The Honorable Governor of Punjab and Chancellor of Punjabi University, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, addressing as the chief guest at the university's 41st convocation today, emphasized that it is essential for knowledge to be altruistic because knowledge that does not serve the welfare of others is ultimately not useful.
During his address, he remarked that Punjab is a sacred land blessed by the Gurus and insisted that the light of knowledge must continue to shine here, while also praising the university for the pride it brings to the institution by educating such a large number of students.
He highlighted that a convocation ceremony is a significant milestone and a grand celebration in every student's life. Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jagdeep Singh, in his welcome address, expressed that as students from various faculties receive their degrees, the university community should take pride in this achievement and pledge to lead the institution to even greater heights.
He extended his best wishes for a bright future to the graduates and medalists, noting that universities are hubs for research and that Punjabi University is taking specific steps to ensure its research is authentic, high-quality, and beneficial to society. He shared his optimism that these students will now contribute to the betterment of society through their professional work in various fields.
During the event, a total of 725 students from the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic sessions were awarded degrees and medals, a number that includes 457 doctoral degrees, 179 postgraduate and professional course degrees, and 86 degrees for undergraduate toppers.
The awards featured three Chancellor Medals along with 18 medals sponsored by nine different donors over the two-year period. The 457 PhD recipients represented a diverse range of disciplines, including 90 from Social Sciences, 85 from Business, 55 each from Languages and Education & Information Sciences, 37 each from Physical Sciences and Engineering & Technology, 31 from Computing Sciences, 27 from Life Sciences, 16 from Law, 14 from Medicine, and 10 from the Faculty of Art and Culture.
In a unique and culturally significant move, the university introduced special convocation attire that reflects Punjabi heritage, which students were allowed to keep as a memento following the ceremony. During the ceremony, several key officials played their respective roles on stage in accordance with the formal convocation protocol, including Dean of Academic Affairs Prof. Jaswinder Singh Brar, Registrar Prof. Davinder Pal Singh Sidhu, Controller Prof. Manish Kapoor, and Additional Controller Prof. B.B. Singla.
Furthermore, following the long-standing traditions of the convocation, a large number of Syndicate and Senate members, along with the Deans of various faculties, were also present on the stage to mark the occasion.