Mandi - President of India Pranab Mukerjee

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Guv stresses for developing new technologies

Mandi - President of India Pranab Mukerjee who was supposed to be the Chief Guest for the Second Convocation meet of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Mandi today could not land due to inclement weather conditions and directly left for Baglamukhi temple in district Kangra and landed at Sapri near Jawalamukhi at around 10.30 to pay obeisance at Baglamukhi Temple. However, Chairman, Board of Governors, M. Natrajan read the President’s speech, in which the President has exhorted the students to serve for the Nation and for the needs of common man and secure new vistas of frontier technology. The President in his message, as read by Shri Natrajan, congratulated the IIT for its convocation and achieving the desired quality of education in Scientific and Technical education and wished IIT Mandi to keep up the good name of IIT brands throughout the country and moreover, to fulfill the duty to respond to the needs of the Society. Meanwhile, Himachal Governor Kalyan Singh was the Chief Guest for the convocation ceremony  hile  Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh presided over the function.

As many as 127 students were listed for being given degrees in various science and engineering streams besides six students were bestowed upon with Gold and Silver medals on the occasion. The President of India Gold Medal and the Institute Silver medal was awarded to Shoubhik Debnath by the Chief Minister. He also honoured Silver medals to Mr. Krishna Karnani and Deepak Sharma in streams of computer science and engineering. The Chief Minister also conferred upon Rani Gonsalves Medal for outstanding female B.Tech student to Ms. Damini Singal. The Governor in his convocation address stressed upon the need for intense research for developing new technologies in various sectors like agriculture, power, environment, information technology in order to ensure development of the nation and state. He said that growth in science and technology only can provide solutions to the existing problems and accelerate the pace of development. Kalyan Singh lauded the contribution of IITs in the country which were not only imparting best quality education but were also doing commendable job in the field of technological research. He hoped that students of IIT Mandi would also bring laurels to the state and nation with their professional expertise. He said that whatever education you have received would depend upon how to use that to meet the future challenges and exhorted the students to have high aim in life. He said that whatever they intend to do in their life, they should be fully committed to whatever they want to do and achieve. He also stressed for preserving the culture and custom and said that if we fail to follow are traditions, he don’t thinks that we can be successful in our endeavours. The Governor said that students should not only strive for achieving excellence in their fields but also sincerely work for the benefit of humanity and society. He said that they owed their success to their parents and teachers, who played a vital role in moulding them as successful professionals. He urged the students to face all kinds of challenges bravely by holding on to highest values in life. He said that best educational opportunities were available to the students as reputed institutions were set up in the state which was imparting quality education in all disciplines. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while addressing on the occasion said that the views of the President would certainly help to meet day to day challenges of life through innovations in the field of science and technology. He congratulated the graduating students of IIT Mandi, who were being conferred degrees today. The Chief Minister said that he well understands the hard work the students have put in to reach this stage. He said that the capacity to create, organize and apply knowledge was the most important trait of every successful person today in every profession. We have to adopt the latest techniques in the fast changing trend of technological revolution and adopt the same in our day to day working, he added.

In the present scenario, knowledge itself is expanding at ever greater speed and is a never ending process, he said. “I am happy to learn that since its inception, this is the first of the new IITs to bag International Scientific Projects in a span of just five years and the institution is fast expanding”, he said. “It is pleasing for me to note that the sustained efforts of the State Government to support and nurture this pioneer institute has now begun to bear fruit. This certainly has long term positive implications for the development of education in the field of science and technology in our state”, said the Chief Minister. M. Natrajan declared open the convocation and also read the President’s Speech received through e-mail. Director, IIT, Mandi, Shri Timothy A. Gonsalves welcomed and honoured the Governor and the Chief Minister on the occasion.