing gratitude to the University for conferring him with the honour.
“I am a great admirer and fan of Prof. Samanta, whose vision, passion and hard work have made KIIT University a world class institute. It is a privilege to be associated with this great institution”, said Dr. Bithal Das Mundhra. Expressing gratitude to KIIT University and Shri Naidu, Shri Kishanlal Agarwal said, “I started ‘seva’ (service) not in any expectation. It is greatness of Prof. Samanta to recognize my ‘seva’”.
Expressing best wishes to the graduate students, Dr. Subrat Kumar Acharya, Chancellor (I/C), 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 the 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. The 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, the 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. A total of 62 research scholars were also awarded Ph.D. degrees.
Dr. Sasmita Samanta, Registrar proposed the vote of thanks.