Governor awards degrees to 788 Guru Nanak Dev University students

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 5

Governor VP Singh Badnore, who is also the Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), conferred degrees on 788 students during the 46th annual convocation of the university here on Thursday.

Dr Naresh Trehan, chairman and managing director, Medanta-The Medicity, was awarded with a degree of Doctor of Medicine in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. Pankaj Kapoor, eminent actor, was also honoured with a degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Visual Arts and Performing Arts.

As many as 169 medals, 16 memorial medals, Lt. Sham Sunder Nayyar Memorial Trophy, 87 PhD, nine MPhil, 265 master and 242 bachelor degrees were awarded to students. Badnore encouraged the students to achieve not just formal academic education but also enhanced value-based skills to become successful individuals in society.

Cabinet ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said society was facing the biggest challenge of degradation of moral and ethical values. He said at the same time, narrow mindedness and intolerance were increasing.

“Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji always gave the message of universal brotherhood ‘Ek Noor Te Sab Jag Upjeya Kaun Bhale Ko Mande’. The Punjabi language should be promoted and propagated by all. The Punjab Government has already initiated a move to display signboards in Punjabi and as a subject, Punjabi is compulsory till matriculation in all private and government schools in the state,” he added.

Three-time national award winner Pankaj Kapoor received the Honoris Causa degree for his exceptional artistic distinction over the years. Kapoor, who began sharing his happiness by reciting a couplet written by him, thanked everyone for the honour.

“It is after a long time that I remembered my life as a student. But it all came back to me today,” he said. Sharing his memories as a student, the actor, who was born in Ludhiana, said his heart would always beat for Punjab. He made his literary debut with novella titled ‘Dopehri’ and said he looked forward todoing versatile roles. He was accompanied by wife Supriya Pathak, who is also an eminent actor, and children Ruhaan Kapoor and Sanna Kapoor.

Dr Naresh Trehan, the other Honoris Causa degree recipient, also shared his reasons for coming back to India despite a successful career in the US. “It was my call and love for my homeland that I decided to build my life and profession here. I craved for social and emotional values,” he added.

During the convocation, Cabinet ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Principal Secretary, Higher Education and Languages Rahul Bhandari, members of the Senate and the Syndicate of the university were present on the occasion.