The realization of an individual’s academic degree rests on the individual’s ability to mould him or her as a confident person who could measure success in terms of inner happiness and satisfaction.
The real value of the degree depends on the yardstick with which one assess oneself, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha, R. Balakrishnan, said here on Monday.
Delivering the chief guest’s address at the 25th convocation of the Periyar Maniammai University here, Mr. Balakrishnan pointed out that education without human values was a weapon that could harm the world.
Noting that recognition came with responsibilities and challenges, Mr. Balakrishnan encouraged the students to face challenges to fight and overcome them with their knowledge.
Asking the students to commit themselves to progress in the path of success, he remarked that by itself progress did not have a path, but paves the way to make one.
The bureaucrat, who was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris causa) on the occasion for his contributions to research and study of the impact of ancient Dravidian culture on the Indus civilisation, told the students that the current socio, economic and political context made the current generation m special.
Chancellor K. Veeramani, Pro-Chancellor S. Rajarathnam, Vice-Chancellor Sundar Manoharan and others were present. A total of 887 students were awarded various degrees and 27 among them were granted their Ph.D degrees. Meritorious achievers were awarded with 30 gold medals, 22 silver medals and 14 bronze medals on the occasion.
Dr. Sundar Manoharan listed the varsity’s achievements during the past academic year and added that the PMU was 15 exclusive funding projects worth ₹1.57 crore during the current academic year.
