Education is About Fulfilling Responsibilities to Society: Uttarakhand Governor
Lieutenant Governor General Gurmit Singh graced the Fourth Convocation Ceremony of Graphic Era Hill University as the Chief Guest on Friday. A total of 8,245 students, including 17 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) recipients from the 2023 and 2024 batches, were awarded undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
During his address, the Governor highlighted the significance of convocation as a milestone in a student’s life. He expressed pride in witnessing the graduates and faculty embarking on a new chapter and stressed that education extends beyond obtaining degrees—it encompasses understanding and fulfilling one’s societal responsibilities.
He emphasized that today’s era offers immense opportunities, with technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, drone technology, quantum computing, augmented reality, and the metaverse rapidly transforming industries, including education. The Governor urged the academic community to work together to foster an ecosystem that integrates AI and other cutting-edge technologies into education.
He also addressed the issue of substance abuse, urging students to steer clear of it due to its harmful effects on individuals and society. He pointed out that substance abuse not only impacts mental and physical health but also contributes to crime and social instability. He called on the government, social organizations, and educational institutions to take concrete action against this problem.
In his speech, the Governor emphasized that India is at a pivotal moment in its journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. He expressed confidence that the graduates would apply the values instilled in them by the university to contribute to a self-reliant and prosperous India.
The Governor lauded Graphic Era Hill University’s achievements, especially its focus on research. He praised the university for its impressive contributions, noting that since January 2023, university members have published 2,708 papers and books in Scopus/SCI/UGC Care journals. He also congratulated the faculty for initiating 488 patents, with 28 being granted since January 2023.
Professor Kamal Ghanshala, President of the University, motivated students to dedicate themselves to the development of the nation and the state. The convocation was attended by Vice-Chancellor Professor Sanjay Jasola, Padma Vibhushan awardee Chandi Prasad Bhatt, university officials, faculty members, and students.
Vice Chancellor Dr. Sanjay Jasola administered the oath to the degree recipients and spoke about the university’s accomplishments. He reflected on the journey that began thirteen years ago when Dr. Kamal Ghanshala established the Dehradun and Bhimtal campuses in a record 100 days. This mission to shape the future of young minds has reached a significant milestone, with new research, patents, and student success stories taking center stage. One such success is Pooja from a small village in Tehri, who secured a job with an impressive annual package of INR 84.33 lakh, alongside many other student achievements.
Registrar Dr. Dinesh Kumar Joshi presented a report on the degree recipients, while PA Anand hosted the event.
The convocation commenced with a grand Academic Procession, which started from the open auditorium and proceeded to the ceremony venue. The procession included Governor Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh, Vice Chancellor Dr. Sanjay Jasola, Registrar Dr. Dinesh Kumar Joshi, UCOST Director General Dr. Durgesh Pant, and members of the university’s Governing Committee, Board of Management, and Academic Council.
In total, 8,245 students from the 2023 and 2024 batches were awarded degrees. Among them were 17 PhD recipients—nine in 2023 and eight in 2024. Additionally, gold medals were awarded to outstanding students from both years. In 2023, the recipients included Priyanka Suyal, Deepak Tiwari, Kamal Kumar Kandpal, Abhishek Dhasmana, Ragini Rana, Nimisha Gairola, Mahvish Zakir, Divya Nautiyal, Rashi Chauhan, and Aarti Gairola, along with 40 others. In 2024, gold medals were awarded to Neha Sethi, Anjali Joshi, Simran Rana, Daivik Mohan, Aryan, Anushka Mishra, Tania Sharma, Simran Sharma, Saumya Rawat, Aastha Thakur, Rishabh Dubey, and 29 others.
For the 2023 batch, 863 students received postgraduate degrees, and 3,055 received undergraduate degrees. In the 2024 batch, 1,346 students were awarded postgraduate degrees, while 2,964 earned undergraduate degrees.
