13th Annual Convocation

“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 13^th 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 13^th 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.

Address by Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India

Distinguished Brothers & Sisters,

I am indeed privileged to share this dais with great men of substance and to address the bright young generation of this great country.

I would like to thank KIIT University and its Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta for creating this beautiful and wonderful university and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS). Dr. Samanta, I closely observed during my visits, took this as a mission without any expectation. That’s why we all feel that God will bless him to do many more things like this.

All of us have learnt something from our Gurus. My first advice to all the students who are passing out is to remember four things. First, your mother – the mother who has given you birth. Second, the mother tongue. Third, motherland – that is the place where you are born. Finally, one must remember guru – guru who has given you the education. You should always remember guru, despite all advancement in technology and IT. Google can never replace guru. Google is very useful, but guru is always inspirational.

I am told that KIIT is a Grade ‘A’ university which has been nurturing talents over the last twelve years.

Convocation is always a special day for students, parents and the faculty members. Students look back at the years they have spent at the University, learning new things, making new friends and gaining new insights on the world. They also look forward to the graduation and beyond. The faculty members feel proud of the students’ achievements and so do the student’s parents.

It is a moment of celebration. It is a moment of glory and satisfaction. It is a moment of looking forward to a hopeful future.

I congratulate each one of the students and the faculty members as well as their parents. Education occurs in the classrooms, the sports fields, at home, through internet and the media and multiple daily interactions with people around us. All formal, non-formal and informal channels contribute to making us educated.

Dear students, you are fortunate to be a part of the educated India. You are among the 25% of our country’s youth who are enrolled in institutions of higher education. I compliment you on successful completion of the courses you have pursued in the University. I hope you will continue to learn even after you leave the University.

Learning new skills and acquiring new knowledge is vital in today’s knowledge economy. Upgrading our competence, updating our knowledge and adapting to a rapidly changing work environment is the need of the hour. To do this, you must keep your eyes, ears, minds and hearts open. You must learn to discover and innovate. You must know how to think outside the box and collect as well as connect facts. You must acquire and utilize vast resources that are now more readily available than before : information and knowledge. You must strive to be the best in whatever field you choose.

You are the inheritors of a great culture, an ancient culture, a culture that valued learning and knowledge, a culture that emphasized inclusion, truth, righteousness and welfare of all. I can only echo the wise advice given by Upanisadic teachers:

“Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara,

Swaadhyayaanna Pramadah”

“Speak the truth, practice virtue, don’t give up learning”

Seers have also said “Adopt good practices, do not neglect welfare”.

Accessing, adopting, adapting and assimilation of new ideas has been India’s strength. We must revive and adopt this inclusive, welcoming world view. That is the best way to grow and bring back the lost glow on the face of our motherland. We cannot be a Vishwguru if we do not connect with Vishwam and contribute to the welfare and well being of our countrymen and the people on this beautiful planet.

Your university is located in the historic land of Utkala that transformed one of India’s greatest emperors – Ashoka – from being a ferocious king to a pious, development oriented monarch. We need this kind of transformation today – from needless wars to blissful harmony between people. Education, in its broadest sense, should foster this transformation. “Education is that which liberates” according to our ancient visionaries. It should liberate us from narrow, tunnel vision. It should liberate us from prejudices, hatred, intolerance. “Vidya dadaati Vinayam”, Education should make us humble, should make us patient and make us good listeners.

I am happy that through resources raised from this institutions, Dr. Samanta is educating more than 20,000 tribal boys and girls. It is a great service done to the society. Because our forefathers have said that ‘manav seva’ is ‘madhav seva’. You get the same blessings of God by serving the poor.

I thought I should share some thoughts on this happy occasion as you move on to shape your lives.

Once again, my felicitations to Dr. Samanta who has set up this excellent centre of learning. My sincerest congratulations to the faculty members for their tireless commitment to the noblest of causes. My affectionate greetings and good wishes to all my young friends who are graduating today and to many more who are studying in this University.

May the Lord Tribhuvaneswara guide all of us towards energetic action with enlightened minds and enthusiastic hearts.

Address of Dr. S. C. Jamir, Hon’ble Governor of Odisha

I am delighted to be here today for the 13^th Annual Convocation of KIIT University. It is with great pleasure I extend a heartily welcome to our Hon’ble Vice President on his maiden visit to the State after assuming the office. He is a person of vast experience having served in several key positions in the Government and is a respected personality in public and political life. His address on his august occasion would surely be a boost to students and faculty as they strive for excellence.

As the famous quotation from Harvard goes, the honour of a university does not stem from the size of its campus or enrollment, but the quality of alumni it is able to produce generation after generation. I am happy to note that since its establishment. KIIT University has nurtured thousands of graduates who persistently dedicate to the community and with many of them taken up leading roles in serving the country. KIIT University has certainly contributed to Bhubaneswar’s new identity as education hub in East India. I congratulate the founder, chancellor, management, faculty, students, alumni and all others for taking the University to this height.

