Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Dr Srikumar Banerjee, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) Director Dr Govind Rao Marpalli and Litterateur Erya Laxminarayana Alva will be conferred honorary doctorate degrees at the 30th annual convocation of Mangalore University here on Thursday. 
Speaking to mediapersons, Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof T C Shivashankaramurthy said that the Syndicate of the University had chosen them out of 14 names proposed for the honorary doctorate degrees.
Dr Srikumar Banerjee will deliver the convocation address. Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, who also holds the portfolio of Higher Education Minister, would attend the programme.
The VC said that Dr Banerjee, the Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, is one of the leading experts in materials science and technology and has made outstanding contributions to many materials related areas, basic as well as application oriented. His comprehensive work on physical metallurgy of zirconium alloys and radiation induced order-disorder transition in alloys are widely quoted in scientific literature.
He has also been conferred the Honorary degree of DSc (Honaris Causa) from the Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur. He is a Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy, National Academy of Sciences India, Indian National Academy of Engineering and Third World Academy Sciences.
Dr Marapalli Govinda Rao is a member of Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India and is also the director of National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi. He was the Chairman of Mission Group on Decentralization, Chairman of the Committee for the Implementation of Value Added Tax. He has been a Consultant to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, Financial and Fiscal Commission and so on. Dr Rao has authored and eidited 17 books and monographs on various aspects of public finance and 100 research articles in national and international journals.
Erya Laxminarayana Alva is a legend in the field of Tulu literature. Some of the works written by Alva include ‘Swamy Vivekanander Bokka Arena Upadesha,’ ‘Ramashwamedhada Rasatharangagalu,’ ‘Mangala Thimaru,’ ‘Gana kogile’ and others.
The literary works have won many awards including Janapara Bandhu award 1999, Sahitya Siri award 2002, Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy award 2003 and others. Alva was the founder director of Karnataka Janapada Trust, Bangalore.
Degrees
The VC said that Mangalore University will award 44 Doctor of Philosophy degrees which includes Arts—13, Science—26 and Commerce—5, 17 Master of Philosophy degrees (Arts—1, Science—9 and commerce—5). As many as 35 gold medals and 57 cash prizes will be given away during the conovation. About 62 ranks (PG—44, UG—18; Arts—12, Science and Technology—33, commerce—09, law—3, education—3 and PG diploma—2) will be given to the students.
A total of 1,411 students will receive degrees in person during the convocation. Registrar Dr Chinnappa Gowda, Registrar (Evaluation) Prof P S Yedapadithaya were present.
34 DLit, 11 DSc,1 LLD
In the last 29 convocations of Mangalore University, as many as 34 Doctorate of Literature (DLit), 11 Doctorate of Science (DSc) and one doctorate of Law (LLD) have been conferred to distinguished personalities. LLD was conferred on former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde.
