VIT Chennai holds a convocation ceremony; over 1,700 graduands receive degree

VIT University Chennai - Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai campus, held a convocation ceremony on November 12 with Union Minister for Women & Child Development and Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani as the Chief Guest. Over 1,700 graduands, including 64 Ph.D Scholars and 179 rank holders received their degrees.

Founder and Chancellor of VIT Dr G Viswanathan, presided over the Annual Convocation. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Indian Bank Padmaja Chunduru was the Guest of Honour on the occasion.

Smriti Irani addressed the audience saying, "Education is not a one-stop arrangement or limited to the students" institutional journals and that the youth should continue to seek knowledge for the rest of their lives to achieve excellence".

She appreciated Dr G Viswanathan, for creating a pathway for better education and also for providing better possibilities. Irani also congratulated VIT for being recognised as Institution of Eminence (IoE) by Government of India. "The students of VIT will add substantially to building a new India,” she said.

The Minister recalled that in 2006, only 331 Research Papers were published in India and this number increased to 3,301 in 2016. She attributed the reason to institutions such as VIT for making a sustained effort. Irani also urged students to look at opportunities to launch start-ups in their respective institutions. Irani also inaugurated Mahatma Gandhi Auditorium, a 2,500 seating capacity gymnatorium, built at a cost of Rs 31 crore at VIT Chennai.

In his address, Dr G Viswanathan said that if India had to become a $5 trillion economy, it could be done only through education. “India should be the destination for higher education for students from various countries,” he said. He said that VIT would reverse the trend of Indian students travelling to foreign countries for higher education. At present students from 54 foreign countries are studying at VIT.

In her address, Padmaja Chunduru, appealed to the young graduates to become entrepreuners and contribute to society and also to make their choices wisely. She called upon students to follow ethics, principles and morals in life to succeed.

Vice Chancellor Dr Anand A Samuel, welcomed the gathering. Vice President, VIT G V Selvam, Pro Vice Chancellors, VIT Vellore and VIT Chennai  Dr S Narayanan and Dr  V S Kanchana Bhaaskaran, respectively, were also present.

Note : This article has been published on the basis of a press communication by the college