VIPs give VTU convocation a miss

H R Bharadwaj, Dr Pachauri, Madhavan Nair and Dr Yash Pal fail to turn up

The Governor, who happens to be the Chancellor of all universities in the State gave the occasion a miss, as did two eminent personalities, who were expected to receive honourary doctorate.

In the past, convocations used to be events wherein eminent dignitaries would deliver convocation address of inspiration and guidance for the fresh graduates as they embarked on their post-university life.

Convocations of the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) convocations for the past two or three years were held without the Chancellor participating.

Governor Rameshwar Thakur did not bother to attend the last two convocations, and on Thursday Governor H R Bhardwaj who was expected to award the degres and gold medals to meritorious students conspicuous by his absence.

Speaking with Deccan Herald, senior academics lamented that convocations seemed to become mere rituals with university selecting personalities for honorary doctorates, who never turn up to receive them. 

In absentia

Last year, the university selected Ratan Tata of the Tata Group of Industries as one of the candidates for honorary doctorate. Tata, being busy received it in absentia.
This year's and the ninth convocation of the VTU held here on Thursday was no different. Chairman of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate change and Nobel Laureate Dr R K Pachauri and Space Commission chairman Dr G Madhavan Nair, who were to be honoured with doctorates did not turn up.

Both the doctorates were presented in absentia with vice chancellor H P Khincha receiving them from Pro Chancellor Aravind Limbavali.

Even Jawaharlal Nehru University Chancellor Prof Yash Pal, who was to deliver the convocational address failed to make it due to ill health and his speech was read in absentia.

Official reason for the absence of the personalities could not be ascertained immediately.

Medallists will go abroad, but will return

Belgaum, dhns: Gold medal winners at the 9th convocation of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) will pursue their higher education abroad, but want to serve in the country and make the nation proud.

Chinnari Shrinidhi of Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumkur, winner of the highest number of 11 gold medals will be leaving soon to Melbourne in Australia for studying structural engineering. "After returning to India I will become an entrepreneur," he said.

S R Bharath from BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore, winner of six gold medals said he has been undergoing training at Qatar and on return would serve in the country.

B K Somith from Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumkur winner of six gold medals has been working in a company at Bangalore and wants to pursue higher education. "I will work in my country", he asserted.