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dated December 24, 1952: Viswa Bharati Convocation

The first convocation of Viswa Bharati — after it was raised to the status of a Central University — was held on the 23rd in Santiniketan in a specially erected pandal at the amrai gunja mango grove, before a large and distinguished gathering. The honorary degree of Doctor of Letters was conferred on two distinguished personalities connected with the University, Pandit Kshitimohan Sen, well-known scholar, and Mr. Nandalal Bose, famous artist. President Dr. Rajendra Prasad delivered the convocation address. He said that the best ideal for a University to pursue was that of building up character and sound humanism. Even while Poet Rabindranath Tagore advocated love of the country, he was not parochial. He did not think of any narrow nationalism. Government had, by statute, given recognition to Viswa Bharati and undertaken to provide it financial support. "But State help and Government statute will not suffice to build up the soul of Viswa Bharati and the ideal which Rabindranath wanted to promote. This University epitomizes the best that was in Gurudev. He is no more, but he has left it to us as a great triumph and heritage. Let us pledge ourselves to strengthen this great institution with all our resources, and may we build it into a centre of a new culture with a new consciousness of love and brotherhood among all the races of mankind," said the President.

Dr. Prasad who spoke in Bengali, continued, "It is unfortunate that in the present age of trade and commerce, money has entered the field of education too. In these times, it may be impossible to divorce education from money and materialism. Of course, teachers have to earn their living. Yet they must be so devoted to their noble profession of disseminating true knowledge. The task of perfecting of humanity depends on selfless teachers. Gurudev Tagore believed that Viswa Bharati's teachers would be so inclined, look upon teaching as a sacred mission, and realise in their thought and work that promoting humanism is the truest object of education. To help pupils realise the truth, the teacher must be a person who has seen and known himself or herself fully. Pupils should get accustomed to the hard realities of want. Realisation of truth may vary in form from country to country, but there is a basic oneness in the quest, be it in the East or the West. This sense of unity we should emphasise. Such was Gurudev's vision, and we must all strive to realise it," said President Prasad.

Prime Minister Nehru said in his message for the occasion, "Harmonious physical, intellectual, and moral development, and endeavour to achieve this should be our aim."

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