Convocation 2011 was held at the Pilani campus on Sunday 28th August 2011 with gaiety and warmth. BITS has organized the Convocation after a break of 40 years and it was an occasion of solemnity on the one hand and fun and excitement on the other. Distinguished nuclear scientist, Dr Anil Kakodkar, DAE Homi Bhabha Chair Professor and Former Chairperson, Atomic Energy Commission, was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
This was the combined convocation for Pilani and Hyderabad campuses and 605 candidates were awarded their degrees in the convocation. The degrees include B.E., M.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. (Tech), M.E., B. Pharm., M. Pharm., MBA, MPH and Ph.D. programs. Also on this occasion, Distinguished Alumnus Awards were presented to the following four illustrious alumni of BITS Pilani : Mr Pritviraj Chavan, Chief Minister of Mahrashtra, Mr Baba Neelkanth Kalyani, CEO of Bharat Forge, Professor Goverdhan Mehta, National Research Professor in Chemistry and Prof D Balasubramanian, Director of Research, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad. Out of these, Prof Balasubramanian and Prof Goverdhan Mehta received the awards in person
The convocation was graciously blessed by Dr (Smt) Sarala Birla and industrialist Sri B K Birla, founding member of BITS, besides other dignitaries and parents. In the beginning, Dr (Smt) Sarala Birla in her brief speech, congratulated the graduating students and conveyed her best wishes.
In the Convocation speech, Chief Guest Dr Kakodkar said that engineering and technology would play a key role in sustaining and enhancing the relative competitive edge of our country. Calling for high quality research in our engineering and technological institutions, Dr Kakodkar said that such research should span a wide spectrum of disciplines ranging from basic sciences and engineering to humanities, economics and management. Aim of research should be to push frontiers of knowledge as well as to evolve technologies and to implement them for development, he said. Stressing upon the quality of research, Dr Kakodkar said that our research should become comparable to the best in the world.
Emphasizing university – industry linkage, Dr Kakodkar said that we should have the presence of research parks in our campuses wherein our students and faculty have the opportunity to participate in industry oriented researches. Similarly, there has to be presence of our national laboratories on our university campuses, which would promote researches in key national programs, he added.
Chancellor of the University, Dr Kumar Mangalam Birla, in his videographed address, said that on the eve of its Golden Jubilee Celebrations, in the next decade, BITS will emphasize and give additional focus to research and innovation. Alongside it will continue to enhance its undergraduate and work integrated learning programs, he said. Chancellor recalled that two years ago the Institute launched a major renewal project, “Vision 2020, Mission 2012” with the aim of identifying and implementing measures that would establish BITS Pilani as one of India’s top three research led universities by 2015 and to be counted among the leading 25 technical universities in Asia by 2020.
Vice Chancellor Prof B N Jain in his address said that during the academic year 2010-11, over 2,100 students have graduated from BITS having completed the graduation requirements in either of the 19 undergraduate or 21 postgraduate programs offered by the four campuses of the university. He said that about 20% of these students graduate with two degrees under the Dual Degree Program, an option only BITS provides to the students. Besides, 31 students completed PhD this year, he said. Vice Chancellor, in his brief report, highlighted the key activities of the four campuses of BITS Pilani, while bringing out their achievements, future plans, and the challenges ahead.
Director of Pilani campus, Prof G Raghurama and Director of Hyderabad campus, Prof V S Rao, in their reports, highlighted the achievements of their respective campuses in terms of infrastructure development, academic affairs, faculty research areas, student activities and achievements.
Vice Chancellor presented degree certificates to all graduating students of all programs. Chief Guest Dr Kakodkar presented medals of merit to the five students: Mr Raghavendra Pradyumna and Mr Tripathy Shakti Prasad Srikanth (Gold Medals), Mr Anupjyoti Deka and Miss Surbhi Garg (Silver Medals) and Mr Heemanshu Suri (Bronze medal). In the end, Gold medalist, Mr Raghavendra Pradyumna administered the Oath to all graduating students. Prof R N Saha, Deputy Director, proposed the vote of thanks.
Formal opening and closing of the Convocation were done by the Vice Chancellor Prof B N Jain at the request of the Registrar, Prof M M S Anand.
BITS Pilani, established in 1964 had witnessed to such a ceremony, three times before from 1969 to 1971. The annual tradition which was then halted on account of the Bangladesh war revived itself after a long hiatus of 4 decades.