President Murmu attends Sikkim University convocation in Gangtok

President Murmu attends Sikkim University convocation in Gangtok

ISABELLA GURUNG

Sikkim
University has a special responsibility of preserving the region’s language,
culture and environment: Droupadi Murmu

GANGTOK, :
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday attended the 7th convocation of Sikkim
University here and conferred gold medals on meritorious students.

The
ceremony was held at Manan Kendra and was attended by Governor Om Prakash
Mathur, Chief Minister P.S. Golay, Education minister Raju Basnett, other
ministers, university officials, faculty members and graduating students of
2023, 2024 and 2025 batches.

A
total of 13,782 degrees and medals were awarded in the convocation, of which
759 candidates received them in person. These included 53 MPhil, 197 PhD, 8,123
undergraduate and 2,441 postgraduate degrees.

Altogether,
285 gold and silver medals were awarded, including nine special medals
including ‘ICAI Medals of Merit’, ‘Prof. Sameera Maiti Gold Medals’ and Sitaram
‘Jindal Foundation Gold Medals’.

Addressing
the gathering, President Murmu stated: “Today is a very important occasion for
the students receiving their degrees. The hard work of the students, their
parents, and teachers has borne fruit. All the students are beginning a new
phase of life. I am confident that this university has prepared them to face
every situation in life. 

She
noted that nearly 60 per cent of the graduating students were women and around
70 per cent of medal winners were female students, calling it a “matter of
great happiness” and a reflection of women’s empowerment.

The
President said that Sikkim University bears special responsibility of
preserving the region’s language, culture and environment, apart from being a
centre for education and research. Murmu said she was happy to note that the
university integrates modern education with local traditions, ecological
consciousness and social responsibility. She added that it is the appropriate
path to foster the holistic development of students.

She
also applauded the Sikkim University for being the only Central institution
where studies and research are conducted in Limboo, Lepcha and Bhutia languages
and also praised the Centre for Endangered Languages established in Sikkim
University.

The
President said that education is a vital instrument for self-reliance. She
urged students to empower themselves through education and work for the
betterment of the nation and society. She advised them to always have complete
faith in their own capabilities; learn from the experiences and knowledge of
others; achieve progress through collaboration, not in isolation; and define
both short-term and long-term objectives and formulate a strategy to achieve
them. She said that the country is advancing towards the goal of building a
developed India by the year 2047. She expressed confidence that the students
will move forward in their chosen fields internalizing the values of
efficiency, equity, and sustainability.

The
President further praised Sikkim’s unique culture and biodiversity and urged
the entire country to learn from Sikkim’s initiatives such as plastic control,
promotion of organic farming, and environmental conservation.

Governor
Om Prakash Mathur extended congratulations to the students and expressed that
this achievement is not only the result of their personal hard work and talent,
but also the outcome of the support, values, and guidance provided by their
families, teachers, and institutions.

“I
am pleased to know that Sikkim University, while understanding the local issues
and needs of border areas, is seriously conducting research on sensitive
subjects such as climate change, organic farming, the Himalayan ecosystem,
glacier studies, eco-tourism, disaster management, and border security. In line
with the spirit of the National Education Policy 2020, the university is
working towards enriching students with knowledge, values, and a global
outlook,” said the Governor.

“The
establishment of the permanent campus of Sikkim University by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi is certainly a very important and historic step for higher
education, research, and academic development in Sikkim and the entire
Northeast region of India,” the Governor added.

Chief
Minister Golay said the presence of the President of India made the convocation
a historic occasion and urged graduates to contribute to nation-building in
line with the vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047”.

He
stated that the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ can only be achieved through the
strength and contribution of educated youth. He congratulated the graduating
students and encouraged the academic community to continue working with
commitment towards education, youth empowerment, and nation-building.

He
also congratulated the university’s Vice Chancellor, faculty members, staff,
and parents for their contribution in shaping the future of students.

The
Chief Minister noted that Sikkim University, established through an Act of
Parliament in 2007, has emerged as a premier institution of higher learning in
the Northeast and has contributed significantly towards academic excellence,
research, innovation, and inclusive education while preserving the ecological,
cultural, and social heritage of Sikkim.

Golay
reiterated the State government’s commitment towards the growth and development
of the university and said pending matters and long-standing issues concerning
the institution had been sincerely addressed by his government since 2019.

“Our
vision is to create opportunities for our young generation so that they can
compete at the global level while remaining rooted in our values,” he said.

Vice
Chancellor Prof. Santanu Kumar Swain presented the university report and
highlighted its academic achievements.