Bhubaneswar: Odisha Governor Raghubar Das on Saturday lauded the youths for playing a leading role in innovation and placing India among the top three countries of the world in the startup ecosystem.
Addressing the batch of 2024 at the 20th annual convocation of KIIT Deemed to be University in Bhubaneswar, the Governor said today youths are leading the change in the country. “They are making unicorns and providing opportunities to lakhs of people. Our youth are not only shaping their career but also shaping the country’s future. Instead of job seekers, they are becoming job givers,” he added.
“The country is going through both a challenging and exciting phase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the vision of transforming the country into ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. It is estimated that Bharat will become the 3rd largest economy of the world by 2030,” he said.
Das also appreciated excellence of KIIT students in academics as well as sports. Noting that many students from the institute have participated in the Olympics, making the country proud, he said, “Its founder Achyuta Samanta has done unparalleled work in establishing such an institute of professional and higher education. He has effectively used education as a tool for empowerment, helping underprivileged people integrate into the mainstream of society.”
In her convocation address, delivered virtually, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Laureate (2022), Ukraine said KIIT has become one of the most prominent institutions in India and globally in a short time.
On the occasion, KIIT-DU conferred Honoris Causa DSc and DLitt degrees on four eminent persons from different walks of life. They included Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology & AIG Hospitals; Dr Chandra Bhanu Satpathy, eminent writer, spiritual thinker and humanitarian; Kishor Patil, Co-Founder, MD & CEO, KPIT Technologies Ltd and Ashirbad Behera, honorary secretary, Odisha Athletics Association & Football Association of Odisha.
As many as 7283 students received degrees at the convocation. They included 5,455 Bachelors, 1,597 Masters and 186 PhDs. Congratulating them for their performance, Samanta exhorted the students to take risks, fail, learn and rise. “Always keep in mind the 3 I’s: Idea, Innovation, and Impact. These three will shape your future and the world around you, ” he said in his message.
In his presidential address, Ashok Kumar Parija, Chancellor, KIIT-DU said, “KIIT’s journey from its humble beginnings to being recognised among the country’s leading institutions is a story of vision, hard work, and unwavering dedication. This transformation would not have been possible without the relentless efforts of Samanta, and the tireless efforts of our faculty and staff.”