Stating that development in technology and scientific front alone could address the challenges India was facing, K. Sivan, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, urged young engineers to come up with innovative solutions.
Delivering the convocation address at the 17th graduation day of Sethu Institute of Technology (SIT) in the district on Saturday, Mr. Sivan said that depletion of water and energy resources would be a major challenge the country would be facing in the coming years.
“The solutions for these problems should come from youngsters. Your solutions should not only be innovative bur also cost-effective so that it becomes affordable for every section of the society,” he told the students.
Appealing to the graduating students to dream big, Mr. Sivan cited the example of Vikram Sarabhai, who faced challenges and criticism for launching India’s space programme.
“It is because of his vision and dream that the country has reached this stage in space programme, which is benefitting every citizen of the country,” he said.
Speaking at the function, Stanley George, Vice-President and Head HR (South India) of Hexaware Technologies Ltd, asked the students to not merely be an engineering graduate but an engineer.
“An engineering graduate is someone who just possesses a degree but never put that degree to good use. An engineer, on the other hand, uses his knowledge to come up with solutions for real life problems,” he said.
S. Mohamed Jaleel, Founder and Chairman of SIT, N. Sivasubramanian, a retired Chief General Manager from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), felicitated the function.
A. Senthil Kumar, Principal of SIT, delivered the graduation day report. A total of 828 undergraduate and postgraduate students were awarded degrees.
Later in the evening, Mr. Sivan interacted with entrepreneurs from micro, medium and small scale industries (MSME) on the scope for MSME in space programme at a function organised by Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA) in Madurai.
