SHILLONG: The second Convocation of Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya, was held on Monday in the presence of scholars, academicians, government officials, students and guests of the university.
Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi was the chief guest while Vikram Sahay, former director of the University Grants Commission, and Gautam Barua, director of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Guwahati, graced the occasion as guests of honour.
Other guests included Manoj Das, director of IIE, Dr AS Guha, director of IGNOU and Archana Barua, educationist.
During the convocation, MGU offered the Award of Excellence to eminent scholars and social workers of the North East, who have contributed immensely to the society. Eminent personality Dr Birubala Rabha, founder of Mission Birubala, has been honoured by MGU for tirelessly fighting for the cause of witch-hunting since the 1980s.
Another awardee, who is an esteemed innovator-scientist and senior agriculture technologist, Dr Uddhab Kumar Bharali, known as the “Machine Man” of Assam, is a mind-boggling inventor who has devoted his life to serve the people with appropriate technologies.
The list of awardees of MGU also includes ‘Elephant man of Asia’ Prof. Kushal Konwar Sarma, a celebrated wildlife researcher and veterinarian as well as Jenpu Rongmei, founder of Community Avenue Network (CAN), Nagaland, who has provided outstanding moral support to children living with HIV/AIDS along with vocational training for underprivileged youth.
Research, graduation and post graduation Degrees were conferred on students and scholars by Mukhi. The ceremony was organised meticulously following the protocol of university convention.
Dr Milie Goel, President of promoting body of the university, read out the pledge, taken by the degree recipients. Mukhi in his convocation address lauded the performance of this emerging institution of excellence and blessed the students and scholars saying MGU has emerged as a global university “with discernible distinctive strength in education and entrepreneurship”.
“I am very much assured that the university will continue to provide quality education and emerge as a pioneer centre for excellence in North East Region,” said Mukhi.
