BENGALURU: As many as 1,136 students were awarded degrees during the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) convocation on Monday. This year also saw the highest number of PhDs being awarded since the institute started. Along with this, 465 research degrees, 571 master’s degrees and 100 undergraduate degrees were also conferred to the graduating batch. Gold medals were awarded to 57 students for academic excellence in different fields.
Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion and Padma Vibhushan awardee, delivered the convocation address. Emphasising on the importance of intellectual agility in the ever-developing world, the chess grandmaster said, “In the world of chess, I’ve rarely seen individuals who thrive solely on one specialisation. The technology we interact with today requires a strategic approach, specialisation but not super-specialisation. It’s crucial to have a diverse range of interests and skill sets. This will allow you to navigate and explore new challenges within your field if your primary skill encounters hurdles.”
He added that it is vital to learn how to communicate with the world animatedly and excitingly, especially in today’s time when misinformation is common. Individuals who do this without any facts are remembered but people who have all the facts are often not heard, Viswanathan said. Drawing similarities between science and chess, he highlighted that people in such fields often have the tendency to be amongst themselves “however, the acceptance and budgets come from elsewhere.”
“It’s important to learn how to communicate. If you don’t say it someone else will and that will be the official version. In science it’s probably harder as you (scientists) will face tough competition from WhatsApp University graduates,” Viswanathan said. He added that one should learn to simplify and make their findings concise for others.
Addressing the gathering virtually, Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chair, IISc Council and co-founder of Infosys said with several emerging technologies today, India can become a global leader in various sectors. “Focusing on world-class research and translational research skills, we can fuel economic growth as well as create new jobs and new businesses. The country has the potential to have leaders for areas such as quantum technologies, AI for societal good and cyber-security systems,” he said.