The second convocation of South Asian University (SAU) was held at the Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra, Chanakyapuri in New Delhi on Monday.
The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Deep Kumar Upadhayay, Ambassador of Nepal to India as the nominee of SAU’s Visitor while Mr. MJ Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs, Govt. of India was the chief guest, said a SAU press release.
A total of 185 students - 21 are from Afghanistan, 28 from Bangladesh, one from Bhutan, one from Maldives, 16 from Nepal, 11 from Pakistan and 3 from Sri Lanka while the rest 104 are from India, representing all the eight SAARC countries received their Masters Degrees. 9 students received their MPhil Degrees - one each from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and 6 from India. 11 students received Gold Medal from the chief guest for their outstanding result, the release added.
Ambassador Upadhayay while congratulating the graduating students also made an appeal to them to use their ‘wisdom and enthusiasm to embrace the responsibility to build a prosperous South Asia.
“The region is not just about poverty and backwardness but more to do with the potential and determination that the nations of the regions share,” he said.
Mr. MJ Akbar said that SAARC has been around for 32 years and the next 32 years will be more important and the people who will determine the next 32 years of the regional body and the region itself were the ones getting their degrees in the convocation.
“History could not be changed but the future of knowledge could be”, he said.
South Asian had seen a lot of hardships in the last century but 21st century was all about opportunities and fulfilments, he added.
While streesing upon the important role the teachers play in shaping the future of a generation, he also said the opposite of destruction was not necessarily creation, but it could also be instruction.
Dr. Kavita Sharma, president of SAU and Mr. Amjad Hussain B Sial, the SAARC secretary general also addressed the gathering.
Noted academicians, high ranking diplomats and other dignatiaries from around the South Asia region were also present on the occasion.