In a ceremonial convocation held at Panjab University (PU), Vice-President of India and PU Chancellor Jagdeep Dhankhar paid tribute to the accomplishments of the university’s alumni and honored several notable personalities with honorary degrees. The notable recipients of the prestigious DLitt included former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, and esteemed writer and philanthropist, Sudha Murty. Additional honors were conferred upon Parasitologist Veena Tandon, who received the Vigyan Ratna, Rattan Singh Jaggi, recipient of the Gyan Ratna, and lyricist Irshad Kamil, awarded with the Sahitya Ratna.
The Vice-President, in his address, encouraged the young students, branding them as the country’s future warriors. Drawing from his own life experiences and recognizing the importance of education as a tool for social empowerment, Dhankhar emphasized on the importance of seizing opportunities for growth. He stated, “You must feel proud to be Indian and Panjab University has the capacity to be one of the best universities in India.” Dhankhar further spoke about the country’s edge in technology and how mobile internet usage and online payments are bridging the digital divide.
Reflecting on the journey of the awardees, Dhankhar praised Gogoi as a no-nonsense judge before whom he had once appeared as a senior advocate. He proudly acknowledged the role reversal today, with Dhankhar as chairman of the Rajya Sabha, where Gogoi is a member. The Vice-President lauded Sudha Murty as “sewa ki murti (idol of service)” considering her significant contributions to philanthropy.
Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice-Chairperson of Bharti Enterprises, was given the Udyog Ratna. Dhankhar reminisced about his acquaintanceship with Mittal’s father and how the latter was concerned about his sons’ ambition to pursue a career in technology. In his words, “The rest is history,” demonstrating how Mittal’s pursuit of technology has paid off.
Lyricist Irshad Kamil’s receipt of the Sahitya Ratna prompted Dhankhar to speak about the significance of sahityas and their societal contributions. The Vice-President, in his conclusion, heartened the students by stating that academics are not everything. He motivated them to embrace failure as a part of life and ended his address with a quote from the famous Hindi movie, Sholay, “Jo dar gaya, so mar gaya (He who gets scared, dies)” which was met with applause from the audience.
The convocation took place on Saturday with Dhankhar honoring students and awardees, expressing his faith in the young generation’s potential to propel the nation forward when the country celebrates its centenary of independence in 2047. The ceremony’s significance lay not just in the recognition of the laureates and their contributions but also in fostering an environment of aspiration, motivation, and national pride among the students, the future torchbearers of the country.
