NONGPOH: Chief Adviser of Meghalaya and also the local legislator of Nongpoh Constituency, Dr DD Lapang was on Saturday conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) by the University of Science and Technology (USTM) during the 2nd Convocation of the University held at USTM campus.
The USTM Universities informed that “We have resolved to confer the Honorary Degree of D.Litt to Dr DD Lapang, former Chief Minister of Meghalaya for his outstanding contributions in the field of Political Administration, Policy formulation and Social Reforms and an Honorary Doctor of Science to Professor Mihir Kanti Choudhury, former Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University for his contributions in the field of Academic Administration, promotion of Science & Technology and elevating Tezpur University to greater heights.”
Hailing from a poor farmer family of Nongjri village in Ri Bhoi District, Lapang had passed matriculation from Shillong Government High School and graduated (BA) through an evening section from St. Anthony’s College. He had joined government service and served 23 years and later became the Sub-Inspector of schools.
Afterwards, Lapang joined politics and won the General Assembly Elections first in 1972 and subsequently in 1978, 1983, 1988, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013. His political career spanned over a period of times by being the Cabinet Minister for ten times and twice as Deputy Chief Minister and five times as Chief Minister of Meghalaya from 1992 to 2009 and twice as leader of opposition in the year 1998 and 2008.
Amidst a packed audience the Convocation at the Techno City Campus on Saturday. Three vice chancellors of the oldest universities in India, Prof. Ashotosh Ghosh, Vice Chancellor, University of Calcutta, Prof. Girish Chandra Tripathi, Vice Chancellor, BHU, Prof. Sanjay V Deshmukh, Vice Chacellor, Mumbai University, Prof Dhrubo Jyoti Saikia, VC, Cotton University, Prof. Dilip Chandra Nath, VC, Assam University, Silchar, Prof. G D Sharma, VC, Bilaspur University and many other academicians were witness to the occasion.
A total number of 583 students which includes 518 students had received post-graduate degree, 61 students received under-graduate degree while 4 scholars will be awarded Ph.D degree.
A total of 26 students, both at UG, PG and Ph.D awardees were delivered with gold medals.