Graduation day is a chance to celebrate and look to the future. Our young graduates today must be experiencing many emotions. They no doubt will be felling the joy of achievement and support of friends, teachers, parents and the University. And this is worth celebrating. The other emotions that the graduating students might be feeling are excitement and apprehension about the future. The learning they have done in here would give them a sound foundation for the next stage of their lives. I congratulate all our young men and women on their successful completion of a important stage in their life and also to their parents and teachers for their untiring support and encouragement.

Dear graduates, as you enter society, there will be even more challenges and hard choices to be made in career. My advice is; just be true to yourself. To success, one has to be truly outstanding. He or she has to be farsighted and well-prepared for the unpredictable future. As a famous saying goes. “Opportunities only knock on the door of those who are prepared.”

Dear graduates, please take this to heart; whatever qualification is conferred on you today, it only represents one of your past accomplishments. What determines your future is your ceaseless efforts to learn. Today is a milestone in your life. It is my sincere wish that every one of you will work even harder as you embark on a new journey in life. Have lofty aspirations. Be dedicated to education and learning. Be persistent as well as accommodating. Do remember that endurance, optimism and perseverance are what your needs in your future profession.

Technology today is integral to almost all aspects of our lives and most of the time it is a force for good. If we are going to solve some of the hardest problems facing the world today, everything from cancer to climate change to educational inequality, then technology will help us to do it. And yet the potential adverse consequences of technology are spreading faster and cutting deeper. Sometimes the very technology that is meant to connect us divides us. Technology is capable to doing great things. It is up to our future professionals, scientists and technocrats like you to make the best use of technology for the wellbeing of mankind and ensure that it does not take away our values and commitment to decency and kindness. I wish every one of you to become responsible citizens who are willing to make efforts to better society and humanity.

Innovation and entrepreneurship remain pressing priorities today to maximize the potential of state’s and the country’s most precious resource: its human capital. Our universities have a crucial role to play in all these endeavours. Universities are where new ideas emerge and develop, where different cultures interact, and where society’s future is shaped. We need connections and I am happy to find that KIIT University is weaving an effective global network which further facilitates educational development, skill development and cultural exchanges.

Research is an important element in university. It informs teaching and advances the frontiers of knowledge and technology. It constitutes an engine driving towards a knowledge-based economy. There is a greater need for stepping up research in our universities and translating research results into application.

Dear graduates, you are graduating at a very exciting period not only for the country but the world as a whole. My generation fought for independence and to make an India that grows and develops, but it is now in your hands, in the hands of the youth of the country to make an India that is developed and becomes a superpower. You will be the architect of a New India. You have the enviable youth, vigour and time to do good to yourself, your family your Motherland and even the world I have every confidence that our young people, including graduates today, will continue to make us proud.

To the present students, you are here for a reason to pursue your dreams. It is said that the poorest man on earth is a man without a dream and the most frustrated man on earh is a man with a dream that never becomes a reality. When the passion for your dream is unquenched then quitting is unthinkable and that makes victory inevitable. Do not lose focus of your dream even though the going may be tough. Remain focused and committed at all times. You have the best example and motivation in your founder and mentor Dr. Samanta.

With these words, I wish you all success and also wish KIIT University to scale new heights in day ahead. Thank you and may God bless you!

Jai Hind

Acceptance Remarks by Padma Vibhushan Shilpi Guru Dr. Raghunath Mohapatra

It is my good fortune to share the dais with great personalities present. May Lord Jagannath bless the students who are receiving their degrees today. This honour given by Achyuta Samanta is above all honours that I have received. It is so because his honour has the blessings of Lord Jagannath. May his institution grow further and may Lord Jagannath bless Achyuta Samanta.

Acceptance Remarks by Dr. Bithal Das Mundhra

I am really humbled with the honour which KIIT University has bestowed upon me. My association with the university has been for last some time and I am an admirer and fan of Prof. Achyuta Samanta, who has created a world class institution. It is my humble privilege to be associated with this great institution in a small way by way of training some of the youngsters who are coming out from college, particularly in the field of engineering. I wish that I can take it forward with Simplex and my institution, Bharati Vidya Mandir, who are doing this work all over the country for workers, foreman, supervisors, engineers and all different categories. It is the need of the country to train our youngsters and develop them. I pray to God that person like Prof. Samanta have a long life and same spirit to take the nation forward. Thank you!

Acceptance Remarks by Shri Kishanlal Agarwal

Sadgurudev Bhagwan is the inspiration behind my taking the mantra of ‘seva’ in my life. I don’t do ‘seva’ with any expectation. Somehow my work came to the notice of blessed Dr. Achyuta Samanta, and he thought that me worthy of the attention of the society. I would like to assure Dr. Samanta that I will be available for the service of this institution whenever he needs it. I express my gratitude to the Hon’ble Vice President of India and Hon’ble Governor of Odisha also for giving me this honour. Thank you!

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