The Special Convocation ceremony for the International students of KIIT DU was held on Sunday where 346 students were conferred undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate degrees. The Founder’s Gold Medal for Outstanding International Student, instituted for the first time, went to Natnael Manaye Mulugeta for securing the highest CGPA. Similarly, the Founder’s Gold Medal for Outstanding International Researcher was given away to two students.
Ambassador of Panama to India Yasiel Burillo Rivera, who was the Chief Guest of the occasion, urged the students to embrace fundamental principles in life, such as humility, hard work, ethics, morality, and the promotion of love. She emphasized the everlasting nature of faith, hope, and love.
Ambassador Rivera shared the inspiring story of her grandfather, who became an orphan at the age of two. Despite facing difficult circumstances, he persevered with conviction and hard work, eventually rising to the position of national director of the National Bank of Panama. She also drew parallels to the struggles faced by Dr. Achyuta Samanta, the Founder of KIIT and KISS, who managed to establish KIIT as a pioneering institution in the country. Dr. Samanta was present at the ceremony.
Honorary Consul of Myanmar Prof. Ranganathan J, who graced the occasion as Guest of Honour, said the event will remain an “unforgettable day” in his life. Encouraging the students to be the change-makers of tomorrow, he said that education is the passport to development and progress. He said that the passing out students should be proud of KIIT which is a centre of innovation and the university is making students build bridges, not walls to the path of peace and prosperity. “KIIT is a shining example of learning to know, learning to believe, learning to do and learning to be”. He called upon students never to forget values that have guided them to this day. “Take risks, be bold and dare to dream”.
KIIT Vice Chancellor Prof. Sasmita Samanta expressed her gratitude to the students for their hard work, to the parents and to the faculty for grooming the students in the course of their academic pursuits at KIIT. She said that the international students of KIIT are doing work on the research front and enriching the knowledge base of the university. She said that 5000 students from 65 countries are pursuing their higher studies at KIIT and hailed the efforts of Dr. Achyuta Samanta for developing KIIT into a global university.
Among the dignitaries, Pro VC of KIIT DU Dr. Saranjit Singh; Registrar of KIIT DU Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty; Director General of KIIT International Relations Department Mr. Debaraj Pradhan, and many senior functionaries of KIIT attended the special convocation ceremony.