Himachal Pradesh Governor Kalyan Singh on Sunday lauded IIT Mandi and said that during a short span of five years, it has grown up steadily and achieved great heights in all spheres of science, research and technology. Speaking at the second Convocation of the IIT, Mandi at Koman, 18 kms from here, Singh said that he had full confidence that it would emerge as one of the best institutes not only in the country, but also across the world in terms of excellence, quality and merit.
“Such institutions spread across the country would help face the challenges of energy crisis, environmental degradation, development of horticulture, agriculture and forestry in the years to come,” he said. Overwhelmed by its picturesque location he said it is a pious place for studies. “I expressed my deep obeisance to the ‘Dev Bhumi’ of Himachal Pradesh where the students and teachers deserve compliments for achieving many distinctions, medals and awards.”
He also made an appeal to the outgoing scientists to set their goals sky-high charged with strong pledge and firm determination adding that a strong will-power could do wonders in life. Once you harness this potential, success would lick your feet, he exhorted. He told the passed out scientists that they had completed one phase of their life and the new practical phase of life has begun to dedicate yourself for the service of humanity in any role you adopt in life." I wish you a very happy and bright future", he added.
Assailing indirectly the current wave of intolerance and religious fanaticism and pleading for universal brotherhood, he said all humans are sons and daughters of same God and deserve to be loved equally without any discrimination of cast and creed. Our ways of worships could be different, but God is one and the same for all mortals in the world, he stressed. The second convocation of IIT-2015 was to be addressed by Pranab Mukherjee, President of India, but his helicopter could not land in the Padal Ground Mandi due to bad weather and he returned to Kangra.
Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, gave away the prizes and medals to the passed out scientists. Speaking on the occasion, he said that this prestigious institute would go a long way in rolling out young scientists for the development of the country in general and Himachal Pradesh in particular. New vistas of development will be opened in the state in the spheres of agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Director of the IIT Kamand, Trimothy A Consalves dwelt at length with the activities of the IIT. He said in 2014 IIT Mandi expanded the breadth of its academic programs by starting two Masters programmes M.Tech in energy materials and M. Sc. in Chemistry. Further expansion was in the offing, he added.