Ashoka University, the pioneers in offering multi-disciplinary, liberal arts and science education, witnessed a landmark celebration on its main campus today as it hosted the Convocation for the Class of 2018 for nearly 300 students.
The event celebrated the achievements of students who have completed the three-year Bachelor’s Degree Programme. The founding batch of the Ashoka Scholars Programme 2018 was also awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies and Research, a unique year-long Postgraduate Diploma for students graduating with Bachelor’s Degrees. The chief guest was Nirupama Rao, former Indian diplomat, Foreign Secretary and Ambassador and the keynote address was given byProfessorSheldon Pollock, Arvind Raghunathan Professor of South Asian studies at the University of Columbia.
In his keynote address at the Convocation ceremony, Professor Sheldon Pollock, said to the graduating students,“Our futures are shaped in part by our pasts. You are heirs to a tradition of respect for knowledge – rational, systematized, theorized knowledge, whose history of discoveries and transmissions is without parallel in the annals of the world.”
The chief guest Nirupama Rao, said, “I’ve been a passionate advocate for young people having opportunities for a world-class education in the liberal arts. I’ve always held that more than becoming a great power, it is important that India be a great democracy. A liberal arts education provides the sustenance and capacity for our youth to build the great democracy India must be.”
The Convocation began with a formal academic procession and welcome address by Prof. Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Chancellor. The annual review was presented by Dr. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Vice- Chancellor. The Convocation ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks from Sankar Krishnan, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Ashoka University.